Help! Wellhead pressure relief valve shoots water all over my yard
I have a rural system less than a year old consisting of a 400' well and 2500 gallon storage tank.
One pump sends water from the storage tank to the pressure tank, no problems there.
The other pump sends water from the well uphill to the storage tank 100 feet horizontally, 25 feet vertically. Pump is triggered by a float in the storage tank (runs only when tank level drops to a certain point).
This system works fine in the Summertime. Every couple of days I hear the water pumping from the well into the tank.
In the wintertime when it's around freezing the pressure valve at the top of the wellhead starts releasing pressure when the well pump is running. The guy who built the system says it's because it's encountering more than 75 PSI while trying to pump up to the tank.
Why would this only happen in the Winter? The well guy suggested the check valve was freezing. Strange part is when it warms up to about 40 degrees the pump will operate and fill the tank but at the same time is releasing pressure and spraying water all over my yard. It's like the check valve is only partially opening.
Questions:
1) Is it normal for a check valve to only partially thaw, allowing it to both allow water through and create back pressure?
2) Is it possible the cold weather makes the water heavier and harder to pump uphill?
3) Right now the pressure valve release sprays on the yard. Would it be smart to run a connector so the released water flows back into the well? I've read conflicting opinions, some say the pump in the well is not designed to have water dropping on it from above
4) Anything else could be going on here?
Thanks very much.
Jim M
I have a rural system less than a year old consisting of a 400' well and 2500 gallon storage tank.
One pump sends water from the storage tank to the pressure tank, no problems there.
The other pump sends water from the well uphill to the storage tank 100 feet horizontally, 25 feet vertically. Pump is triggered by a float in the storage tank (runs only when tank level drops to a certain point).
This system works fine in the Summertime. Every couple of days I hear the water pumping from the well into the tank.
In the wintertime when it's around freezing the pressure valve at the top of the wellhead starts releasing pressure when the well pump is running. The guy who built the system says it's because it's encountering more than 75 PSI while trying to pump up to the tank.
Why would this only happen in the Winter? The well guy suggested the check valve was freezing. Strange part is when it warms up to about 40 degrees the pump will operate and fill the tank but at the same time is releasing pressure and spraying water all over my yard. It's like the check valve is only partially opening.
Questions:
1) Is it normal for a check valve to only partially thaw, allowing it to both allow water through and create back pressure?
2) Is it possible the cold weather makes the water heavier and harder to pump uphill?
3) Right now the pressure valve release sprays on the yard. Would it be smart to run a connector so the released water flows back into the well? I've read conflicting opinions, some say the pump in the well is not designed to have water dropping on it from above
4) Anything else could be going on here?
Thanks very much.
Jim M
Last edited: