Problems W/ Driven Point Well Or Pump?

[Romeo]

We have some serious problems with massive amounts of air in our water system, this just started about a month ago and has gotten since the pump specialist came out and made some changes it is now to the point of completely dreading taking a shower let along everything else!

We had a new pressure tank and pump installed last spring everything has worked perfect up to this point. So we had the company come take a look at the system while everything is still under warranty they said everything is fine with their equipment they said it could be the water softner in which we have had for several years so he bypassed it and the problem increased they now say it must be a low water table, gas deposits and so on ect......well the main thing is with all of this is that we have a driven point well in which has been the exactly the same since sometime in the 1900's and never has there been lack of water or anything else to that effect I find it a little odd that all of sudden one day there would not be enough water to adequately fill the tank even after sitting over night with no use it seems the tank has not built itself back up. I would think as the water table lowered it would gradually become a bigger more noticable problem? Any suggestions would greatly appreciated!

[speedbump]

If you have air in the lines with a jet pump, it means you have an air leak. It could be a bad air control if you have one. It could be a fitting in the suction line, which includes the entire well and all it's fittings. It could be the screen has plugged to the point that the pump has to pull long and hard on the well casing to get the water it needs and that causes more vacuum for longer times causing air to get into the suction line.

Do you notice the pump running longer than it used to?

bob...

[Romeo]

Yes Ive noticed it takes a longer period of time for the pump to recover. Any ideas on how and where to start trouble shooting? I thought there was a way to either water or air back down the well pipe to clear the screen of any blockage?

Thank you for your response!

[speedbump]

I'm afraid it's not that easy. The mineral that coats a well point or screen cements itself to the slots or mesh depending on what kind of screen you have. Usually the point is pulled and replaced or acid treated with a product called Nu-Well tablets. DO NOT attempt using Muriatic Acid. It can kill you.
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/face/stateface/mi/01mi061.html

Nu-Well tabs are made by Johnson, the people who make well screens. I don't know where you can buy them off hand, but an internet search might turn up someone.

bob...

[Wet_Boots]

It is possible to get a good result from forcing water down a well point, and I've revived performance by doing so. This was for lawn sprinkler systems fed from a well point, so I had a good idea of what the available flow was prior to the point clogging up. The pump would be outdoors, and a VuFlow 100 mesh strainer was on the pump output. I would alternate from forcing water down the point and pumping. Since there's a check valve on the pump's suction inlet, there has to be a garden hose connection on the tee atop the point, for connecting the water that will be forced into it. The strainer, which has a clear enclosure, is important, because it allows me to see what's getting pumped, since this procedure always frees up some particles, and I will reach a point where no more particles are appearing in the strainer, and by then, the original performance returned.