New pump? If so what do I get

I've been battling a pump problem for a year or so. It will lose it's prime if the power is off for a couple hours. Over the course of the year the pressure has decreased and it continues to lose prime when the power is shut off. I've noticed a substantial increase in my power bill also. We attempted to put in a back flow valve ourself, but the regulator wouldn't allow it, so we had to remove it.

I called a well repair company to see if the foot valve is bad, but he said nothing is wrong with it, because it didn't loose prime when he shut the power off for 15 minutes. When I questioned him on just replacing the pump with a newer more efficient pump he advised against it. He said if I switch out the pump, I'd break the pipes going to the well. He recommended that I have a new well drilled and install a 4" submersed pump. I don't have the $4,000.00 he quoted me to do this!

I currently have a 1HP above ground jet pump that was drilled and installed in 1994. The repair man said it only pumps 5 gallons a minute, is this bad or good?

So my question is, does it sound like I need a new pump, a new well or a new plumber? At a minimum I'm wanting a more efficient pump upgrade, but since this is our only source for water, I can't afford to break off the piping to the well.

Thanks for any advise given

Anyone that can stand on the ground and tell you that your footvalve is not bad must have ESP. If your pump loses it's prime, the water has to be going back toward the well. It doesn't have to be the footvalve, but it could be.

Can you send a picture of your pump/setup?

bob...

Sounds like you have a check valve between the pump and the tank. If you remove that check valve, you won't lose prime. Removing this check valve may also help you find a leak in the suction line, which I think is the reason you are losing prime to start with. After removing this check valve, cut off the water to the house. If the pressure drops any over time, you have a suction leak.

No Check valve

I attempted to install a check valve between the pump and the tank, but the regulator wouldn't allow it. The water would pump to the check valve and shut the pump off. So I had to remove it.

I have a very simple system Pipe comes up, jet pump sits on top and sends water directly into pressure tank.

I'll have to photo system and pump type tonite and post photo.

If you don't have a check valve between the pump and tank, then the only way you could be losing prime is because of a suction leak or a low producing well. You probably have a suction leak, right where the suction pipe screws into the pump itself.