Waterworks sooner or later become worthless. This happens for several reasons - a break in the pump or jamming it in the casing, skewing of the vertical line due to installation problems, siltation of the bottom. If the water began to flow intermittently or even disappeared, there is a need for inspection and repair of the well. Depending on the cause of the breakdown and the type of source, a price is formed for the current and capital repair of wells.
How to determine the cause of the breakdown
If the water from the well has changed color or an unpleasant smell has appeared, then it is time to carry out repairs. Malfunctions are also indicated by the breakdown of the submersible pump - this happens when working on dry run, if the protection sensor is not installed. The aquifer can change the depth and the equipment will stop working.
If the safety cable holding the pump at a certain depth is improperly selected, the unit may break and fall to the bottom. The last thing that the owners of the well will notice is the flow of dirty water from the tap. For several minutes, the equipment will still work, sucking in dirt from the bottom of the well. Then the casing becomes clogged with sludge and the pump shuts off. At the same time, it will be difficult to get it, because due to vibrations it will burrow in the sand. In this case, you will have to call professionals with special devices such as a milling spider.
The most harmless reason is incorrect pump operation due to power surges. To make sure that there is no damage to the well, you need to turn off the equipment, get it out, clean it and install the stabilizer. Sometimes poor water supply is associated with a change in flow rate.
The appearance of dirt in the water is evidence of wear or cracks in the casing. Metal rusts over time, and plastic may burst due to low temperatures. Sand or clay enters the water through a crack.
By the time between turning the pump on and off, you can determine that the well has silted up. It fills longer after pumping, the equipment does not work at full strength, so it takes more time.
You can try to repair the well with water yourself. This is possible if the amount of work is small, for example, you just need to flush the source. In this case, one must take into account where it is located - is it possible to direct water into the garden or will it pour out onto the equipped territory.
Main types of malfunctions and related repairs
For some serious breakdowns, it is necessary to repair an old well or drill a new one. Even if the prices do not differ significantly, the owners prefer repairs, since the construction of a new water source needs to be re-drawn up. The same thing happens if the water goes deeper - you need to deepen the old spring or equip a new one. Many decide to drill a needle-hole - it is much cheaper, and in case of breakage, you can do another.
It can be difficult or impossible to restore the source to working after an unprofessional intervention, so you need to evaluate your capabilities and skills well before starting to diagnose a breakdown.
The procedure is almost always the same:
- Determine the quality of pumping equipment and water distribution plants. If the pressure remains good when connecting the device to a regular hose, then it is not in the well or in the pump. If the pressure is weak, you need to inspect the source.
- Try to put another pump. If the water supply has improved, you need to repair or change your unit.
- If replacing the pump did not help, then the problem is in the well - it is being repaired, the casing is changed or washed.
It is necessary to check everything in order, not excluding any node. To examine the integrity of the pipe, for example, special tools are needed - a camera with which to inspect the walls. In such cases, it is better to call a team of workers who regularly repair wells.
Care must be taken regarding water quality. Putrid odor usually indicates bacterial infection. Perhaps the sewage from the septic tank got into the source. To do this, do an analysis in the laboratory. The chemical smell or taste of the liquid indicates the ingress of harmful substances through the head or groundwater. It is impossible to use such water until a sanitation station issues an opinion.
Cable break repair
The use of low-quality materials leads to the fact that under the influence of moisture, metal products rust. When the cable breaks and the pump falls into the well, it is first necessary to get it. If you manage to hook the device with a hook, then in the future it is cleaned and re-installed in the well.
A problem may arise if the casing is very narrow and an electric cable is caught between the instrument body and the wall. In this case, a heavy object tied to the rope is used to push the pump down and pull the cable. Usually they try to fasten all the cables with clamps at the installation stage, so that none of them sag.
During installation or repair, a tool may fall into the source. If it is made of metal, a magnet on the rope will help. In other cases, a milling cutter is used, but at the same time, the tool or pump housing will inevitably be damaged, after which you will have to buy a new pump.
Silt washing
Siltation occurs if the well is operated irregularly. This problem is affected by country sources, which are used only in the summer.
The filter is at the bottom, but it is not able to catch small particles of dirt or sand. Sooner or later, the aquifer is completely filled and the productivity of the well decreases.
The following cleaning methods are used:
- pumping;
- purge;
- flushing.
Pump the well with a special pump that can remove even small stones. Water is poured into the garden or into a sewage machine, if the territory is not desirable to fill.
For blowing down pipes are lowered, through which air is supplied. He raises all the dirt from the bottom, and the pump pumps it out.
The source is washed with a strong pressure of water flowing from the outside to the inside. In this case, the sludge layer is washed off and pumped out. For these purposes, it is better to use more powerful pumping units, which are able to absorb dirt and large particles of debris.
Sometimes they use a bailer - a pipe with which you can scoop up sand at the bottom and raise it to the surface. When sand fell into the pipe when lowering it down, a valve is activated that prevents the soil from spilling back into the well. With the help of a bailer, you can also deepen the source.
Filter Replacement
Filter replacement is considered one of the most complex well repair work. The filter element can be very deep, depending on the type of source. To get to it, you need to dismantle the entire casing. In this case, there is a risk that the entire underground part will collapse and it will be necessary to call drillers to restore the source of water.
After installing a new filter, the pipe is lowered back. Sometimes situations occur with damage to the walls of the pipe, if it is made of plastic. Any careless actions may entail the need to replace the casing.
Repair or replacement of casing
If a crack develops inside or a shaft bends, the old pipe must be removed using one of the methods that professional workers use:
- Extraction by stretch. Using special mechanisms, the end of the pipe is captured and removed. If tension occurs that exceeds the plasticity limit of the material, it bursts and then you need to grab the remaining part below.
- The body tension of the pipeline. The mechanism which clings to the lower edge falls down. Reinstalling the removed pipe is not possible.
- Swinging. Before this, the soil around the pipe is moistened, and the vibration pump is lowered down so that it works for a while, acting on the walls, so that the soil lags behind and loosens. Next, the pipe is easily pulled out by tension. Reuse is sometimes possible.
- Unscrewing. Drilling equipment will be required, which is fixed inside the well, then several turns are made clockwise, and the pipe is removed.
Repair and insulation works in wells are carried out only at oil and gas production enterprises. Such types of work are not used in drinking water sources because of the complexity and high cost of repair equipment.
When to contact professionals
The help of professionals requires particularly difficult cases - replacing the casing and filter. In any of these situations, it is necessary to dismantle the downhole pipe. Activities require the use of heavy construction equipment. At the same time, prices for underground well repairs are not comparable with the quality of work that specialists are doing.
The independent implementation of such actions may entail a major overhaul or the need to drill a new well. Therefore, it is better to entrust everything from beginning to end to a professional team that provides a guarantee.
The cost is formed on the basis of several parameters - the depth of the source, the cause of the breakdown, the need to use special machines. The possible expense of funds for new materials is taken into account if damage occurs during the repair. Drilling from scratch a new well in addition takes time, because you have to get permission to carry out construction work.
