Cold air flowing from well head

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sarasara

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I am looking at a piece of property that has a well on in. There is a strong flow of cold air coming out of the wellhead. It is loud enough to hear from several feet away. It is odorless. I have not noticed this on any of the other wells I have seen. Anyone know what this is? Is it good or bad? Thanks!
Sara
 

Waterwelldude

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Pray that it's natural gas

I hope you are joking.

That is the dumbest statement I have ever heard.

Its VERY dangerous, it can kill you if any spark comes close to it, it makes the well useless,
and has the potential to blow the house up or anything else its plumbed to.
 

Waterwelldude

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I am looking at a piece of property that has a well on in. There is a strong flow of cold air coming out of the wellhead. It is loud enough to hear from several feet away. It is odorless. I have not noticed this on any of the other wells I have seen. Anyone know what this is? Is it good or bad? Thanks!
Sara

Does the well blow the air after the pump shuts of or is it all the time?

If its just when the pump shuts off, that is the well replacing the water that was just pumped out.
 

LLigetfa

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Does the well blow the air after the pump shuts of or is it all the time?

If its just when the pump shuts off, that is the well replacing the water that was just pumped out.
On a well that is a slow producer with a high GPM pump, the pump will draw down the storage in the well and subsequently suck air into the casing. When the pump shuts off, the well will refill, displacing the air from the well.
 

cableguy

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Sarasara:
My dad drilled many wells in the Spokane Wa. area. A few of them were wells that blew air out, and
at other times the same well would suck air in.
These well can be hazardous. There have been reports from the western provinces of Canada
of people dying from breathing the air from these blowing wells while servicing the well in a well pit.
As I recall, the air was't poisonous, but had a lack of, or insufficient oxygen.
 

Ballvalve

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On a well that is a slow producer with a high GPM pump, the pump will draw down the storage in the well and subsequently suck air into the casing. When the pump shuts off, the well will refill, displacing the air from the well.

What makes a 50gpm 6" rock well BLOW air out when being pumped at 15 or 20 GPM? Its no air compressor, no odor, but a noticible breeze from a vent.
 

Ballvalve

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VERY interesting aticle. Nitrogen is being touted as a means for self extermination lately, as its been disovered that you quickly pass out and die quick without any "kicking about"

And I use it in wine barrel "topping" as it sits low and displaces oxygen. Have to be a bit more careful about sniffing the wine!

Luckily in Ca. we dont have well pits.

Nice thing I read about nitrogen is that it leaves no traces of death in the body. So if you are really sick, and do it carefully, you can still get the double indemnity pay off for the family.
 

Masterpumpman

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It's probably a cavern somewhere. It's usually not a problem but if it's in a pit you should stay out. Ocasionally some of these blowing wells will suck air at times. This usually means that the well cavern is storing or releasing barimetric air. I wouldn't be concerned!
 

Valveman

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There are some wells in central Texas that alternate from blowing air to drawing air all the time. I don't know if it is the moon phase or barometric pressure that determines if it is blowing or drawing but, it doesn't seem to bother anything else. Never get in a well pit without external air and help. Even one that is not blowing can be hazardous to your health.
 
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