Not enough water coming from well

[NeedsHelp12]

Okay, so I moved into this house a few months back. Almost immediately we get a leak. We live on a slab, so we have a plumber come out and he reruns the pipes so that they go through the attic and not the underground. It took us a while to get the leak fixed because the first plumber we had kept jerking us around for a couple of months.

In the mean time, about 2-1/2 weeks ago we noticed a strong sulphur smell in the hot and cold water. So, our new plumber fixes our leak and changes out the anode rod and disinfects the water heater.

After that, the leak was fixed but we still have the sulphur smell. Not only that but when we run the hose outside for 10 minutes, all the water shuts off for about 10 minutes then it comes back on and shuts off, etc. THIS IS NOW MY MAIN PROBLEM. (It will run out from running too much water inside the house as well)

So we call a well guy. He tells us we need a new pump...this will probably fix all problems, etc, etc. He installs a Franklin Electric Model 2445059004 HP 1/2 pump and charges me $600 for the pump (which come to find out I can buy one myself for $300 pretty much anywhere.) He also chlorinates the well.

So that was yesterday morning. We are still having the EXACT same problems (sulphur smell, no water) but I think my old pump actually worked better.

I have a Reliance 606 water heater.
Flex-lite pressure tank model fl7 22 gallons 125 psi
and a EcoWater water softener

The well guy said to call him back today if we still have no water pressure and he will oxidize (I think that is what he said). Of course, I am calling him back, but I really need some advice. I'm not trusting this guy at all now. Help!?!?!

 

[Valveman]

I think maybe he said "acidize"as it sounds like you maybe pumping the well dry. Acid is a way of treating the well to let more water in. You can't be mad at the pump or the pump man, if there is not enough water in the well to pump.

 

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[NeedsHelp12]

Well, I'm not mad at anyone yet. Just frustrated. Trying to figure out what the problem is or could be without having any knowledge of plumbing whatsoever. When the guy clearly overcharges me...that is when I consider that he might not be too trustworthy.

I was asking here first so that I would have a better understanding and not have to take the well guy's word for it when I talk to him today.

 

[TVL]

NeedsHelp12,

I hope I'm not about to say something out of line or put my nose where it doesn't belong, but ........................

1- Based on your post, it does appear your original pump was functioning................ correct? It just couldn't pump water that wasn't there. After the serviceman conducted his troubleshooting, maybe he felt the pump was defective and it wasn't a water issue but a pump issue and he simply replaced the pump.

2- Today, you are right back to where you were originally ................. correct? I feel the well guy should be paid for his continued services and hopefully, he will determine the real cause .............. but if the original pump was not the problem, I feel he should re-install it and not chage for a pump. If you're like me, you want things corrected and don't mind paying, but you don't want to be charged for unnecessary expenditures. In other words, you can't justify paying for a "parts changer".

Hope you get things corrected soon.

 

[Valveman]

$600 installed is not overcharging for a $300 pump. It is standard procedure for a pump man to double his cost on anything installed. The problem was that he replaced the pump in the first place, if the only problem was not enough water in the well. If you have steel casing, the acid will probably help. These are the kinds of things you really need a good well man to help with. So you may not want to give him a hard time about the new pump.

I would worry that if he couldn’t tell a low producing well from a bad pump, you might not be working with a knowledgeable person.

 

[Masterpumpman]

Valveman said it best! $600.00 was a reasonable price for replacing the pump. . . but did you need a new pump is the question? My recommendation would be to remove the pump and test the well with air to determine the flow. If there isn't enough flow you have a well problem and not a pump problem. If the well is plugged Acidizing may or may not help.
Some people are only parts changers. Be sure that the pump person is state licensed as a pump installer and hopefully National Ground Water Assn. certified pump installer.

 

[NeedsHelp12]

He charged me $1000 - $600 labor and $600 for the pump...that I am starting to think that I didn't need.

 

[NeedsHelp12]

And yes, I am back to where I started. Nothing was fixed.

 

[TVL]

He charged me $1000 - $600 labor and $600 for the pump...that I am starting to think that I didn't need.

that is high ............... in my opinion! Unless it was a deep well installation with other issues involved.

By the way, did you mean to state he charged $1200 total?

 

[NeedsHelp12]

I meant $400 for labor. It was a total of $1000. It only took him a couple of hours.

 

[Valveman]

I meant $400 for labor. It was a total of $1000. It only took him a couple of hours.

Still a reasonable price, if you really needed a new pump.