Well water possible clogged pipes bad water pressure

[denisedd76]

Ok. Saturday before last I gave the horses bathes, laundry, and who knows what else. Just a typical Sat. I got in the shower Sat. evening and literally ran out of water!! We've been in our house w/water well for 8 months now, 2 adults and 3 teenagers, only water issue was of course running out of hot water but pressure was always the same for everyone. After a week and a half of staggered showers and very late night laundry (always waiting for pressure to build back up, if not would run out of water). Had 'the well man' out this morning and after replacing a few parts no more running out of water but inside and out the water pressure is pathetic compared to how it has been! We do not have leaks, sat watching the pressure gauge forever and never budged until someone turned on a faucet. Unfortunately for me I am the repair woman of the house but I've never had well water before. I've gone through the house cleaning water screens and no improvements so I'm sure I've got some clogging in my inaccessible pipes. My mother said she used to pour a gallon of bleach in her's every six months but I want to explore all options and know if anything besides digging up my whole yard can help to clean out the pipes. I used to do electrical work and we used coca cola to clean out pipes but don't see how that would help with water pipes. PLEASE, ANY HELP IS APPRECIATED! Thank you btw-all of our water pipe is pvc.

 

[richtow8]

It can be easier than you think...

Assuming you have a drilled well and can pull your pump with a Tee to attach to a pitless adapter.

1. If your pump is in muck (silt can build up if the well does not have a good shoe seal, or other ways), Lower the Tee while the pump is running (you may need to inster a section of wire to extend it), only a foot or two at a time, bringing it to the top to discharge the dirty water over the well top edge. Continue until you feel comfortable with the depth.

2. Remove plaque in pipe:
A. Remove any bends or fittings at the house end of the water line and extend a full size (probably 1 inch) pipe out the window. Do not use salt in a leach field.
B. "hook" the pitless adapter to the well edge so you can drop 10 to 20 pounds of ROCK SALT into the pipe. Lower into the pitless seal and run through the line before the salt melts" losing
the sharp edges. This will scrap the sludge without plugging and if it plugged for any reason, the salt will be gone soon.
c. Use a barrel with screen to catch the salt so you can use it again, dispose of it properly, save it for making ice cream or melting ice on your NON concrete walkway.

Note: Dropping atleast 1/8th pound of pool shock per 100 feet of well, into the well and running into the line, can help losen "stuff" and shock/sterilize the lines. This also destroys iron bacteria so it is a good idea to put shock into a well when your kitchen sponge smells of iron bacteria. This also will clean medium (grit) in filter systems. Allow to charge and discharge (back wash) while avoiding putting much into a leach field.

 

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[motorsickle]

Richtow8,
2. Remove plaque in pipe:
A. Remove any bends or fittings at the house end of the water line and extend a full size (probably 1 inch) pipe out the window. Do not use salt in a leach field.
B. "hook" the pitless adapter to the well edge so you can drop 10 to 20 pounds of ROCK SALT into the pipe. Lower into the pitless seal and run through the line before the salt melts" losing
the sharp edges. This will scrap the sludge without plugging and if it plugged for any reason, the salt will be gone soon.
c. Use a barrel with screen to catch the salt so you can use it again, dispose of it properly, save it for making ice cream or melting ice on your NON concrete walkway.

Have you ever done this? I have high iron in my water (well) and after having pros look at it it seams like I have partial blockage in the line between the well and the pump. When I run my sprinklers the pressure starts at 60 and slowly drops to 25-30. The cut in is 40 and the pump has enough flow (checked by two different companies). The last one said they could dig down next to well and ream the line (non metallic) and if that doesn't work replace the line. what you suggest here sounds doable to me, but I don't quite understand about the way you get the salt down to the pitless valve. I have tried the chlorine and it seams to make it better but it was 20 years too late. BTW I am also from NH.

 

[Craigpump]

Rock salt? I've been in the business all my life and I never, ever heard of anyone putting rock salt in a potable water well. I can just imagine contamination issues if the fracture system communicates with other wells....A better idea would be to blow air through the offset line using 185 cfm tag along compressor, it's quite common to do in the upper Midwest.

These other two companies, did they pull the pump and test its output through a water meter? Check the pressure the pump will make? See if the drop pipe holds pressure against a closed valve when the pump is shut off? Checked to be sure there isn't an obstruction in the check valve at the tank? Checked the well recovery? Is the yard wet between the well and house?

 

[Reach4]

Have you ever done this? I have high iron in my water (well) and after having pros look at it it seams like I have partial blockage in the line between the well and the pump.

That implies a jet pump. If you have a submersible pump, then you meant to say between the well and the pressure tank.

 

[Flipperman2a2w]

Ok. Saturday before last I gave the horses bathes, laundry, and who knows what else. Just a typical Sat. I got in the shower Sat. evening and literally ran out of water!! We've been in our house w/water well for 8 months now, 2 adults and 3 teenagers, only water issue was of course running out of hot water but pressure was always the same for everyone. After a week and a half of staggered showers and very late night laundry (always waiting for pressure to build back up, if not would run out of water). Had 'the well man' out this morning and after replacing a few parts no more running out of water but inside and out the water pressure is pathetic compared to how it has been! We do not have leaks, sat watching the pressure gauge forever and never budged until someone turned on a faucet. Unfortunately for me I am the repair woman of the house but I've never had well water before. I've gone through the house cleaning water screens and no improvements so I'm sure I've got some clogging in my inaccessible pipes. My mother said she used to pour a gallon of bleach in her's every six months but I want to explore all options and know if anything besides digging up my whole yard can help to clean out the pipes. I used to do electrical work and we used coca cola to clean out pipes but don't see how that would help with water pipes. PLEASE, ANY HELP IS APPRECIATED! Thank you btw-all of our water pipe is pvc.

What did the well man have to say about your issue? Do you know what parts he replaced to fix your issue with running out of water? I'm a bonified diy-er, but I don't think I'd be messing around with my well pump and things like that. My well is almost 200 feet down, though. I guess you just have to be realistic about your capabilities...