Get matched with top well and pump technicians in La Barge, WY

Age is certainly a factor in well pump failure. The older your pump, the more likely it is to fail. 

Beyond age, other factors can cause your well pump to fail, too. Things like poor water quality can cause sediment buildup in your pump. Without proper cleaning, your pump can seize up and fail. Having a dry well for too long can also cause your pump to fail, as it keeps working even though there's no water for it to pull. 

The precharged pressure tank should start at around 28 psi. The two pressure settings of note are the cut-in and cut-out pressure. The well pump starts when the tank reaches the minimum cut-in pressure. It turns off when the tank reaches the maximum cut-out pressure. The desired water pressure in the household is usually a few psi above the cut-in number. The difference between the cut-in and cut-out pressure settings should be 20 psi. Typical settings for household applications include 20/40, 30/50, and 40/60.

Most well pump pressure switches have a factory setting of 30 to 50 PSI. There’s some flexibility with this if you’d like a lower or higher water pressure, but remember that it should sit 2 to 3 PSI above your well tank’s general pressure setting.

The inside of your pressure switch cover will usually indicate minimum and maximum settings—going below and above the numbers might damage your well pump.

Frozen well pipes make themselves known quickly, as your faucets slow down to a trickle or shut down completely. If you notice a serious reduction in flow in the winter from toilets, showers, kitchen faucets, and other plumbing fixtures, a frozen pipe or two is to blame. Another tell-tale sign is frost or ice on exposed pipes outside.