Over the
years, we have taken calls from businesses
and homeowners with questions concerning water
well safety, well service or maintenance and
new well construction.
Here's a list of
Frequently Asked Questions
Q:
Do wells go dry?
A: Sometimes a well goes dry; however it is
usually not the case. Typically the screen just closes
up due to iron and/or other material.
Q: Is
it the deeper you go the better the H2O?
A: Not always the case. Mother nature is not
quite that predictable.
Q: Do you
witch for water?
A: C &J does not “witch” or “dowse” for water.
Q:
How do you know where to drill?
A: We always recommend starting in the place
that makes the most mechanical sense.
If that
fails, we have top secret ways of finding
H2O.
Q: What stage of new construction do you
normally drill?
A: Midway through framing if you want temporary
water or when framing is done if not.
Q: How long does a well last?
A: Most often we are finding them to last 30-50 years.
Q: How long
does a pump last?
A: We have pulled them out forty years old; however the books state the average
is 12-15 years.
Q: Where does
my pressure tank go?
A: Three choices here…basement, crawl, or garage.
Q: Where does
C&J stop and the plumber/electrician take over on new construction?
A: C&J
installs everything up to the pressure tank
including the trenching between the house
and the well.
Q: What forms
of payment do you accept?
A: Cash, check, and charge.
Q: Do you
finance wells?
A: If you call the office and request a credit application, we may be able
to get you financed.
Q: How deep
is the average well?
A: This all depends on your specific area. We do find 120ft. to be the average..
Q: How much
does a dry hole cost?
A: Dry holes are $10 a foot for a 5' well.
Q: Is the water from
my well safe to drink?
A: The majority of private water wells produce
water that is completely safe to drink. Although well water is typically
safe to drink it is strongly recommended that you have your water
tested annually by the local health department or an independent
testing laboratory.
Q: How often should I replace my well pump?
A: The average life of a water well pump is
between 10-12 years. Some people opt to have their well pumps replaced
every ten years to avoid the inconvienience of being without water
for a period of time if their current well pumps stops working unexpectedly.
Q: How often should I replace my pressure tank?
A: The average life of a pressure tank is 10-12
years. If you are experiencing lower than normal water pressure or
it seems like the well pump is running more often than usual, you
might need to have your pressure tank replaced.
Q: How much water does my well need to make to give me
an adequate supply?
A: It is recommended that a private water well
produce 8 or more gallons of water per minute to sustain a house or
small business with enough water for daily usage. If your well produces
less than this amount you may experience intervals of no water. If
this is an often occurrence, some possible solutions would include
drilling an additional well or adding water storage tanks to your system.
Q: Where should a new well be located?
A: The most important aspects that g into consideration
when preparing to drill a new water well are the state and local
distance requirements that need to be met. A new water well must
maintain certain distances from buildings and possible sources of
contamination. Once these distance requirements are satisfied, C & J
Well Drilling will work with our customers to determine an exact
location for the new water well with an strong emphasis placed on
accessability.
Q: My water from my well has a funny taste or smell. Should
I worry about getting sick?
A: Any time you notice a significant change
in your water quality, you should have it tested. A change in your
water's taste, color, or smell is not necessarily a health concern.
However, a change could be a sign of a serious contamination problem.
Q: I have no water in my house, what should I do?
A: First check the power source (fuse box or
breaker) to see if your well pump is getting the correct power. If
the power seems to be working and you still have no water, turn the
power to your pump off and call us to have us stop out immediately
to fix the problem.
Q: How much will a new well cost?
A:The cost of drilling a new water well is
derived from the amount of casing (20 foot minimum) to bedrock and
the amount of drilling needed to find water, plus the cost of the
drive shoe and the well cap. In unstable formations we use our underreamer
system, which drives the casing and drills at the same time. This
requires the use of a more expensive drive shoe. Our per-foot well
drilling prices sometimes change due to the fluctuating cost of casing
and other materials. Although it is impossible to tell exactly how
much a water well will cost beforehand, our average well in 2009
was about $3500.
Q:. How do you know where to drill?
A: Typically, the first consideration in determining
the location of the well is to maintain enough distance from the
septic system to prevent contamination. Although there is no set-back
requirement from adjacent property lines, it is very important to
be sure of their exact location when drilling close by. Finally,
the well must not be within the right of way of any roads adjoining
the property.
Q:. What determines the depth of a well?
A: The size and location of water-bearing fractures
encountered during drilling determines the depth of the well. The
amount of casing needed depends on the depth to bedrock in a given
area, since the casing seals off unwanted contaminants above the
bedrock.
Q: How do you know when you have enough water?
A:During drilling, compressed air continuously
cleans the hole and lifts out any water entering the well through
fractures in the bedrock. This allows us to measure the water flow
rate of the well at any time. When deciding whether or not a given
flow rate will adequately supply a house, we must first consider
the depth of the well. A typical well holds about 1.5 gallons of
water per foot and will fill up to within 25 feet of ground level.
As such, at a depth of 300 feet the flow rate can be significantly
lower than at a depth of 100 feet because of the greater storage
capacity of the well. In fact, the water stored in a 300 foot well
will supply the average house for a day.
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