Tips To Keep Your Well Pump Working Through Winter

If you're on well water, you'll need to ensure that the water keeps flowing year around. This is especially true if you live in an area with freezing winter temperatures. Although the well itself should be deep enough that freezing isn't an issue, the same won't be true of the water pipes and the pump. The following tips can help you ensure the above ground portions of your water system don't freeze this winter.

Tip #1: Install and maintain a real pump house

Pump houses come in all shape and sizes; the only important thing is that you have one. Leaving a pump exposed almost ensures it will freeze this winter. You should also avoid stop-gap coverage measures, such as covering it with an upturned container of the appropriate size. Depending on the size of your pump, you could build either a small walk-in shed or a simple box with a top hatch that opens for access. The key is to ensure it is well sealed against the outdoor elements and that it has a door that allows easy access. It's also a good idea to insulate it to help prevent freezing. Then, every fall take a few minutes to replace any worn weatherstripping or to patch any holes that may have developed in the siding over the summer months.

Tip #2: Insulate all exposed piping

The pipes running the water to the pump and then to your house are the weakest link in the entire system during the winter. The smaller the diameter of pipe, the more quickly it can freeze. In areas with minimal freezing or short freezes, applying pipe insulation to all exposed pipes may be all you need to do. In colder regions, you need to go a step further and invest in heat tape. This is wrapped around the pipes, usually under an insulation layer, then wired into the electrical panel. When freezing temperatures are detected, the tape kicks on and warms the pipes just enough to keep them from freezing.

Tip #3: Bring in extra heat

Sometimes severe cold weather strikes, and even with pipe tape and a well-insulated pump house you may be in danger of having everything freeze up. You can use a space heater to warm the pump house, but keep in mind that this can be a fire hazard and that the heater shouldn't be left unattended. A better option is a heat lamp, such as those designed for safe use in barns or chicken coops. The lamps are caged to prevent flammable materials from getting near the bulb. They can also warm up a small area like a pump house very quickly.

For more help, contact a well pump specialist like those with Action Well & Pump Repair in your area.

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