Can You DIY a Well Pump Installation?

4 January 2021
 Categories: Business, Blog

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If your household's water comes from a well, you know that there's never a good time for your pump to go out. Despite that, pumps often seem to stop working at the worst possible times—during a deep freeze, over a long holiday weekend, or while you're out of town. If your pump has recently stopped working, you may wonder whether you can save money by replacing it yourself. Read on to learn more about performing your own well pump installation or replacement.

Installing a Shallow Water Well Pump

A shallow well is defined as one that is 25 feet deep or less. A deep well can be anywhere from 26 feet to 500 or more feet deep. Shallow wells generally use jet pumps, which create a vacuum to move water. The pump is installed in a separate housing away from the well and doesn't require as much physical labor to replace when compared to a deepwater well pump.

At the most basic level, replacing a shallow water well pump will require you to remove the old pump, install the new pump, prime it with water, and replace all the electrical connections. Depending on the pump manufacturer and type, you should be able to take advantage of online videos and instruction manuals that provide step-by-step directions on replacing your well pump.

Installing a Deep Water Well Pump

Unlike shallow-water well pumps, deep water well pumps (or submersible pumps) are submerged below the surface of the water table. This means that if the water table is 600 feet below the surface, you'll need to pull up the malfunctioning pump and submerge the new one by pulling (and dropping) more than 1,200 feet of rope. The size and scope of this job generally mean that professional help the best idea; not only do professional well and pump companies have the tools and equipment to do the job, but they also have the expertise to do it quickly. However, if you have a deep water well that is just a few dozen feet deeper than a shallow well, the process becomes more manageable on your own. 

Although it's possible to DIY a water well pump installation, it can take some specialized tools and knowledge, especially for deepwater wells—and not all wells are created equal. If you're unsure about your ability to do this on your own, don't be afraid to contact a water well pump installation company.