So, we closed on our house a bit under a month ago. Got the flooring finished last week (the vinyl laminate floor is gorgeous, and will last us for three or four decades, easy), and started moving more than the storage unit.
Also, last week, we had some nasty, heavy storms. And haven't spent much time in the house since Thursday, when my family came over to help me with a few things in the new kitchen (linoleum peel-n-stick tiles lining cabinet shelves). Partially because I wore myself out to the point my immune system went down hard. I got some shopping done, but that was really about it. Friday afternoon, I went to bed, and kinda stayed there, except for when a tornado warning was posted on the radio for the listening area, and I herded the kids and dog into the bathroom (not the cats--the dog was scared because of the thunder, and the storm was kicking up more to our east than in line to threaten us) until it passed.
Yesterday was pretty rainy. We did a bit but not a lot on the move (and I was still down). Odysseus took our imp to watch Guardians of the Galaxy 2. And took loads of kids' toys over to the new place.
Today, I felt better, so we packed up our storage cubbies and took them over. I also packed up sandwiches and chips for everybody, and took lunch over to eat around Odysseus's grandmother's dining room table (which my family helped me set up--a heavy, 4' x 6' dining table with drop leaves running long-ways). Odysseus took the tea he'd made and killed it, then went to make another pitcher...
...and we abruptly lost water pressure.
Flipped breakers to pump and to pressure tank.
Waited. Went and got some new light fixtures (one we replaced because neither of us cared for it; the other was a pendant light we replaced because Odysseus banged his head on it more than once getting stuff in the front door), and tried the water pressure again.
Still nothing.
Crap.
We have left a message with a local well pump guy, but will also be calling at a civilized time tomorrow morning.
1 hour ago
Nine times out of ten, at least with me up here, when the well pump goes out it's just a little control box, the box costs $25.00 if you buy it yourself, but they charged me $100.00 for one the last time I had problems. That's the last time I'm calling those guys, I'll use a different repair service the next time.
ReplyDeleteI assume you have a submersible pump. Those usually last about 15 years or so , in my experience. When they crap out, it's close to $2000 to have the old pump pulled and a new one put in. If a person had the expertise to do it themselves, it would only cost the price of the pump, which is about $500, but hooking it into the control box and then making sure the pressure is adjusted to your system is beyond my skill level.
It was the control box. And in the garage, so easy for them to access.
DeleteOh damn... Hope it's what Harry said and it's the controller, NOT the pump.
ReplyDeleteThe guys said the system looks like it dates back to '92, so we may be on borrowed time with it, but for now, we're good. And that gives us time to save up to get stuff done when it does come up...stuff like sinking the well (and pump) deeper, since they said it looks like a slow one.
DeleteSave lots if you are looking at a new well, $25 to $50 a foot for drilling the well and the casing. Pumps are usually extra too.
ReplyDeleteAnd many states have a minimum depth, think it is 80 feet here. The drillers will go right through a water layer if it is not below the minimum depth too.
The last house had a 120 foot well with a water recovery that we never figured as the wells water level never dropped with the pump running for over a hour. A neighbor less than a quarter mile away had a point pounded in less than 10 feet deep and had a artesian well flowing cold water out of the pipe year round without a pump. The health department made him drill a deep well for drinking water, he used the artesian well to keep minnows.
If you do the pump replacement yourself, a good, high, tripod with a snatch block makes pulling and dropping the new pump much easier. And if you replace the piping above the pump with new plastic piping, use all stainless steel screw clamps. Look hard at the clamps as many so called S/S clamps have non-stainless parts and those less expensive clamps rust out in much less time than the all stainless ones.
This will be a fairly long-term project, since we're still in the process of moving, then fixing and selling our old house.
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