How to Repair a Shallow Well Pump

A shallow well pump helps distribute water from wells to areas close to the underground system, usually around 25 feet or sometimes less.The pump operates by rotating the power to push the water through the pipelines by an injector mechanism.The speed of the motor then triggers a spinning impeller to move the water out.The pump sits over the ground level, and some parts include a foot valve, suction pipe, and filter.There’s a water-tight seal atop the pump shaft near the wellhead. It encloses the well pump casing to stop surface water from entering and contaminating the well.The foot valve lies at the base of the suction pipe and helps regulate the prime on the pump when it is not cycling.When repairing a shallow well pump, experts suggest paying attention to areas like the shaft seal and impeller.

Here’s how to repair a shallow well pump.

Tools

• Wrench
• Screwdriver

Step 1

• Detach the pump system from the connecting pipelines.
• Use a wrench and unscrew the nuts and bolts on the inner casing of the pump.
• Dismantle the casing and locate the impeller,  the impeller casing if there is one, as well as the pump shaft.

Step 2

• Remove the casing of the impeller.
• Use a screwdriver and unfasten the screws that connect the housing to the pump.
• Grip the wrench and turn the impeller anti-clockwise to detach it from the pump shaft.

Step 3

• Remove the seal from the pump with a slight tug.
• Try not to tear away the threads on the pump shaft.
• Slip a new seal along the length of the pump shaft until it sits on the rear part of the shaft.

Step 4

1. Attach the shaft over the front section of the pump seal with a wrench.
2.  slip the new impeller to attach it to the pole along the threads.
3. Flip the impeller over in a clockwise motion until the threads fall into place.
4. Re-attach the casing onto the impeller and fix it into position using the screws.

Step 5

1. Align the bolt holes and re-connect the pump casing to the pump and then to the pipelines.
2. Put the bolts in the holes and use a wrench to fasten them in place.
3. Lastly, re-attach the shallow well pump to the plumbing lines.

Repairing the well casing

• The well casing sometimes sits inside the well pump pit or basin, or over the ground level.
• The shallow casing and the cap helps prevent debris and other harmful substances from entering the well water.
• To locate the pump’s well casing, look for the steel-type cylinder that attaches to the well.
• It is usually water-tight to help prevent leaks.
• If the well casing is faulty, bacteria, silt, dirt, debris fertilizer, and other stuff may contaminate the water.
• You can opt to repair the leak by using a sleeve to help block air and other gases that may cause corrosion in the water.
• The sleeve is similar to a small tube, measuring from 6 to 36 inches.
• You insert it into the pump casing in the area where you detect the leak.

Next, attach the sleeve to the casing to help patch the leak and block any items that may seep through.

Repairing the foot valve

A leaky valve may allow water to flow back into the well. When water runs back, it makes the well pump work a lot harder to keep the water out.If the pump cycles more than usual, the mechanism will break down and stop pumping the water. The foot valve sits inside the well at the bottom of the pump. It helps channel water flowing from the jet pump and the pipeline back inside the well when the jet pump stops cycling.

• Lift the pipeline, unscrew it, and insert the new valve. Then, screw it back into place.
• If the valve has an adapter, then you’ll need to take the cap off and release it.
• Then pull it away from and put the new adapter in place.
• When removing the adapter, take care to hold it as level as possible to prevent any knots in the line.

Conclusion

A shallow well pump works by a spinning impeller, motor, injector system, and foot valve.  Usually, when the pump stops working, it may mean the impeller or surrounding seals need fixing. The parts work together to help keep air and other contaminants out of the well. The process is easy, and you can do it with a few tools and a little elbow grease.