A water well on your property is often a great source of water for your home, but there are some things you need to do to maintain the well and keep the water coming. Many things can happen with a well that you may not notice, and taking the time to maintain the well and well pump system is critical to keeping your water safe and plentiful.

Annual Water Testing

Testing the water in your well annually is essential. Even though the water coming from the well was safe when the well was installed, things can change in the area around the aquifer that is feeding your well, and you would not know about it. 

Well maintenance is not always about the system; sometimes it is about protecting the water in the well, and the only way you can know if the condition of the water has changed is regular testing. Once a year is recommended, but if the water's flavor or smell changes, you should get a sample of the water and take it in for testing. 

The testing company can tell you if there is contamination in the water or if the water's mineral levels are different since the previous test, indicating an issue in the well or the aquifer that may require you to filter the water going forward. 

Well Performance Checks

During the annual inspection that should be part of the well maintenance, checking the yield or flow of the well should be a priority. Over time the yield from the well will decrease as a result of use and other conditions in the well. That does not mean the well will go dry, but a lower yield can present problems if the flow rate was already low.

Mineral encrustation, the growth of plants and microorganisms in the well, and sand infiltration are all examples of situations that can reduce the yield from your well, and you have no control over them. If the flow rate is low, a well inspector can help determine what is causing the problem and help you resolve it. 

Repairing Your Well

If the well's yield is low or has stopped, there are some things that you can do to recover the well. If the pump has stopped working, well pump repair is possible, but make sure you use a certified company that has extensive experience working with water well pumps. 

If the well is filling in with sand or other material, you can have a well company extend the well or come out and pump it out with a drill rig to remove the material. If the casing has corroded through and is failing, the well repair may involve drilling a new well and having well pump installers come to put a new system in for you.

To learn more, contact a company that offers well maintenance services.