Janie Grace Posted April 27, 2013 Share Posted April 27, 2013 We rent a house with a well. When we moved here back in the fall, we never had water issues. It seemed like the supply was limitless. But for the past month, it's suddenly different. Now you can only do one major thing (take a shower, wash a load of clothes, run DW) and while that is going on, every other water faucet or toilet only has a trickle. Once the shower is over, there is water again. What could be going on? Is this a supply issue? A pump issue? I hate to call the landlord if there might be a simple solution. Thoughts? BTW... this has sort of coincided with increased hose use (for watering a garden). But that isn't every day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4everHis Posted April 27, 2013 Share Posted April 27, 2013 We rent a house with a well. When we moved here back in the fall, we never had water issues. It seemed like the supply was limitless. But for the past month, it's suddenly different. Now you can only do one major thing (take a shower, wash a load of clothes, run DW) and while that is going on, every other water faucet or toilet only has a trickle. Once the shower is over, there is water again. What could be going on? Is this a supply issue? A pump issue? I hate to call the landlord if there might be a simple solution. Thoughts? BTW... this has sort of coincided with increased hose use (for watering a garden). But that isn't every day. The house I grew up in and the houses I've lived in for the last 19 years have all had wells and we've never had this problem. I'd be calling the landlord. If you need a new well that won't happen in a day and better to get on it BEFORE it's dry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paige Posted April 27, 2013 Share Posted April 27, 2013 We had well water in our first house and never had any problems with it for as long as we lived there. What you describe does not sound typical at all. I'd be calling to have someone look at it ASAP! I was washing cloth diapers for twins (so lots of water use) and never, ever, ever did I feel like I couldn't use all the water I needed. We may have a problem with hot water turning cold but never the water itself going out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jar7709 Posted April 27, 2013 Share Posted April 27, 2013 That is not normal...might be a sign that the water level in your well drops seasonally and your well is too shallow to compensate for slower recharge rates when the water level drops. Make sure that someone looks at it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whereneverever Posted April 27, 2013 Share Posted April 27, 2013 Sounds like the well is failing. I'd call the landlord ASAP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bagel270 Posted April 27, 2013 Share Posted April 27, 2013 Our water pressure decreases when we need to change the filter. Or it could be your pressure tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northcoast Posted April 27, 2013 Share Posted April 27, 2013 It could be the well pump is failing; it may not be pumping water normally from the well into the house. I grew up in a house with a well. Start collecting some water NOW. You don't want to be without water. Fill the bathtub, pots, pans, and pitchers. Even if you still have a trickle for days until something gets fixed, it's beats going without water if for some reason the well is going dry or the pump fails. Hopefully it's just the pump which is easier and quicker to deal with than a dry well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinder Posted April 27, 2013 Share Posted April 27, 2013 We didn't have a well but we did have a cistern and a decrease in water pressure was always a signal to change the filter. If you haven't changed the filter recently you might try that first. If pressure is still low then it might be something more serious. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz CA Posted April 27, 2013 Share Posted April 27, 2013 I have lived on well water for 15 years now. Sounds like either the well is drying up or the well caved in (if it was not properly supported). Can you see into the well to confirm that nothing has caved or see broken, bent equipment? Naturally, it could be a number of malfunctioning equipment in the well or above - difficult to tell. Do you have a storage tank or does well water get directly piped into the house? If you have a storage tank, it sounds like something could be wrong with the connection between the tank and the house. If no storage tank, it's likely a well issue. I second the call to the landlord and a call to the local well & pump outfit sooner rather than later. I hate being without water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmyontheFarm Posted April 27, 2013 Share Posted April 27, 2013 Our well went dry after the local dump expanded. They tried to tell us, that it couldn't be because of their expansion. Yah, right, now we water our dairy barn on city water, and get to pay the bill for all that water. Call your landlord. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butter Posted April 27, 2013 Share Posted April 27, 2013 I'd call the landlord. We have a well. A shallow well at that. My mom has lived in this house since she was born in 1946 and there has never been a problem like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butter Posted April 27, 2013 Share Posted April 27, 2013 double post Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janie Grace Posted April 27, 2013 Author Share Posted April 27, 2013 I'd check the pump tank. Also--is it a well, or a spring fed system? People up here seem to use the term "well" for both. Our spring was running too slow last year so we had to have a new well. I have no idea.... hmmm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomtoCandJ Posted April 27, 2013 Share Posted April 27, 2013 We have the same problem, our pump needs to be replaced. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janie Grace Posted April 27, 2013 Author Share Posted April 27, 2013 Thanks, everyone. I just emailed her. Hopefully they'll get it cleared up quickly. I felt badly because they just had to replace the entire AC unit and, by the end of the winter, the heat had broken. Before we moved in, I asked for a mold inspection. There was mold, so they had to put in an expensive dehumidification system. But it's an old house and was uninhabited for four years before we moved in... so I guess these kinds of things are to be expected. :crying: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oceanseve Posted April 27, 2013 Share Posted April 27, 2013 It could simply be a busted diaphragm on the booster tank (what maintains water pressure when you are using many outlets), hope it's not more severe! Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perogi Posted April 27, 2013 Share Posted April 27, 2013 We had the same thing happen and there was a leak in the line getting water to the house so the pump was working hard but not all the water was getting to us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WishboneDawn Posted April 27, 2013 Share Posted April 27, 2013 Janie - Don't feel bad about any of that. By alerting your landlord about problems you're helping her protect the value of her property. After four years of being empty there are bound to be big issues and you are doing her a service by letting her know about them promptly. Some of the issues you have mentioned could cause more (and more expensive) problems down the road if you didn't bring them to her attention. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kdownie Posted April 28, 2013 Share Posted April 28, 2013 I lived my first 21 years in a house with a well, and the only issue we ever had, that I remember, is that if someone was showering, you couldn't flush the toilet in another bathroom or run a bunch of water because it turned the shower cold. It didn't effect water pressure, just temperature. I'd check with the landlord unless another Hive person knows what to do! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in Australia Posted April 28, 2013 Share Posted April 28, 2013 my in-laws have well water (Canada). they can only do laundry once a week and even then they have to check the level in the well first. I have tank water, so no experience of well water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GSOchristie Posted April 28, 2013 Share Posted April 28, 2013 My parent's well, very deep and great pressure, started to have the exact problem you described. I'm pretty sure it was the filter, I will ask her today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In The Great White North Posted April 28, 2013 Share Posted April 28, 2013 I have a well, and am wondering what filter y'all are talking about? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinder Posted April 28, 2013 Share Posted April 28, 2013 I have a well, and am wondering what filter y'all are talking about? When we had our house with the cistern we had 2 filters--one of fibrous material to remove particulates and a UV one to kill whatever bacteria might come along with water sitting in a cistern. Our filters were inside the house--in the pump closet--so water ran from the cistern and through the filters before going through the water pipes. When the particulate filter was clogged it significantly decreased our water pressure and had to be changed. I'm only guessing it's similar with wells; haven't actually had a property with a well. Hopefully the many well users here can confirm or deny this info. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elfgivas Posted April 28, 2013 Share Posted April 28, 2013 It could simply be a busted diaphragm on the booster tank (what maintains water pressure when you are using many outlets), hope it's not more severe! Good luck! we just replaced our pressure bottle because of this (like, on friday....). does your well pump to a storage tank and then to the house? it sounds more like pressure than lack of water, but ??? if it is that, it will be a cheaper fix for your landlord. ann Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soror Posted April 28, 2013 Share Posted April 28, 2013 It would be a filter issue for us as well. Dh has a 2 stage filter put on before the hot water heater due to our hard water, which is more for convenience as the super hard water leads to lots of deposits and such. I LOVE our water though and we'd all be crushed to have to live on *city* water, the kids wander how other people even drink it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.