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I'm looking at a house in the mountains that has both septic and a well.... I know the owners have the records for the last 25 years on the septic - not so worried about that other than I know what will eventually happen....
the Well has me a little concerned. I am waiting to hear back on how deep it is, so that will check that off the list of concerns, but my biggest concern is the pump freezing in the winter. The area gets snow and gets cold.... it is rural.... like 20 miles to the next "town". 10 miles to the closest stoplight (actually the only stoplight in the area).... I texted my agent to find out how the pump is maintained - heated - protected. But in waiting I thought I'd ask the C-D experts. What should I have to ensure I have water when the weather turns awful??
I live on a house that is fed by a well into a cistern. My cistern is buried 6' below the surface of the ground, and the top of the cistern is 6" below the surface. 500gal total capacity.
We had 1.5 months of sustained below zero temperatures this winter, with several long stretches of -20 to -30F. Never had a problem with water supply. Our frost line was easily 3' deep this winter.
Your well IS below the frost line. If your well pump is located below the frost line- you're fine.
Usually well drillers record the well depth under the well cap (at least on the wells I've had). Our county also records all wells, their location and depths, plus recorded GPM. You may have the same data at your disposal.
that makes sense. My friend in coastal Georgia has had her pump freeze several times when it got to freezing there - but they don't have a frost line.... and its mostly sandy clay so that freezes solid too. Okay - I was wondering about a pump heater or something to that extent.
There are 2 different types of set ups. My well pump is an in ground pump, so it is actually 145 feet down the well. Being that far down, it will never freeze. The well is 165 feet deep. So if your well pump is in the well, you won't have a problem. From there the main water line leaves the well, but it is 6 feet deep and insulated, and then enters the house in the crawl space where the well pressure tank is located. The crawlspace is insulated so the well pressure tank won't freeze.
The other setup that is used, normally in warmer areas, is where the well pump and pressure tank are located on the surface, normally in a well house. Those will freeze solid if not insulated properly, or heated.
So, you need to find out what type of system the home uses.
Another tip, well pressure tanks need to be replaced every 5 to 8 years, make sure that it is tested by your home inspector. The one in our home was bad, and the sellers had to replace it before we purchased the home.
If it is in a well house the standard here is to have a ceramic light fixture in the structure (well insulated) and keep it turned on with a 100W bulb. Incandescent.
Not sure where you are, but if it hasn't frozen yet, then it won't. I don't think the pump nor the pipes would take well to repeated freeze/thaw cycles, so they wouldn't have gone 25 years without getting it right.
Mine has never frozen up, not in NH. The pump and piping are below the frost line.
Why are you concerned about how deep it is? Whether it is 100' or 500' makes no difference at this point. It does make a difference on the initial cost of the well but not of well operation after installation.
There are 2 different types of set ups. My well pump is an in ground pump, so it is actually 145 feet down the well. Being that far down, it will never freeze. The well is 165 feet deep. So if your well pump is in the well, you won't have a problem. From there the main water line leaves the well, but it is 6 feet deep and insulated, and then enters the house in the crawl space where the well pressure tank is located. The crawlspace is insulated so the well pressure tank won't freeze.
The other setup that is used, normally in warmer areas, is where the well pump and pressure tank are located on the surface, normally in a well house. Those will freeze solid if not insulated properly, or heated.
So, you need to find out what type of system the home uses.
Another tip, well pressure tanks need to be replaced every 5 to 8 years, make sure that it is tested by your home inspector. The one in our home was bad, and the sellers had to replace it before we purchased the home.
That's something new, never heard of that before. I'll have to tell our old pressure tanks that they should have died many years ago.
Yeah, mine's been untouched for 12 years. I've heard of having to refill the air bladder, but sometimes some things just last.
Unlike the expansion tank on my recirculating hot water (baseboard heat). That tank lasts maybe 5 years before the bladder gives out.
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