The inevitable has happened. At some point during the year, you lose power to your home during a major storm. Then when the power has been restored (hours or days later), everything works fine … except the well pump. For whatever reason, once the power is restored, you still don’t have running water. What’s going on? Why is your well pump not working?
Do not worry. This occurs frequently in homes throughout the Hudson Valley and is usually easily remedied. The most common reason for a water failure after a power outage is because the low pressure switch has turned off. When you continue to use water during a power outage, the pressure in your tank will drop below the minimum setting and it will shut off. This is a safety mechanism, to prevent your pump from running dry for an extended period of time, which can cause catastrophic damage to your well system.
How do you restore the water?
Once your home is back on power, the first thing to do is make sure the main breaker on the well pump is still on. If it trips, check the pump and cables for shorts. Then reset the circuit breaker. That can restore the water. If you still don’t have water, that means the pressure switch is most likely off and you will need to reset it.
The pressure switch is normally about 3 “long by 2” wide. It is located along the water line between the well and the pressure tank. Towards the bottom of the pressure switch box, there is a lever. Using pliers (for safety), lift the lever up to reset the pressure switch. While the lever is raised, hold it in the up position until you hear the pump start and the pressure on the gauge rises to more than 30 psi. Your water should now be restored!
If this still doesn’t work, it’s time to call in the professionals. The homeowner can often perform small well diagnostics at home, however once these options have been exhausted it is best for you to call in a pump professional to further diagnose the problem and restore flow. of water. You may have an electrical problem caused by a power surge or something may be wrong with a component in your pump. Also, if the power outage occurred during the winter, you may have a break in a water line or a leak outside your home.