Pump & Well Service Provider

When it comes to wells and water pumps, you’re not dealing with homogenous pieces of equipment.

There are different types of water systems, including different wells and different pumps. As a result, when you’re looking for a service provider (like Ralph’s Pump & Well), it’s crucial that your crew understands the different challenges involved in the maintenance and upkeep of each.

Types of Wells

Dug/Bored wells are holes in the ground dug by shovel or backhoe. They are lined or cased with stones, brick, tile, or other material to prevent collapse. Dug wells have a large diameter, are shallow (approximately 10 to 30 feet deep) and are not cased continuously.
Driven wells are constructed by driving pipe into the ground. Driven wells are cased continuously and shallow (approximately 30 to 50 feet deep). Though driven wells are cased, they can be contaminated easily because they draw water from aquifers near the surface.
Drilled wells are constructed by percussion or rotary-drilling machines. Drilled wells can be thousands of feet deep and require the installation of casing. Drilled wells have a lower risk of contamination due to their depth and use of continuous casing.

Well components

There are several crucial components in a private water well system that can affect maintenance and upkeep.

Well Casing is the tube-shaped structure placed in the well to maintain the well opening from the target ground water to the surface. Along with grout, the casing keeps dirt and excess water out of the well. This helps prevent contaminants from less desirable groundwater from entering the well and mixing with the drinking water. Some states and local governing agencies have laws that require minimum lengths for casing. The most common materials for well casing are carbon steel, plastic, and stainless steel. Local geology often dictates what type of casing can be used.
Well Caps are placed on top of the well casing to prevent debris, insects, or small animals from getting into the well. Well caps are usually made of aluminum or plastic. They include a vent to control pressure during well pumping.
Well Screens are attached to the bottom of the casing to prevent too much sediment from entering the well. The most common well screens are continuous slot, slotted pipe, and perforated pipe.
Pitless Adapter is a connector that allows the pipe carrying water to the surface to remain below the frost line. It provides ensures that a sanitary and frost-proof seal is maintained.
Jet Pumps are the most commonly used pumps for shallow wells (depth of 25 feet or less). Jet pumps are mounted above ground and use suction to draw water from the well.
Submersible Pumps are the most commonly used pumps for deep private water wells. The pumping unit is placed inside the well casing and connected to a power source on the surface.

Well location and construction

Proper water well location and construction are crucial to the safety of your well water. The well water system should be located so rainwater flows away from it. Rainwater can pick up harmful bacteria and chemicals on the land’s surface. If this water pools near your well, it can seep into and potentially cause health problems.

Appropriate water well construction depends on local geologic and groundwater conditions. Your state water-well contractor licensing agency, your local health department, or a local water system professional can provide information on proper well construction.

Make sure any water-well drillers and pump-well installers you work with are bonded and insured. If required in your state, make sure your ground water contractor is licensed and certified.

Ralph’s Pump & Well is proud to be experts in the field of well installation and maintenance. If we’re going to ask a client to trust us with the installation and maintenance of their water system, we want to make sure that trust is well-placed! If you’re considering installing or looking to maintain your water system, Ralph’s Pump & Well would love to work with you. We’re proud to service commercial and residential water treatment systems, Seattle as well as both North King and Snohomish Counties. Give us a call today!