How to Make Your Water Well More Energy-Efficient
August 21, 2020
Most homeowners who rely on water wells know that they should use the water your well provides as efficiently as possible, especially during the summer months. However, making sure your well uses energy efficiently is equally important, and many homeowners rely on water wells that use far more electrical power than necessary.
A water well that isn't energy-efficient isn't just bad for the environment but also bad for your bank account. An inefficient well can cost you hundreds or even thousands of dollars a year by inflating your energy utility bills. Fortunately, well owners can take a number of simple steps to make their wells more energy-efficient.
1. Check Your Home for Leaks
Many residential well pumps use too much power because of plumbing problems inside the home. If well water leaks out of your home's plumbing system before it can be used, your well pump has to work harder to maintain sufficient water pressure. This can significantly increase pump power usage and also shorten the life of your pump.
Check all of the pipes, pressure tanks, faucets, showers, and hose pipes in and around your property for leaks. Even small leaks can cause thousands of gallons of water to be wasted in a single day. A few small, inexpensive fixes to your home plumbing system can make a surprisingly big difference to your well's energy usage.
2. Have Your Well Professionally Inspected
If plumbing problems inside your home haven't caused the increased energy usage, the problem may be inside the well itself.
Sediment buildup is one of the most common causes of increased well energy usage. If excessive amounts of silt, sand, and other solid deposits make their way into your well water, the well pump will have to use significantly more energy to filter them out of your water supply.
Sediment problems can severely damage well pumps and may contaminate your home's water supply if not taken care of. Sediment buildup is commonly from damage to well screens (the interior walls that prevent your well from collapsing) but can be caused by a variety of other problems, as well as natural environmental changes.
However, other common problems may cause excessive well energy usage. Important components inside your well pump, such as the check valve or the pressure sensor, can cause significantly increased power and water usage if they malfunction. Your well's pressure tank may be waterlogged (if it has one), or the pump itself may leak water.
If your well uses too much energy and you have ruled out home plumbing problems as the culprit, you should inspect your well with a professional well inspection and repair service as soon as possible. These services will be able to diagnose and repair any malfunctions that increase your well's energy needs and safely remove any excessive sediment buildup.
3. Consider a New Well Pump
Modern well pumps are very robust and reliable pieces of equipment, but they are not invincible. Surface-mounted jet pumps tend to last about a decade, while submersible pumps usually last longer, but eventually wear and tear will cause any well pump to become less efficient.
Your well might simply not be fitted with a suitable pump, especially if the well was created before you moved in. Many homeowners assume that bigger is better with well pumps and fit massively overpowered pumps that use far more energy than necessary. Other wells have jet pumps because they are easier to install, when a submersible pump would be more efficient and cheaper to run.
If you picked a reputable well inspection service, they will be able to tell you if your well has a suitable pump. If your pump is not fit for purpose or has simply become too old, you should seriously consider replacing it with a more efficient model. If you have any more questions about how to make your well more energy-efficient, contact the well and well pump experts at Brown & Cox .
Your well might simply not be fitted with a suitable pump, especially if the well was created before you moved in. Many homeowners assume that bigger is better with well pumps and fit massively overpowered pumps that use far more energy than necessary. Other wells have jet pumps because they are easier to install, when a submersible pump would be more efficient and cheaper to run.
If you picked a reputable well inspection service, they will be able to tell you if your well has a suitable pump. If your pump is not fit for purpose or has simply become too old, you should seriously consider replacing it with a more efficient model. If you have any more questions about how to make your well more energy-efficient, contact the well and well pump experts at Brown & Cox .
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