Well Maintenance Checklist

Looks right: A tight, watertight cap on a casing that stands at least 12 inches above the ground.

Looks wrong: Cracked plastic, loose bolts, missing vent screens, or rust holes in a steel casing.

If you find it: Cover the wellhead with heavy plastic, secure it, and call a well driller to replace the cap.

Looks right: Soil grading downhill from the wellhead for at least 15 feet in every direction.

Looks wrong: Settling soil forming a depression, or standing puddles of water around the casing.

If you find it: Regrade with clean fill dirt so surface water drains away from the well.

Looks right: No chemicals, debris, or deep-rooted plants stored or growing near the wellhead.

Looks wrong: Paint, fertilizer, motor oil, or heavy leaf litter within 100 feet of the well.

If you find it: Move hazardous materials away immediately and trim back vegetation.

Looks right: A steady needle while water is running.

Looks wrong: A needle bouncing rapidly, or resting at 0 PSI while the pump is running.

If you find it: Suspect a waterlogged pressure tank or a clogged gauge; schedule an inspection.

Looks right: The pump running at least 60 seconds each time it kicks on.

Looks wrong: Short cycling - the pump clicking on and off every 10 to 30 seconds.

If you find it: Turn the pump off to protect the motor and call a technician to check the pressure tank.

Looks right: Clean cartridges and steady household water pressure.

Looks wrong: Dark, heavily soiled pleated filters, or a noticeable drop in water pressure.

If you find it: Shut the valve, depressurize the housing, and swap in a new cartridge.

Looks right: Air pressure 2 PSI below the pump cut-in setting, measured with the tank empty of water (e.g., 28 PSI on a 30/50 switch).

Looks wrong: Water spitting out of the top air valve, or a 0 PSI reading.

If you find it: Water at the air valve means a ruptured internal bladder - have the tank replaced.

Looks right: Dry floors around the pressure tank, manifold, and water heater.

Looks wrong: Corroded fittings, weeping valves, or mineral stains on the concrete floor.

If you find it: Tighten minor fittings yourself; a persistent leak from the tank base needs a plumber.

Looks right: Expected gallons-per-minute output with stable static and pumping water levels.

Looks wrong: A significant drop in yield, or the pump failing to keep up with household demand.

If you find it: Record the numbers in your log; a declining aquifer may mean lowering the pump or adding storage.

Looks right: Normal motor amp draw, proper grounding, and stable line voltage.

Looks wrong: Amp spikes that point to failing motor bearings or a clogged intake screen.

If you find it: Clean the well screen or replace the pump before it fails completely.

Looks right: An intact pitless adapter and structurally sound casing.

Looks wrong: Code violations, structural breaches, or surface water running down the casing.

If you find it: Professional grouting or welding to restore the sanitary seal.

Looks right: Negative results for total coliform bacteria, E. coli, and nitrate at minimum.

Looks wrong: Any positive bacteria result, or nitrate, arsenic, or lead above health benchmarks.

If you find it: Treat to match the result - shock chlorination for bacteria, targeted filtration for chemicals - then retest.

Looks right: Clear, odor-free water and a clean lab report.

Looks wrong: A positive coliform or nitrate result - both are invisible, odorless, and tasteless.

If you find it: Switch to boiled or bottled water and arrange professional shock chlorination.

Looks right: Fresh-tasting water within a minute of opening a tap.

Looks wrong: Stagnant, discolored, or foul-smelling water at startup.

If you find it: Run all faucets for 5 to 10 minutes to pull fresh water through the lines.

Looks right: An intact sanitary cap and secure electrical conduit.

Looks wrong: Cracks from snowplows or ice expansion breaching the seal.

If you find it: Replace the cap before spring runoff can enter the casing.

Looks right: Fertilizer and pesticide mixing at least 100 feet from the wellhead; hoses never left submerged in tanks, pools, or troughs.

Looks wrong: A garden hose sitting in a chemical mixing tank - one power loss can siphon it back into your aquifer.

If you find it: Pull hoses out of any standing liquid and move chemical mixing far from the well.

Looks right: A strict no-contact buffer maintained around the casing.

Looks wrong: Striking the casing with a riding mower, cracking the PVC or breaking the sanitary seal.

If you find it: Inspect the casing after any impact; call a driller for structural repairs.

Looks right: Intact heat tape and insulation sleeves on exposed pipes in basements and pump houses.

Looks wrong: Missing, degraded, or rodent-chewed insulation.

If you find it: Replace heat tape and re-wrap all exposed well plumbing before the first freeze.

Looks right: A sealed, dry switch enclosure.

Looks wrong: Moisture or cold drafts that can ice the contacts so the pump fails to start or stop.

If you find it: Seal the enclosure against moisture and air drafts.

Looks right: Every hose disconnected and irrigation lines drained before the first hard freeze.

Looks wrong: Ice blockages bursting pipes and causing severe pressure loss.

If you find it: Drain irrigation lines and disconnect all hoses before freezing weather arrives.

Looks right: Pump breaker off, pressure tank fully drained, valves left open.

Looks wrong: Freezing water bursting pipes and flooding an unattended home.

If you find it: Turn off the pump breaker, drain the pressure tank, and add plumber's antifreeze to toilets.

Looks right: Pump controls and wiring confirmed dry, above the high-water mark, before power is restored.

Looks wrong: Floodwater that rose over the wellhead or submerged the pump control boxes.

If you find it: Leave the power off - it is a lethal shock hazard and can pull mud into the motor. Wait for a professional electrical assessment.

Looks right: Clear water and a clean lab result after the system is restored.

Looks wrong: Raw sewage, heavy sediment, and bacteria carried into the well by floodwater.

If you find it: Have the well pumped clear of sediment and shock chlorinated, then lab-test again 7 to 10 days later.

Looks right: The system still holding pressure.

Looks wrong: An empty pressure tank letting groundwater contaminants seep into depressurized lines.

If you find it: Turn off the breaker to the pump and close the main valve to the house to hold the remaining pressure.

Looks right: Normal pump operation and clear water after restoration.

Looks wrong: A power surge frying the pump control box, or stagnant water sitting in the lines.

If you find it: Check the breaker, then run cold taps hard for at least five minutes; test the water if you suspect contamination.

Looks right: Stable gallons-per-minute output and a consistent static water level.

Looks wrong: Dewatering, pile driving, or blasting lowering the water table or cracking casings.

If you find it: Test your yield; if it has dropped, consult a hydrogeologist before considering deepening the well.

Looks right: Clear water, free of sediment and odors.

Looks wrong: High turbidity, sediment, fuel smells, or VOCs reaching the groundwater.

If you find it: Test immediately and again 1 to 2 months after construction ends - bacteria, heavy metals, and VOCs.

Looks right: Regular water movement keeping biological growth out of the pipes.

Looks wrong: Water that sat unused in the pipes, frozen or growing foul-smelling bacteria.

If you find it: Run all taps for 5 to 10 minutes; winterize properly before any long vacancy.

Looks right: No open or unsealed boreholes anywhere on the property.

Looks wrong: An abandoned casing acting as a direct contamination highway into the aquifer.

If you find it: Have it legally decommissioned - filled with proper grout by a licensed contractor. This is mandatory in most states.