When a house on a well loses water, the cause is almost always on a short list. A few things are safe to check yourself in a couple of minutes. The rest needs a contractor with meters.
Call (321) 220-9883Safe checks
- Breaker. If the pump breaker has tripped, reset it once. If it trips again, leave it off. Repeated resets can burn the motor.
- Pressure gauge. Near zero with the pump silent means the pump isn't starting or isn't being told to start.
- Listen. Clicking or buzzing at the switch with no pump running points to a switch or control part. Don't open the cover, because it's live.
- Running nonstop? Turn it off at the breaker and look for a burst pipe or broken sprinkler line.
- After a storm, think about lightning, surges and whether a generator was hooked up.
Usual causes
- A burnt pressure switch
- A failed capacitor or control box
- A dead motor (see submersible pumps)
- A jet pump that lost prime
- A broken pipe in the well or in the yard
- A water level that dropped in a long dry spell
After a flood
If floodwater reached the well head, as it did in parts of north Indian River County in November 2023, treat the water as unsafe until the well has been disinfected and tested. The Florida Department of Health in Indian River County can advise on testing. Don't run a pump whose electrical parts were under water until it's been checked.
No water now? Call (321) 220-9883 with your area, whether the pump runs, and whether the breaker trips.
Common questions
Why did my well stop after a storm?
Lightning and power surges damage switches, control boxes and motors. A contractor tests each part to find the one that failed.
Should I keep resetting the breaker?
No. Once. If it trips again, leave it off and call.
Is my water safe after a flood?
Not until the well is disinfected and tested, if floodwater reached the well head. Use bottled water until then.