Winter Weather Ahead: Get Your Water Well Ready for Cold Weather

By cbergman@ortmandrilling.com (Admin)•19 Sep, 2017•0 Comments

The leaves are starting to turn and the temperatures are dipping at night — the winter season is just around the corner. If you have a water well on your property, you should do what you can to prepare it for the winter. Along with checking your heat system and sealing off air leaks in the house, your water well requires some special attention. The last thing you want is to be caught with no water because of the cold.

Whether you live in Indiana where average winter temperatures can dip down to as little as 18 degrees in January or you live in another state where temperatures commonly fall below freezing, being the owner of a private well can bring along some unique challenges. Check out some of the things you should do now to get ready for the colder weather that lies ahead.

Make Sure Your Jet Pump Is Protected

If you have a submersible well pump, you will not have to worry about it freezing up in the cold because temperatures below ground tend to stay warm enough to combat the problem. In fact, most groundwater stays at a temperature somewhere between 44 and 80 degrees depending on your location and the depth of the groundwater. However, you could run into problems if you have an above-ground cycling or jet pump.

If temperatures fall too low, it can freeze water inside the pump, stop the flow of water and even damage the pump itself. To prevent this kind of issue with your above-ground pump, it is best to keep it housed in some form of shelter to ward off wind chill—even if it is just housed in a small wooden box. You can also use heat tape around the pump to keep it at a temperature above freezing.

Protect Water Delivery Lines From the Cold

If you live in an area where freezing temperatures are an issue, your water delivery lines should be buried beneath the ground to prevent them from freezing in the winter. However, if the water lines coming from your well are not buried or not buried at a substantial enough depth, they can freeze, bust and leave you without water.

Before the onset of winter, go check your water lines or have them inspected to make sure that they:

• Are buried to the correct depth for your area, which can be anywhere from 36 to 60 inches

• Have not been disturbed or pushed upwards in the ground since last winter

• Do not show any obvious signs of tiny leaks

Additionally, you should do something to insulate the areas where water lines come from the ground into your home or from the well into the ground. Heat tape will suffice, but if there is no electrical access, insulate the pipes with a high-quality insulation material.

Prepare for Water Shortages

Even with the proper preparations, issues with your well-derived water are not unheard of during the winter, so you should still be prepared. It is always a good idea to have at least a small water storage tank on your property — preferably in a warm place like the basement of your home. If something freezes up in your well or water lines, you still have access to clean and available water when you need it.

Winter may be the dreaded season for well owners, but when you know how to get prepared for the incoming cold weather, you will feel much more confident with your water supply. If you have problems with your well freezing in the winter, contact us at Ortman Drilling & Water Services for help.