As a private well owner, there are things you can do to help keep your pump and pressure tank in good condition. These steps help prevent bigger and more expensive problems in the long run. In this video, we discuss a traditional system with a large pressure tank used to maintain pressure in the home and a constant speed pump. The newer variable speed drive pumps use a very small pressure tank — as small as two gallons — and the pump changes speed to keep a constant pressure in the home system. These are sometimes called constant pressure pumps. Eventually, your pump will wear out — It's a mechanical device.

Submersible pumps in particular are under water constantly, and though they're sealed, they will eventually fail. However, there are things you can do to help your pump last. The first is to limit the number of times your pump cycles on and off. There are a number of reasons why a pump might cycle frequently. Sometimes you'll find that your use has changed. You bought a house in the country, it was a residential home with a well, maybe you've added livestock or a garden, or some other thing where you're using a lot of water. It could be that your pressure tank isn't big enough for all of the new use, and this causes your pump to operate a lot more than it is designed to.

This causes additional wear that will shorten its usable life. A contractor will be able to help you determine the correct size pressure tank for your situation. A larger tank will lower the number of times the pump kicks on because it increases the amount of water available from the tank before the pump is needed to keep up. A pressure tank that is water logged or that may have a leaking diaphragm can also cause this problem. A contractor will also be able to tell you if there's a problem with your tank.

Next, ensure the water is free of sediment that can damage the pump and piping. To find out if you have sediment in your water, you can check the bottom of your pressure tank. Draining the tank should show you if there is anything settling in the tank. Another possible place to check is in your toilet tank where sediment sometimes settles.

If you find sediment in either of these places, then determine the texture. If it feels chalky or silky, then it is likely fine clay or silt, which is less damaging than sand — which would have a more abrasive feel. That abrasiveness is also working on your pump and piping and can lead to problems. If you have a submersible pump, there isn't much that can be done to prevent sediment from entering the pump. (Though sometimes it's possible that moving the pump to a different depth might help).

However, if your pump is above ground, a sediment filter could be installed prior to the pump. Another way to protect your pump is to install a low-pressure cut-off switch. Your pump is connected to a switch that monitors the pressure in your water system. When water is being used, it is initially coming from the pressure tank, and as the tank drains, the pressure in the tank drops. When it drops to a certain pre-set level, the pump kicks on to provide water to the system.

If you have a low-yield well or are using more water than the well can yield, then eventually the water level in the well will drop to the level of the pump intake, causing it to start pumping air. A submersible pump is cooled by the water in the well, so if the water level drops below the pump, the motor can become damaged or overheat.

What's worse, because the pressure in the pressure tank is still below the cut-off pressure, the pump will continue to try to run. A low-pressure cut-off switch recognizes that the pressure has dropped below normal operating pressure, so something must be wrong, and it automatically shuts off the pump. The pump can't start again until manual control is changed. Typically, these switches are set to 10 PSI, where normal operating pressures are 30-60 PSI.

Most systems probably don't have a pressure cut-off switch, but if you have a low-yield well, it could save your pump if a hose is left on or some other high-volume water use lowers the water level in your well.

One of the most common problems with private water systems is the lack of consistent pressure. Assuming your system is properly sized (meaning you have an adequate pressure tank and well pump), the best way to provide consistent pressure is to be sure your pressure tank maintains the proper air pressure. To check this, the tank has to be drained. Typically, the recommended tank air pressure is just a few PSI under the low-end setting for the pump to kick on. If you haven't been shown how to do this, we recommend having your contractor show you the first time.

Checking your tank air pressure every six months or so may help you identify a potential problem before it becomes a pump cycling issue. The Minnesota Department of Health shared some advice with us about older style air pressure tanks. These are the tanks that have pressurized air and water in contact. MDH pointed out that these tanks can serve as a low-tech treatment device. The tanks can be very effective in reducing levels of dissolved gases and groundwater (such as hydrogen sulfide, methane, and radon) because the gases come out of solution at low pressure. MDH says the tanks also can precipitate dissolved iron and manganese because the water is in contact with air.

If you have these issues, your tank should be modified to vent the gases and have a drain to remove the sediments from the tank. Just be aware that these older style tanks do require more maintenance because the air can dissolve into the water, and that affects the tank's ability to maintain pressure. They generally will need to be checked more frequently and have air added to maintain their pressure.

As a safety measure, your system should have a pressure relief valve either on or very near the pressure tank. If your high-pressure switch fails or your pump does not shut off, there can be a build-up of pressure that can damage your pump pressure tank or piping. Some states now require a pressure relief valve, so that should a pump not kick off the designated pressure, it doesn't cause a rupture in the tank or distribution lines somewhere. The valve should be able to pass the full pump volume.

The best place to get advice regarding your pump, pressure tank, and distribution lines is a licensed water well contractor and pump installer. They work with these systems daily and will be able to help you determine what is best for your situation.

The Private Well Class is a collaboration between the Rural Community Assistance Partnership and the University of Illinois through the Illinois State Water Survey, and funded by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. The views expressed here are solely from the class authors and not endorsed or reviewed by US CPA. For more information on private wells, sign up for our free 10-week email course at www.privatewellclass.org.