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WATER TANK: USES, TROUBLESHOOTING
WATER TESTS, CONTAMINANTS, TREATMENT
WATER TREATMENT EQUIPMENT CHOICES
WELLS CISTERNS & SPRINGS
WELL FLOW RATE
WELL WATER PRESSURE DIAGNOSIS
WELL YIELD IMPROVEMENT
WINTERIZE A BUILDING

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Well Water Piping Symptoms, Diagnosis, & Repair Methods       Well Piping Leaks - How a Hidden Water Leak Causes Various Problems What Causes Leaks in Buried Well Water Piping? Characteristics, diagnosis, & repair of well casing leaks Effects of well piping leaks, diagnosis, effects, remedy A simple guide to the types of leaks that occur in water pipes, drain pipes, & plumbing fixtures Causes of well piping leaks Causes of well casing leaks The Old House Repair "Spaghetti Problem" - where do we stop? Questions & Answers about how to detect, find, and repair leaks in water well piping References

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This article describes diagnosing and repairing leaks that can occur in building water piping between a private well and the building water equipment. We also discuss the diagnosis and repair of leaky water well casings themselves. Knowing just what kind of leak is occurring in a building helps pinpoint the problem and also helps specify the necessary plumbing repair. The articles at this website will answer most questions about diagnosing and repairing pumps, wells, water supply systems, and building piping. Our page top photo shows water around a plastic water line that had a buried but leaky fitting. The repair was simple, but the excavation to find the leak was a bit more trouble.

Green links show where you are. © Copyright 2013 InspectAPedia.com, All Rights Reserved. Author Daniel Friedman.

Well Piping Leaks - How a Hidden Water Leak Causes Various Problems

Well piping leaks vs well casing leaks: Here we discuss diagnosing and repairing leaks in the well piping that extends from the well bottom foot valve or pump in to the building. For well casing leaks see WELL CASING LEAK REPAIRS below.

Also see Water Supply/Drain Pipe Leak Types and see Thawing Frozen Pipes which addresses how to find frozen and burst pipe leaks in buildings, and see  Repairing Burst Leaky Pipes. If the water supply piping inside your building is also plastic, see PLASTIC PIPING ABS CPVC PB PEX PVC.

If your building is served by municipal water, not a private well, see PLASTIC PIPE LEAK CAUSES and MUNICIPAL WATER PRESSURE DIAGNOSIS and PIPING IN buildings, Clogs Leaks Types.

At WATER PRESSURE PROBLEM DIAGNOSIS TABLE we note that a possible explanation for loss of building water pressure, or loss of well pump prime can be air leaking into a well piping line, as well as water leaking out of the well pipe.

Water will leak out of a well pipe at a bad connection, perforation, or cracked pipe when the well pump is running, particularly if the water system uses a submersible pump that is located in the well itself. If you have this problem you may find a wet spot in the ground near the well piping, provided that the pipe is close enough to the surface.

You will also notice that the well pump is running more often than normal, and that your "apparent" water usage may have increased. Some people even report finding a "water fountain" or geyser in the lawn at a burst water supply pipe from both private wells and from a municipal water main.

Air may leak into a well water pipe at a bad connection, perforation, or other damage when the well pump stops running, particularly if the leak problem is combined with a defective check valve or foot valve in the piping system.

The result may be air discharged from plumbing fixtures (see AIR DISCHARGE at FAUCETS, FIXTURES), improper air charge in the water pressure tank, or loss of pump prime. Short cycling of the water pump or loss of pump prime may result as well.

The corroded galvanized iron well pipe shown at above left is discussed in more detail at INTERMITTENT CYCLING WATER PUMPS. Photo by DJF & Rasmussen Well Drilling, Inc.

This water pressure diagnosis problem discussion below gives some added details, thanks to reader Dan Babb.

Question - Excessive Well Water Use:

My house was built in 1979, but the well was re drilled to 142 feet in 1986 by the previous owner. The copper pipes were replaced with pvc and a peroxide treatment system was installed due to the sulphur content. I purchased the property in 1997 and the last two years have been a journey.

I've replaced the well pump, pressure tank, pressure switch, chemical feeder pump, repacked the sand and charcoal filters. Currently, I'm using twice the amount of chemicals to treat the water then a year ago. If i'm using twice the amount of water that would be acceptable. I have now flow meter for proof, but that can't be.

Culligan has been out three times to confirm the feeder and filters are functioning correctly. I have not found any leaks, but have noticed an incredible increase of air within the system if it has been idle. There is no check valve on the system near the pressure tank. Would a failing check valve in the well cause this issue? Should I install a check valve prior to the pressure tank? If i installed a flow meter, where should it be located?

Answer: Quick Tips on Diagnosing High Water Use, Pump Short Cycling, Air in Water Lines

Air in the system could be a piping leak - including between the well and the building - or the well running dry. Or a bad foot valve if the pump is in the building not in the well and a foot valve is all you've got in the well. That'd also show up as lost prime.

If you see the water pressure dropping after the pump has shut off and if you are sure no water is running in the building, then there is either a leak in the well piping or a bad foot valve. If the pressure does not drop, a check valve won't fix anything.

If the pressure is dropping, try a check valve as you suggest - if nothing else, it'd be diagnostic.

Watch out: As the feedback discussion below exemplifies, the second you start touching old plumbing in a building you may find out that there are multiple problems. We call this the spaghetti problem: you can't pull just one strand of spaghetti out of the colander once it has all stuck together. That's characteristic of performing repair work on an older home.

Feedback on What Happened with Diagnosing a Well Problem: Multiple Water Supply Problems at One Shot

My system is now fixed. It was a combination of issues, but your diagnostics was correct. The air was a result of a leaking line at the well casing. After receiving your email, I looked over all the lines in the house.

No leaks could be found, but I could hear the well pump kicking on and off. I began to monitor the pressure gauge at the pressure tank. The well would pump up to 50 psi and shut-off, then the pressure would slowly drop. I could hear water moving in the lines, but no faucets were on. I shut the gate valve upstream from the pressure tank and pressure continued to drop. I noticed sweating on the pressure tank.

I turned off the pressure switch, closed a gate valve and opened the drain valve. The pressure tank drained very little water, but released the pressure. Seeing sweat half way up, I shook the tank and to confirm water was inside. The bladder had ruptured. I replaced the pressure tank, tee, and fittings and included a check valve downstream of the pressure tank.

I put the system back on-line. Air was still in the lines, so I decided to water the lawn , flowers and garden hoping to remove any trapped air from the system. It seemed to work.

Then I noticed the flowers around the well casing weren't suffering from the heat. Taking a closer look there were puddles. I began touching the ground and it was saturated. I called my well driller and he came out and confirmed the water was leaking outside the casing. He dug around the casing to reveal two pin holes in the 1" HDPE pipe. We spliced a two foot section and tested the system.

The well line is all fixed. I asked the plumber to look at my connections at the pressure tank. We added an air release valve and increased the pressure switch settings. I am very happy with the results.

My day wasn't over though. I noticed water on the garage floor by one of my two 82 gallon holding tanks. There was a rusty look to the water. I tilted the tank and sure enough there were three streams coming from the bottom of the tank. It may have been slightly leaking before, but the increased pressure possibly made it worse. I called Culligan and they no longer install galvanized steel tanks on sulphur systems. Fiberglass tanks are now available for $460. I'm currently testing my system on one tank and shopping around for best prices on fiberglass tanks.

What Causes Leaks in Buried Well Water Piping?

A variety of installation errors can cause a later leak in plastic well piping. We list some of these below, starting with an update on WELL PIPING LEAK DIAGNOSIS from reader Dan Babb.

While the comments below describe the cause of a leak in plastic well piping, the same conditions can cause a leak in buried municipal water supply piping between the building and the street. As Carson Dunlop's Home Reference Book points out,

Poor water pressure in the house may be the result of a partially closed or obstructed valve in the street. It may also be because of blockage, such as a stone or other foreign body in the pipe. New piping may be crimped during installation or become pinched under a rock during back-filling operations. This can also cause low water pressure.

If your building is served by municipal water, not a private well, see PLASTIC PIPE LEAK CAUSES and WATER PRESSURE LOSS DIAGNOSIS & REPAIR and PIPING IN buildings, Clogs Leaks Types.

List of Causes of Damage, Leaks, or Crimps in Buried Plastic or Metal Well Water Piping

• Plastic well (or water main) piping damage during installation: What caused the well piping leak that we describe above? My soil is 18"-24" black topsoil, then sandy, silty clay soil. No rocks or sharp objects were found. We were careful digging around the line. We checked about 10 foot of line, but only found leaks near the fitting at the casing.
  
  After removing the leaking section, I cleaned it up for further investigation. It appears to me the pinholes were a result of careless installation work. The pipe exterior surface had cuts and nicks where the pinholes were. What people may not know is that HDPE pipe needs to be slightly heated to fit over the fitting.
  
  If it's overheated it could change the integrity of the pipe. The previous installer may have overheated and nicked the pipe with the clamps or a screwdriver. Maybe they didn't know the pipe needed heat and used brute force with pliers or channel locks to slip it over the fitting.
• Overheating plastic piping during joint fitting can chemically change the plastic, making it brittle and crack prone near the connector
• Under heating plastic piping during joint fitting can cause the pipe to crack when it is forced over a fitting or connector
• Under-tightening metal connector parts such as hose clamps often leads to immediate or near-term leaks in the well piping connector.
• Over tightening metal connector parts such as hose clamps can (rarely) crack or crimp a pipe or fittings
• Burying plastic piping with soil containing sharp rocks can lead to later puncture and leaks
• Driving over piping that is not properly bedded in sand or not buried at a safe depth can cause leaks in piping
• Holes in the well pipe: Defective well piping, corrosion of metal piping (see photo near page top), or plastic piping that rubbed on a rock or other obstruction can lead to a hole in the piping that leaks water out when the well pump is running and leaks air into the system when the pump stops.
  
  At AIR DISCHARGE at FAUCETS, FIXTURES and at SHORT CYCLING CAUSES we discuss the role of a bad check valve or a hole in the well piping in causing well pump short cycling - water and pressure are lost through the leak when the pump runs, and air may enter the piping when the pump stops - depending on where the leak is located.

  Leaks in "hidden" air volume controls located on well piping on certain submersible pump systems using a bladderless water pressure tank are discussed at AIR VOLUME CONTROLS, WATER TANK.

• CONTACT us to suggest other leak causes in plastic or metal well piping

Inspect your connections carefully with the well piping under full pressure before burying the water piping.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about leaks in well piping

Question: community well seems to cause running water noise just at our house

We have a community well that operates 40 homes. For some reason our house is the only house affected by this running waterr noise than a small click at the end. This continues back up every 45 seconds. This has happened 4 other times and everytime they fixed something at the well (example bursted pipes, made adjustments) the noise has gone away. It is happeneing again and they said nothing was wrong and a few days later some electrical thing got fried at the well and we had no water. They made some quick fix im sure and we have water again but still have the sound in our house. Seems to me they did not actuallu fix the problem. Would you agree? We have also had a plumber out here twice and they can not find a single leak. PLEASE HELP! This noise is driving me crazy and Im almost positive it has to do with that love well! Why are we the only house that is always affected?? - Dawn 9/10/11

Reply:

Dawn I'm a bit confused by your info but will still suggest:

Track down just where the clicking originates, perhaps a pump control relay switch or a check valve.

If it's related to pump cycling on and off, every 45 seconds is a bit rapid and would suggest a waterlogged water pressure tank.

Try turning off water to your home at the main valve. If cycling continues the problem is outside your home. If it stops I suspect you have a water supply leaker a running toilet

Follow-up:

Thanks for answering me back. I do not have access to the community well so I can not check that. Im almost 100% positive there is nothing wrong with our house because everytime the "water noise" starts in our house a week or two weeks later something goes wrong with the community well and once the problem is fixed at the well house the "water noise" goes away. The only thing we can think of as to why we hear the noise and the other 39 people that get their water from the same well cant hear it is because our home is right next to the drainage easement??? We have had a plumber here twice and both times they can not find anything wrong leak wise. He did say our water meter is going back and forth which is strange but its not consistent with having a leak anywhere. He recommended that a water meter with a backflow device would help to stop the water from cycling through the meter in the reverse direction. Were baffled as to why we can tell something is wrong with the well and no other home can. Does this make any more sense to you? I really dont know how else to explain it.

Question: I see water on the ground around our well casing and cap - is this a well casing leak?

Just this past week I noticed that the ground around my well casing and cap is saturated for the first time ever. Water is even puddling up around it. Is this a sign of a leak in the casing? - Tim B 10/9/11

Reply:

Tim:

Unless your well is an artesian one (or has been so flooded by local rains and rising groundwater that it has reached the well casing top) a saturated spot that is just around the casing suggests a leak in the well piping between the well and the building. I'd do some careful digging around the casing to see what you can find.

Question: well pump takes a long time to reach shut-off pressure; pump won't prime

when my pressure switch calls for water it take a very long time to get back up to the shut of pressure. if you have a valve open the well pump does not seem to be able to keep up. is me pump bad? - Mike 4/17/12

Pump will not prime,casing and pump is full with water ,but won't build pressure - Frank 6/11/12

Reply:

Mike, it could be a damaged pump impeller, bad motor, low voltage, a leak in the well piping, or a well with a poor recovery rate combined with an in-well tailpiece that limits the pump output so that it doesnt exceed the well inflow rate. Or something else I haven't thought of.

Question: copper well line split and kept leaking; Can I use black pipe from HomeDepot?

I have a two line jet pump and a 35 foot shallow well. I had a suspected bad check valve when attempting to fix that I found the copper lines to the venturi had split and was constantly leaking. I managed to fix that with black plastic pipe that came in 100 foot lengths. however the copper tubing that runs though the well casing to the pump in the basement is in need of replacement now as well. I have dug up the lawn between the house and the well and want advise on the best pipe to use so I do not have to change again. My lines are at 56 inches below the ground so I hope it is under the frost line for CT.

Can I use some more of the same black pipe they sold me at the Home depot? Or please advise the best choice so I do not need to redo again in a short time - Jim 7/7/12

Reply:

Jim why not black abs plastic well piping? It's quite durable and if properly mounted and secured against movement (and thus leaks from abrasion) is often good for decades.

Question:

I have 2 plastic lines coming from the basement floor/sidewall. One is the water feed and the other is a 2" black plastic pipe which contains the electrical lines. When the pump is turned on this pipe leaks continously. Is there a way to fix this and does it cause my water pressure to decrease?

Thanks

Brian - 9/16/12

Reply:

Brian,

Indeed if water entering the electrical conduit for your well pump is seen only when the pump is running, it sounds as if there is a cross-leak somewhere in the well piping system, and indeed I'd want to fix that not only because it's wasting water and reducing water pressure, but because you may be soaking electrical wiring that expected to be protected in dry conduit - a possible short or shock hazard.

Usually well pump wiring (presuming you've got a submersible pump) travels from building to well casing head in conduit, and enters at the top of the well casing. From that point usually the wiring is exposed, taped to the well piping as it descends in the well down to the pump itself.

I SPECULATE that you might have a different conduit connection OR an artesian well whose water is rising above expected level and flooding the conduit. I'd start investigation by turning off power to the well pump for safety and then opening the casing cap to see what is going on with wiring and conduit at that end.

Keep me posted on what you find (photos would help) and we may be able to offer more suggestions.

Follow-up:

I just had a problem of water pouring out the electrical conduit in the house. Had to leap over the water to shut off the breaker. I know the conduit and water line run inside a tube of piping and I thought maybe the water line somehow came off the fitting at the well casing. I dug down to the casing and found the line somehow came off and filled the tube and the conduit that ran with it was open in the tube so the water took the path of least resistance and went out the conduit because the holding tank wasn't letting any water in. I slit the casing for the conduit so I could put a bucket under and collect water by turning the breaker on and off to get water for the toilet and dishes and washing up till I fixed the piping. The hole was about 4 ft x 4 ft x 4-1/2 ft deep.

Reply:

Brian

You were right to shut everything down immediately as there is a possible electric shock (electrocution) hazard.

We have had other reports of a similar problem - well water pressureizes the electrical conduit line between the well casing and the building - for example when a normally-pumped well temporarily acts like an artesian well because of abnormally high water tables during a storm or area flooding.

But your case is a bit different - if I understand accurately a broken pressurized water line at the well sent water into the conduit. Thank you for this field report as it may help others diagnose odd water leaks out of electrical conduit serving a submersible pump well system.

...

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Questions & answers or comments about how to detect, find, and repair leaks in water well piping.

Technical Reviewers & References

Related Topics, found near the top of this page suggest articles closely related to this one.

• [1] J.E. Johns, TecWel; D.N. Cary, Seal-Tite International; J.C. Dethlefs, ConocoPhillips; B.C. Ellis, Seal-Tite International; and M.L. McConnell and G.L. Schwartz, ConocoPhillips, " Locating and Repairing Casing Leaks with Tubing in Place - Ultrasonic Logging and Pressure-Activated Sealant Methods", Society of Petroleum Engineers, Offshore Europe, 4-7 September 2007, Aberdeen, Scotland, U.K., Document 108195 (Conference Paper), 2007
• [2] Link-Pipe, Inc., 27 West Beaver Creek Road - Unit #2 Richmond Hill, ON CANADA L4B 1M8, Link-Pipe manufactures "no-dig" pipe repair products for wells. Tel: 800-265-5696 or email: info@linkpipe.com  or website: http://www.linkpipe.com/wells.htm
• [3] Prentice Creel and Ronald J. Crook, Halliburton Energy Services, Inc., " Injectrol® and PermSeal Sealants Repair Leaks, Restore Integrity to Casings", Halliburton Service Center, 877-263-6071, web search 6/27/12, original source: http://www.halliburton.com/public/cem/contents/Papers_and_Articles/web/I_through_O/InjPerm.pdf [copy on file as Injectrol.pdf]
• [4] Rasmussen Well Drilling, Inc., 1793 Hwy 61, Two Harbors MN. Jeremy Rasmussen provides third generation well drilling and plumbing services on the North Shore of Lake Superior. Photos by DJF. Tel 218-834-3387. Email: rasmussenwell@frontier.com
  Quoting: We serve the north Shore – Lake, Cook, St. Louis, Carlton and Pine counties, including Duluth, Grand Marais, Clouqet, Carlton, Finland, Isabella, Silver Bay, Grand Portage, Saginaw, and everywhere in Northeastern Minnesota.
• [5] New Electric Heat Tapes Help Prevent Fires," US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) #00936
• [6] Thanks to Mark Cramer, Tampa Florida, for assistance in technical review of the "Critical Defects" section and for the photograph of the deteriorating gray Owens Corning flex duct in a hot attic. Mr. Cramer is a Florida home inspector and home inspection educator.
• [7] Baker Manufacturing, 133 Enterprise St., Evansville WI, Tel: 800-356-5130, website: www.baker-mfg.com, web search 6/27/12, original source: http://www.baker-mfg.com/domestic_new/domestic_pitless_units
  /PITLESS%20UNITS%20FOR%20FLOWING%20WELLS.pdf
• [8] Michigan Department of Water Environmental Quality Water Bureau (DEQ), Drinking Water & Environmental Health Section, Well Construction Unit, "Flowing Well Handbook", web search 6/27/12, original source: http://www.michigan.gov/documents/deq/deq-wb-dwehs-wcu-flowwellhandbook_221323_7.pdf [copy on file as Flowing_Well_Book_MI.pdf].
  This is an excellent primer for the construction of flowing artesian wells - Ed.
• [9] W. B. Allen, Flowing Wells in Michigan, 1974 U. S. Geological Survey, Water Information Series Report 2
• [10] ASTM D 5299-92, Standard for Decommissioning of Ground Water Wells, Vadose Zone Monitoring Devices, Boreholes, and Other Devices for Environmental Activities, 1993, American Society for Testing Materials, West Conshohocken, Pennsylvania.
• [11] R. Allen Freeze, & John Cherry, Groundwater, 1979, Prentice Hall, Inc., Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey
  
  
• Carson, Dunlop & Associates Ltd., 120 Carlton Street Suite 407, Toronto ON M5A 4K2. (416) 964-9415 1-800-268-7070 info@carsondunlop.com. The firm provides professional home inspection services & home inspection education & publications. Alan Carson is a past president of ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors. Thanks to Alan Carson and Bob Dunlop, for permission for InspectAPedia to use text excerpts from The Home Reference Book & illustrations from The Illustrated Home. Carson Dunlop Associates' provides:
  • Commercial Building Inspection Courses - protocol ASTM Standard E 2018-08 for Property Condition Assessments
  • Home Inspection Education Courses including home study & live classes at eleven colleges & universities.
  • Home Inspection Education Home Study Courses - ASHI@Home Training 10-course program.
    Special Offer: Carson Dunlop Associates offers InspectAPedia readers in the U.S.A. a 5% discount on these courses: Enter INSPECTAHITP in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space. InspectAPedia.com editor Daniel Friedman is a contributing author.
  • The Home Reference Book, a reference & inspection report product for building owners & inspectors.
    Special Offer: For a 10% discount on any number of copies of the Home Reference Book purchased as a single order. Enter INSPECTAHRB in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space. InspectAPedia.com editor Daniel Friedman is a contributing author.
  • The Home Reference eBook, an electronic version for PCs, the iPad, iPhone, & Android smart phones.
    Special Offer: For a 5% discount on any number of copies of the Home Reference eBook purchased as a single order. Enter inspectaehrb in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space.
  • The Illustrated Home illustrates construction details and building components, a reference for owners & inspectors.
    Special Offer: For a 5% discount on any number of copies of the Illustrated Home purchased as a single order Enter INSPECTAILL in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space.
  • The Horizon Software System manages business operations,scheduling, & inspection report writing using Carson Dunlop's knowledge base & color images. The Horizon system runs on always-available cloud-based software for office computers, laptops, tablets, iPad, Android, & other smartphones.
• "Freezeproof Your House," Mike McClintock, Rodale's New Shelter, p. 30, October 1985 (approximate date)
• "How to Winterize Your Pipes," Mike McClintock, Homeowners How-To Magazine, p. 59-62, Nov-Dec 1979.
• Thanks to reader Dan Babb for discussing well piping leaks, July 2010

Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair

• Our recommended books about building & mechanical systems design, inspection, problem diagnosis, and repair, and about indoor environment and IAQ testing, diagnosis, and cleanup are at the InspectAPedia Bookstore. Also see our Book Reviews - InspectAPedia.
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• Plumbing Diagnosis & Repair: Water supply, drainage, septic systems, water testing, water contamination, defective plumbing materials & products.

The Home Reference Book - the Encyclopedia of Homes, Carson Dunlop & Associates, Toronto, Ontario, 25th Ed., 2012, is a bound volume of more than 450 illustrated pages that assist home inspectors and home owners in the inspection and detection of problems on buildings. The text is intended as a reference guide to help building owners operate and maintain their home effectively. Field inspection worksheets are included at the back of the volume. Special Offer: For a 10% discount on any number of copies of the Home Reference Book purchased as a single order. Enter INSPECTAHRB in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space. InspectAPedia.com editor Daniel Friedman is a contributing author. Or choose the The Home Reference eBook for PCs, Macs, Kindle, iPad, iPhone, or Android Smart Phones. Special Offer: For a 5% discount on any number of copies of the Home Reference eBook purchased as a single order. Enter INSPECTAEHRB in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space.

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