Well Pump Questions, Answered Plainly

Here are straight answers to the questions we hear most from well owners in Cape Girardeau County. If you don't see what you're looking for, reach out and ask directly.

Why did my water suddenly stop working?

A handful of common causes: a tripped breaker, a failed pressure switch, a well pump losing prime, motor burnout, or — especially in summer — a shallow well temporarily outpacing the water table. Rule out the simple stuff first. Check the breaker panel for a well pump or pressure switch breaker that's tripped, and listen for whether the pump is running at all. If it's silent, the problem is likely electrical or the switch. If it's running but nothing comes out, that points toward the pump, a stuck check valve, or a well that's pumped down.

What is a pressure switch, and can I reset it myself?

The pressure switch is what tells the pump when to turn on — usually as tank pressure drops to a low-cutoff point — and off again once it reaches the high-cutoff. Some switches have a small reset button, and if the pump tripped out on the switch, pressing it can sometimes bring the system back, at least briefly. If it trips again right away, or won't reset at all, that's telling you something is actually wrong rather than a one-time fluke, and it's a sign to call rather than keep resetting it.

How much does well pump repair typically cost?

It depends entirely on what's actually wrong. A pressure switch replacement is typically one of the cheaper repairs in a well system. A pressure tank repair or bladder replacement costs more, and a submersible pump pull — which involves pulling pipe out of the casing, sometimes very deep — costs more still because of the labor involved in getting the pump out and back in, separate from the price of the pump itself. We give you a number after we've actually diagnosed the problem, not before.

How much does a full pump replacement typically cost?

Pump replacement cost depends on pump type (jet pumps are typically less expensive than submersibles), horsepower, well depth, and how much pipe and wire has to come up and go back down with it. A shallow jet pump swap is typically far less involved than pulling a submersible from deep in a cased well. We'll walk through the well's specifics with you — depth, current pump type, and what the system needs — before quoting a number.

What's the difference between a submersible pump and a jet pump?

A submersible pump sits down in the well itself, underwater, and pushes water up to the surface. A jet pump sits above ground — often in a well house, basement, or pump house — and pulls water up using suction, typically for shallower wells. Submersibles are more common for deeper wells and are generally more efficient once installed, but repairs mean pulling the pump up out of the casing. Jet pumps are easier to access for service since they sit above ground, but they have depth limitations a submersible doesn't.

How long do well pumps typically last?

It varies with pump type, well conditions, water quality, and how much the pump cycles, but well pumps commonly run for somewhere around one to two decades before they need replacement, with submersible pumps often on the higher end of that range under good conditions. Heavy iron content, sediment, frequent cycling, and electrical issues can shorten that. Steady water and fewer starts per day extend it. Age alone isn't a reliable predictor — a well-maintained older pump can outlast a newer one running under harder conditions.

What causes low water pressure in a well system?

Several different things can look identical at the faucet: a waterlogged pressure tank, a pressure switch set too low or failing, a pump that's losing capacity, mineral buildup narrowing pipes or fixtures, a partially closed valve somewhere in the line, or a well that's drawing down faster than it recharges. Because the symptom looks the same regardless of cause, tracking down low pressure means checking the tank, the switch settings, and the pump's actual output rather than assuming it's the pump by default.

Why does my water look rusty or taste metallic?

That's almost always iron, which is common in groundwater across this part of Missouri. It's usually a water quality issue rather than a pump problem — the pump is just moving water that already has iron in it. Depending on how much iron is present, options range from a simple filter to a dedicated iron treatment system. If the discoloration is new and sudden rather than a long-running issue, it's worth mentioning when you call, since it can occasionally point to sediment stirred up by a well or pump issue.

Should I have my well water tested, and how often?

Yes — well water isn't monitored the way city water is, so testing is on the owner. A baseline test covering bacteria and common minerals is worth doing periodically, and it's worth repeating any time the water's taste, smell, or color changes, after any well work is done, or after flooding near the wellhead. Homes on wells that are being bought or sold typically get tested as part of that process as well.

How do I protect my well system from freezing in winter?

The parts at risk are anything above ground or in an unheated space — exposed pipe, a pressure tank sitting in an uninsulated well house, or a pitless adapter that isn't buried deep enough. Insulating exposed pipe, keeping well house doors sealed, and not letting a well house go unheated during a hard freeze all help. A submersible pump itself sits down in the well below the frost line and usually isn't the freeze risk — it's the aboveground plumbing and tank that need the protection.

What's the difference between a dry well and a failed pump?

They can look identical from the kitchen faucet, but they're different problems with different fixes. A pump pulling air because the well's water level has dropped below the pump's intake will sputter, run dry, and can be damaged if it keeps trying to run without water around it. A failed pump won't move water regardless of how much is in the well. Checking the static water level against where the pump is set is how we tell the two apart.

Do I need a permit to replace a well pump in Missouri?

Straightforward pump and tank replacement generally doesn't require the kind of permitting that new well construction does — new wells, well modifications, and plugging a well are the activities regulated more closely at the state level. If your situation involves more than a pump swap, we'll tell you if it crosses into something that needs to go through the county or state.

How often should I have my well system inspected?

A general inspection is worth doing every couple of years even if nothing seems wrong, and it's worth doing any time you buy a home on a well, notice a gradual change in pressure or water quality, or haven't had the system looked at in years. Catching a tired pressure tank or a switch on its way out before it fails completely is a lot less disruptive than a random day with no water.

Can hard water damage my well pump or plumbing?

Over time, yes — mineral buildup from hard water can narrow pipe diameter, foul valves, and coat fixtures with scale, and it can make a pressure switch or check valve stick or fail sooner than it otherwise would. It's usually a gradual effect rather than a sudden one, which is part of why it often gets noticed only after pressure has been slowly declining for a while.