How Often Should A Well Pump Replacement Take Place?

The need for well pump replacement is a situation faced regularly by many families around the world, especially those who live in more rural areas or locations not served by a municipal plumbing and piping system. Unfortunately, this sort of system continues to be a mystery to most of these homeowners, who are generally unsure about how to pick out, maintain, repair and replace their water pumps.

One of the many doubts that generally plague owners of this vital equipment has to do with the amount of time a device of this kind can last before the need for a well pump replacement arises. While it is generally understood they have quite good durability, the exact length of time the average piece of machinery of this kind will last is by no means consensual. In this article, we will attempt to shed some light on their life expectancy, in order to help homeowners understand when they might need replacing.

Lasting, But Not Perennial

As noted above, while most have considerable longevity, these kinds of devices are by no means perennial. In fact, a homeowner who has lived in the same house for several decades is likely to have gone through any number of pumps in the course of his or her tenancy.

Still, individuals purchasing a brand new one can expect it to last for close to a decade. The minimum life expectancy for a submersible pump is about eight to ten years, and for surface pumps this figure stretches to a full fifteen years before there is any need for a well pump replacement. As such, homeowners can rest relatively assured that their equipment will not give them any problems for a good number of years – although, as with everything, there are exceptions.

Identifying Problems

Homeowners should therefore only start worrying when they have to undertake a well pump replacement for something that is less than five years old. Even then, however, it is unwise to immediately begin blaming the manufacturer; instead, an effort should be made to pinpoint the problem and try to fix it, with the support of qualified technicians.

A number of factors can influence the proper functioning of the equipment. Horsepower, for example, will determine how often it runs: the more horsepower, the less frequently the pump starts up so the longer it lasts. The size of the well itself can also cause a pump to malfunction, should it happen to be the wrong size; homeowners who have undertaken renovation or expansion work on their homes should therefore be particularly careful to ensure their equipment is the correct type, size and model.

Even still, it is unlikely that most equipment will need to be replaced within a decade. Should that be the case, however, buyers should be informed about how to go about identifying and taking care of the problem.

Sarah Saadoun works for HMS Plumbing, a family-owned business in Manassas, Northern Virginia. If you need a well pump replacement, Herve and his dedicated employees at HMS are proud to be serving the plumbing needs of Northern Virginia residents and businesses. For reliable Fairfax plumbers HMS Plumbing is your first choice.