Will My Well Pump Stop If I Have No Water?

Function

• Residential wells deliver water to a home’s plumbing supply for drinking, bathing, washing clothes and flushing toilets. Different household sizes place different plumbing demands on water supplies. Choosing a well pump that adequately services your household depends on water needs, well depth, well size and peak water demand, according to the Minnesota Department of Health. Other water needs, such as for irrigation or livestock, require larger pumps and/or larger storage tanks, or separate wells and pumps. Larger or separate systems ensure that inordinate demand does not place an undue burden on your pump.

Types

• Pumps either lift water from above or push water from below to deliver it to your home. Two types of pumps are commonly used in residential settings to accomplish this task: jet pumps and submersible pumps. "Popular Mechanics" compares the action of jet pumps to sucking liquid from a straw. Jet pumps create pressure in a tube above the well that lifts water. Submersible pumps sit below water level and push water up through pipes. Pumps cycle on and off, depending on demand, and should not run continuously to avoid damage. Sensors and shutoff switches should be installed to stop a pump from operating in the absence of water.

Safeguards

• Some water pumps have pressure switches that shut off automatically if there is no water, according to the Washington State Department of Health. As an additional safeguard, some wells have water-level float switches that detect low water levels and stop pumps or sound alarms. During peak-demand water usage, water levels may drop temporarily, giving a false indication the well is out of water. When this happens, the pump turns off automatically when the water level reaches a low sensor and turns on automatically when the water level rises above a higher sensor.

Malfunction

• If pumps or their safeguards malfunction, they will continue to run even in the absence of water. Pump motors can burn up, stopping the water supply to your home. They must be replaced before water supply can be resumed. According to the Lancaster Pump company, pressure switches must be set properly. If they are set too high, the pump will continue to run with no water flow, which will cause the motor to overheat. Control valves can stick in the closed position, which also hinders pump operation.