locating well cap?


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Old 03-13-06, 06:16 PM
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locating well cap?

i have no idea where my well cap is located. i have reason to believe it is burried under my graveled driveway.

in the basement, i have an area on the side of the driveway where the pressure tank is located. there is a pipe that runs straight out the wall which is what leads me to believe that the well is right out there in the driveway.

do i have to call a pro or is there a way for me to find this myself? metal detector maybe?

i'm interrested in shocking the well and i'd like to know for future ref. previous owner had no idea where it was and her dad built the home, she grew up there and it was in her family for 64yrs!

any help is appreciated.

thanks,
Liz
 
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Old 03-13-06, 06:29 PM
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Try a divining rod. Don't laugh, it works.
 
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Old 03-13-06, 06:58 PM
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haha, i didn't even know they really made those.

i will see if i can find one...but its gotta be cheap! lol

thanks for the input.
 
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Old 03-13-06, 08:09 PM
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You might try the local building office. Many small towns have lot plans on file showing lot boundaries, septic and well systems.
 
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Old 03-14-06, 10:41 AM
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When you find it the well casing should be raised one foot above grade. That is code in most areas now. It prevents ground water from entering the well.
 
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Old 03-14-06, 03:31 PM
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great advice. although, i don't live in a small town, i'm in Indianapolis, IN. perhaps i'll find some info at the assessors office. I have to go in and file for my tax exemptions (by april 15 for those of you who need to do this too). i'll ask them if they have any suggestions if i don't find it before then.

also, my inspector couldn't find it when i bought the house. i got the home really cheap....so cheap that it wasn't something i was concerned about.

the good thing, my driveway is raised for the most part and the areas that get water logged aren't anywhere near my driveway.....but i'll get an estimate on having it raised once i find it. i'm sure thats money i won't want to spend but i'm also sure it's money well spent.

thanks for the info!
 
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Old 03-20-06, 09:10 AM
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buried well heads

I have several clients with buried well heads, usually down in a concrete bunker of some sort. Some are under the driveway and others are in the yard somewhere. They were acceptable in the middle of the 20th century. There may be a small amount of rebar in the cover, although I have encountered buried wooden covers (rotting away). It is possible that the pipe to the house is galvanized. If either metal is present, a metal detector might help. The cover should not be more than a few inches below grade. Infrared scan might help, especially when done in winter. A thin rod to probe the ground is useful.
I have used a dowser with success and failure. Dowsing is amazing when it works. For some reason, it doesn't always work. There is a list of local chapters of the American Dowsing Society (headquartered in Danville, Vermont) on their website: www.dowsers.org

Pumps only last about 20 years, give or take 10 years. If your pump is a submersible, it sounds like it is at the end of its life. If you have a jet pump, it is amazing that you have not had any problems with the jet or foot valve at the bottom of the well.
Good luck in you hunt.
 
 

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