Made a huge mistake
#1
06-22-13, 02:18 AM
Made a huge mistake
We bought this house last year and I'm not going to know much so I don't know if you can help. I made a huge mistake yesterday when we were renovating a koi pond and left the hose running full bore for hours (didn't realize it was still on). We suddenly got red dirt in the water. I shut it off pretty quickly but too late. I have waited 10 hours because I was told we have a good flowing well but "slow to recover". Turned on an outside hose (before the water treatment) this morning and flowed for a good 5 minutes and its still muddy. Now I have no idea if its sediment that is stirred or my water is still low or if I really messed things up.
Unfortunately I don't know much. 10 year old well, well cap above ground and constant pressure well pump in my basement but no clue on anything else. We have had great rain this year as well.
Don't think you can help with so little info but its worth asking!
Mindi
Unfortunately I don't know much. 10 year old well, well cap above ground and constant pressure well pump in my basement but no clue on anything else. We have had great rain this year as well.
Don't think you can help with so little info but its worth asking!
Mindi
#2
06-22-13, 03:23 AM
Welcome to the forums! I am assuming this is a bored well, rather than a drilled well. Correct? Rain makes little difference initially to well water. You are drawing from an aquifer many feet deep. Often the well will recover on its own, but it will certainly take time. Your piping, holding pressure tank, pump, water heater, etc. all have sediment in them. You should drain your water heater after turning off the power or turning off the gas valve. If you have a holding pressure tank, it probably has 20 gallons of water in it, and needs to be purged. Turn the well pump's power off and drain the tank as well. Then, after a few recovery days, you should be able to flush out your system and obtain clear water. All your filters will be clogged, as well as the aerators on the sinks, so they will need cleaning.
Isn't life a wonderful learning tool?? Let us know how things go.
Isn't life a wonderful learning tool?? Let us know how things go.
#3
06-22-13, 04:37 AM
This is definitely a lesson learned and I sooo hope only at the expense of a few days of no water!
I have no idea if its bored or drilled...is there a way to tell? Fortunately nothing but a toilet flush or two went through the system so I would think the hot water heater was safe?? I have a mass filter that I already replaced immediately after (it was bad but not awful) and my thought was to replace it again after the hose outside clears because the filter is after the hose in the system so that should limit the sediment getting to the mass filter. Then the mass filter should catch the last of the sediment before it hits the system. I don't have a holding pressure tank...just a constant pressure well pump in in the system before the mass filter. It might have 3 gallons in it.
Oh god....three small kids, two 150 pound dogs, 2 adults and a kitchen full of dirty dishes. This is not going to be fun but better than a huge repair!!!!!
THANK YOU!!!
I have no idea if its bored or drilled...is there a way to tell? Fortunately nothing but a toilet flush or two went through the system so I would think the hot water heater was safe?? I have a mass filter that I already replaced immediately after (it was bad but not awful) and my thought was to replace it again after the hose outside clears because the filter is after the hose in the system so that should limit the sediment getting to the mass filter. Then the mass filter should catch the last of the sediment before it hits the system. I don't have a holding pressure tank...just a constant pressure well pump in in the system before the mass filter. It might have 3 gallons in it.
Oh god....three small kids, two 150 pound dogs, 2 adults and a kitchen full of dirty dishes. This is not going to be fun but better than a huge repair!!!!!
THANK YOU!!!
#4
06-22-13, 04:45 AM
I'd still drain off some of the water from the water heater - it's a good practice, something you should do 2-3 times a year to remove sediment. How old is your water heater? sometimes the valve can be problematic on older tanks that have never been flushed/drained.
I'm not a well expert but I would think you'd have a holding tank somewhere, otherwise the pump would have to turn on every time you opened a spigot.
I'm not a well expert but I would think you'd have a holding tank somewhere, otherwise the pump would have to turn on every time you opened a spigot.
#5
06-22-13, 05:19 AM
Gotcha on the hot water heater. The heater is relatively new. Can't remember the date but thinking only a year or two old. Crazy people who lived here before had no water treatment system and they went through tanks like candy from the hardness of the water.
No holding tank unless its in the ground! They said they had issues with the well pumps in the past burning up and instead installed this constant pressure pump. Maybe we needed a holding tank? The water company that was out here and seemed to be pretty good didn't say we did but its amazing what people don't know who are in the business and should.
No holding tank unless its in the ground! They said they had issues with the well pumps in the past burning up and instead installed this constant pressure pump. Maybe we needed a holding tank? The water company that was out here and seemed to be pretty good didn't say we did but its amazing what people don't know who are in the business and should.
#7
06-22-13, 06:01 AM
It can days or even weeks for a well to totally clear when a well is new. If you overpump, it can take that long as well.
All you can do is keep drawing water every hour or so for "a while" (a few minutes) from a tap that doesn't go through your house. It will eventually clear.
I hope the fellow that posted a couple of days ago complaining about his well not keeping up with his sprinkler system reads this.
All you can do is keep drawing water every hour or so for "a while" (a few minutes) from a tap that doesn't go through your house. It will eventually clear.
I hope the fellow that posted a couple of days ago complaining about his well not keeping up with his sprinkler system reads this.
#8
06-22-13, 06:10 AM
I hope the fellow that posted a couple of days ago complaining about his well not keeping
#9
06-22-13, 09:14 AM
Weeks? Dear god I hope not or I will be getting a divorce secondary to a furious husband!
Question, it would appear to me that running the water every few hours might just stir the bucket so to speak. Should I wait until tomorrow after a solid 48 hrs to try that or does the every few hours work this early?
And the sad part is I was being incredibly careful and not running the dishwasher or clothes washer etc while they were working but had no clue there was a hose running the entire time. SPRINKLERS? Who in the world would do that?!?!?!? :-)
Question, it would appear to me that running the water every few hours might just stir the bucket so to speak. Should I wait until tomorrow after a solid 48 hrs to try that or does the every few hours work this early?
And the sad part is I was being incredibly careful and not running the dishwasher or clothes washer etc while they were working but had no clue there was a hose running the entire time. SPRINKLERS? Who in the world would do that?!?!?!? :-)
#10
06-22-13, 11:29 AM
I can't say how your well is constructed, but many (most?) use a well point and a screen. The screen, when first put into use lets silt in, but screens out the larger particles. As those larger particles assemble over the slots, they screen out the silt. Often, in a piece of 5 feet of screen, water can only enter in one foot of it.
Now the large particles are missing again. Until those large particles are reassembled, silt will enter the screen and either come up or settle in the bottom of the pipe until the pump starts again and stirs them up so they are sucked out.
No one can tell you how long this will take.
You can read about the fellow with the sprinkler here:
http://www.doityourself.com/forum/we...ed-please.html
Now the large particles are missing again. Until those large particles are reassembled, silt will enter the screen and either come up or settle in the bottom of the pipe until the pump starts again and stirs them up so they are sucked out.
No one can tell you how long this will take.
You can read about the fellow with the sprinkler here:
http://www.doityourself.com/forum/we...ed-please.html
#11
06-22-13, 03:00 PM
OMG that is TOO FUNNY!!!!!! He just seriously didn't get it. Even with my stupid mistake I'm smart enough to have installed rain barrels for watering and limit it to that.
Well good news! I have clear water about 27 hrs later!!!!!! THANK YOU!!!!!!!!! Lesson learned and now I will be a stalker here because its time for me to learn a bit about my well before I run into another crisis. No more pond renovations!!!!!!!! I really can't thank you guys enough for stopping my panic and giving me a plan of attack.
Off to stare at my shower as there is no way I'm using it or anything else beyond a toilet and sink until tomorrow! LOL.
Well good news! I have clear water about 27 hrs later!!!!!! THANK YOU!!!!!!!!! Lesson learned and now I will be a stalker here because its time for me to learn a bit about my well before I run into another crisis. No more pond renovations!!!!!!!! I really can't thank you guys enough for stopping my panic and giving me a plan of attack.
Off to stare at my shower as there is no way I'm using it or anything else beyond a toilet and sink until tomorrow! LOL.
#12
06-22-13, 06:44 PM
Don't think you are out of the woods yet. In about a month, you should drain and "flush" the hot water heater again and I'll bet you will be surprised at what you see.
Here is how I do it: I hook up a garden hose and run it down hill. Then I turn off the cold water input and I turn off the electricity. Then I open the valve at the bottom and then I open the pop off pressure valve so air is sucked in the tank. An hour later it is pretty much empty.
Then I close the pressure vale and I open and close the cold water valve several times and try to stir things up in the bottom of the tank. I want all the sediment out and I'll bet you have a bunch of it. I open the pressure valve again and if I think I need to, I repeat.
Then I leave the pressure valve open as I fill the tank again. Once it is full, I close the pressure valve and turn on the electricity.
Shower heads and sink aerators need cleaning. Bottom of the toilet tanks need cleaning, else the silt will keep the flap from closing fully.
That's about all I can think of if you don't have a whole house filter or one in your refrigerator (I do).
If anyone else can think of something I missed, I ain't proud. Speak up.
Here is how I do it: I hook up a garden hose and run it down hill. Then I turn off the cold water input and I turn off the electricity. Then I open the valve at the bottom and then I open the pop off pressure valve so air is sucked in the tank. An hour later it is pretty much empty.
Then I close the pressure vale and I open and close the cold water valve several times and try to stir things up in the bottom of the tank. I want all the sediment out and I'll bet you have a bunch of it. I open the pressure valve again and if I think I need to, I repeat.
Then I leave the pressure valve open as I fill the tank again. Once it is full, I close the pressure valve and turn on the electricity.
Shower heads and sink aerators need cleaning. Bottom of the toilet tanks need cleaning, else the silt will keep the flap from closing fully.
That's about all I can think of if you don't have a whole house filter or one in your refrigerator (I do).
If anyone else can think of something I missed, I ain't proud. Speak up.
#13
06-22-13, 07:05 PM
BTW, when things are working right, NOW is the time to learn how things are supposed to be. Then, when they aren't, you will know what to do next time. Study up on water logging.
http://www.doityourself.com/forum/we...well-info.html
But I forgot, you don't have a tank. You need to talk to someone that knows about your system. That's not me.
http://www.doityourself.com/forum/we...well-info.html
But I forgot, you don't have a tank. You need to talk to someone that knows about your system. That's not me.
#14
06-23-13, 04:14 AM
now I will be a stalker here because its time for me to learn a bit about my well before I run into another crisis
