I
receive calls and e-mails almost daily from people out of water. Usually, the
first thing they tell me is that they only are working part time or are
unemployed. They own their own homes with their own well systems, and they have
no water. I assist them in deciding whether it’s a do-it-yourself project, or
whether they must call a qualified service person. Sometimes it’s as simple as
a bad fuse or tripped overload, a poor wire connection or defective pressure
switch. Usually beyond that, though, unless they have some basic
electrical/mechanical experience, I advise them to call a trusted, qualified
and certified well driller or pump person in their area. I usually advise
against contacting a plumber, however, I find that more and more plumbers are
becoming certified pump installers. If homeowners can tell me an area, I can
recommend a qualified person in their area. I warn them that unqualified people
could drop the pump in the well, costing them thousands of
dollars.
Many service technicians don’t attend their state water well shows, and
therefore seldom learn about the new products out there. Most employers can’t
justify paying an employee’s expenses to attend these shows. Today, however,
many states require driller/pump installer certification and annual continuing
education.
A few weeks ago, a homeowner in central Virginia called me with questions about
a constant-pressure valve. After asking a few questions, the person asked me
which of the three drilling contractors in his area he should contact. I
advised him that I knew all three and felt they all were qualified. The one who
the customer contracted, however, tried to sell him an expensive variable-flow
pump, instead of the simple installation of a constant-pressure valve. The
homeowner still requested the constant-pressure valve.
On the jobsite, the service man gave the customer several scary, untrue reasons
for not wanting to install the valve. The homeowner called me and had the
service man talk to me while on site. After talking to the serviceperson, I
determined that he either wasn’t familiar with the valve or just was trying to
sell the customer on a variable-flow pump. The service man did manage to sell
the customer a no-load sensor in addition to the valve, which was a good idea
on a low-yield well. I think that’s just being a good
salesperson.
Due to today’s economy, people are looking at saving money, including on water
wells and pump repairs. People want to save every dollar that they can. When a
well fails, people want the best possible solution for the least possible cost.
If there is an option to a new well, like maybe installing a no-load sensor to
save the pump, they want to hear it. When a pump fails, people need to know
their options. A more economical option may be to install a new pump with a
constant-pressure valve.
Many suppliers, drillers and pump installers prefer to install a variable-flow
pump because they make more money and ensure more service calls down the line.
A constant-pressure valve usually is a lot less costly; they are all mechanical
and are simple to install. Most constant-pressure valves work with small
pressure tanks, saving space, and they prevent the pump from cycling. This
extends the life of the pump, the pressure switch and the tank bladder, while
giving the customer a constant pressure like city water pressure. Small
pressure tanks allow installations in limited spaces such as mobile homes and
crawl spaces.
ND