Getting Water From Your Well: How it Works
There is more complexity involved in wells than meets the eye. The process of extracting water from the ground and delivering it to your faucets involves a lot of steps and steps of steps. Today, let’s have a look at the process by which the water that your home requires is drawn from the private well that you have.
The Area’s Aquifer
Every well has to go deep enough into the ground to reach an aquifer, which is a layer of the earth and rock that allows water to move freely between the different parts of the formation. The term “groundwater” refers to this type of water. There are a few processes that need to take place before it can get into your sink, faucet, or hose, but ultimately it will get there. In the meanwhile, though, there are some things that need to happen first.
The Cistern
There are three primary varieties of wells that are utilized routinely across the nation.
Driven wells are often inexpensive and have the benefit of being simple to assemble. During the process of producing a driven well, the contractor will drive a thin pipe that has a screen attached to one end into an area that is somewhat shallow. As a result of the ease with which contaminants can diffuse into shallow water, the quality of the water is not as reliable as that of water drawn from a deeper source.
The phrase “dug well” used to mean that the hole was created by hand scooping dirt, although these days it more commonly refers to the use of power equipment. The interior of the well will be lined with stone or concrete and will feature a large opening in addition to a deep pit.
Wells that have been drilled are the most prevalent form constructed in modern times since the drill is able to reach considerably further than a well that has been excavated or driven. The well requires a casing and a screen to remove sediments. Additionally, a grouting made of clay or cement is necessary to prevent the entry of impurities.
If your well has only been there for a very short period of time, it is most certainly a drilled well; likewise, if you install a new well, it will most likely also be a drilled well. The versatility of the method, as well as the capability of drilling to greater depths in search of water, are advantages that cannot be matched by other types of well mechanics.
The Injector
If your well is quite shallow, you probably have a jet pump mounted on the well’s casing above it. The water will be sucked out of the aquifer by the jet pump using an impeller, which will create the vacuum that is necessary for the formation of suction. A stream of water will be produced as a result of the suction drawing fresh water from the well and combining it with the water that is retained by the system.
Although a jet pump fitted with the appropriate equipment can be used for retrieval from deeper wells, the vast majority of wells require a submersible pump for the job. Instead of drawing water down from above like a jet pump does, the pump will be positioned so that it is just slightly below the water level in the well and will force it upward. In general, submersible pumps are more robust and adaptable than other types of pumps, but if yours needs any maintenance, you should contact a professional rather than attempting to do it on your own.
The High-Pressure Storage Tank
When you run the dishwasher or switch on the sink, your pump does not automatically draw fresh water from a new source. Instead, there will be a pressure tank connected to your system that will be used to store water. In general, these tanks can be broken down into one of three categories denoted by the method by which they partition the air and water contained therein.
Float tanks
A tank equipped with a float employs the material to differentiate between the water and the air within the tank. This fashion is no longer commonly seen today.
Tanks with diaphragm bladders will use an air bladder to permanently separate the air from the water within the container.
Tanks made of plain steel don’t have any separation mechanisms built into them; instead, they rely on an air pressure sensor to keep their levels accurate.
When air pressure is applied to any pressure tank, the water that is kept in the tank will be forced to circulate through the plumbing system of your home.
A private water well is an excellent choice to consider if you wish to wean yourself off of reliance on public water supplies. Contact Love Well & Water Works right away for any and all of your drilling or well repair requirements.