When preparing for a vacation or an extended trip out of town, it's important to prepare your home and its assorted appliances. Among these tasks, you'll need to take care of water well maintenance before setting out. While wells are made up of numerous durable components, such as the well pump itself, freezing water and cold weather can take their toll and sometimes cause extensive damage to your freshwater system. To find out how and why you should switch off your well pump before you head out of town, have a look at the information below.

Why Should You Turn Off the Well Pump?

Well pumps run constantly to fill the pressure tank that supplies water to your water-reliant appliances and plumbing. Once the pressure in the tank drops below a certain level, the cycle repeats itself to ensure that you have a ready supply of clean water at all times.

While this process is useful when a house is constantly occupied, it can expose the pump to a variety of issues when indoor plumbing is out of use, even for a few days. For example, the pipe may develop leaks that lead to wasted electricity, or the pressure switch may fail, causing the pressure tank to overfill and flood.

Electrical failures and freezing due to stagnant cold water may also render the pump inoperable and leave you without fresh water upon your return. To reduce your need for emergency water well maintenance and repairs, turn off your pump before you leave.

How Can You Turn Off the Pump?

Before you turn off your well pump, first make sure that no currently running systems, such as an indoor hot water system, require water or will be left running while you’re away. If such systems can be turned off, do so, as a boiler or similar appliance may continue trying to draw water from your pressure tank. Then, locate the switch in your electrical panel or breaker box that supplies power to the well pump and move it to the “off” position. When you return from your trip, simply switch the power back on to restore your water supply.

For all your water well maintenance needs, count on the experts at Roundman's Pump Repair & Well Drilling in Live Oak, FL. Backed by over five decades of experience, these fully licensed and insured well specialists offer a full range of well maintenance and repair services to area residents. Find out more about their services online, and call them at (386) 362-7365 to schedule an appointment today.