Can't Find Your Well Pump or Tank? How Professionals Locate Them
Can't Find Your Well Pump or Tank? How Professionals Locate Them
It happens more often than you'd think: you need well service, but nobody can find the well. Maybe you bought an older home, the cap was buried during landscaping, or the plans you have don't match what's in the ground. Here's where to start looking, and how a well professional tracks it down when you can't.
Why Well Equipment Gets "Lost"
In many older Connecticut homes, the well casing was cut off below grade or covered during regrading, landscaping, or additions. Over the decades, records go missing and owners change. Site plans and schematics may show an approximate location, but they aren't always accurate.
It also helps to know what you're looking for. In a drilled well, the submersible pump sits down inside the well itself, so finding the well means finding the pump. The pressure tank is usually inside the house in a basement, crawl space, or utility room, though some properties have it in a well pit or well house.
Where to Look First
- Find where the water line enters the house, usually through the basement wall or floor. The well is typically somewhere along that line's path outside.
- Check the basement, crawl space, and utility areas for the pressure tank and pressure switch.
- Look outside for a metal or plastic casing, a low mound, or a cover in the yard.
- Ask your town's health department whether it has well records for the property, and check past inspection reports or closing documents.
How Professionals Locate a Buried Well
When a visual search comes up empty, a technician can use electronic locating equipment to trace the water line and the pump's power wire from the house toward the well. Metal detectors help find a buried steel casing or cap. Once the location is narrowed down, careful digging exposes the well.
After the well is found, many homeowners choose a well casing extension so the well stays accessible above ground. That makes future service faster and helps protect the well from surface water.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I find my well if it's buried?
Start where the water line enters your house and look outside in that direction for a casing, cover, or low mound. Check with your town's health department for well records and review any past inspection reports. If you still can't find it, a well professional can trace the water line and pump wire with locating equipment to pinpoint it.
Where is the pump in a drilled well?
In most drilled wells, the pump is a submersible pump located down inside the well, below the water level. You won't see it from the surface, which is why locating the well casing is the first step to servicing the pump. In some older homes with shallow wells, the pump may instead be a jet pump located inside the house.
How much does it cost to locate a well?
The cost depends on the site. A well that's just below the surface near the house is quicker to find than one buried deep under a lawn or patio. Factors include how much tracing is needed, how much digging is involved, and site access. The best approach is to call for a quote based on your property and what you already know.
Is a buried well cap a problem?
It can be. A buried cap makes the well hard to inspect and service, and it can allow surface water and contaminants to reach the well. Extending the casing above ground is a common fix that keeps the well accessible and better protected. If your well has been buried, it's worth having it checked once it's located.
Where is a well pressure tank usually located?
Most pressure tanks are inside the house, typically in the basement, crawl space, or a utility room near where the water line comes in. On some properties, especially older ones, the tank may be in an outdoor well house or a below-ground well pit. The pressure switch and gauge are usually mounted on or near the tank.
Still can't find your well? Mad River Well Services locates buried wells, pumps, and tanks for homeowners in Watertown and throughout Litchfield County. Contact us with any plans or records you have, and we'll help you track it down.
