Sputtering Faucets, a Pump That Won't Stop Running, or No Water at All? What Your Symptoms Actually Mean
If you're on a private well, your water system talks to you constantly. You just have to know how to listen. A faucet that spits and coughs, a pump that clicks on and off every few seconds, or a tap that suddenly delivers nothing at all are not random annoyances. Each one is a specific symptom pointing to a specific problem, and catching it early is usually the difference between a simple repair and a full pump replacement.
Here's how to translate what your system is telling you, and when it's time to call in professional water pump repair.
Sputtering or Spitting Faucets
That burst of air followed by an uneven stream is one of the most common well complaints, and it almost always means air has found its way into your plumbing. The tricky part is that several different problems can cause the exact same symptom.
A failed check valve is a frequent cause. Overnight, water drains back down the well past the faulty valve, so when the pump restarts in the morning it has to reprime itself, pulling in air along the way
A waterlogged pressure tank is another leading culprit. When the internal bladder ruptures or loses its air charge, the tank can no longer cushion pressure properly, which lets air surge through the line right along with the water
Low water levels in the well itself can allow the pump intake to draw air directly from above the water line, especially during dry spells or heavy usage
A cracked or loose drop pipe, the pipe connecting the pump to the surface, can let air seep in above the waterline even when everything below is working fine
The sputtering on its own isn't dangerous, but ignoring it isn't a great idea either. Left alone, it tends to cause the pump to overheat and reduces its overall lifespan.
A Pump That Won't Stop Cycling
If you can hear your pump kicking on and off every few seconds, even when nobody in the house is using water, that's called short cycling, and it's one of the harder things a well system can do to a motor.
The most frequent cause by far is a waterlogged pressure tank. A healthy tank uses an internal bladder to separate compressed air from water, and that air cushion is what allows the tank to release water on demand without forcing the pump to fire up constantly. Once the bladder tears or loses pressure, the tank fills entirely with water, the cushion disappears, and the pump has to run almost every time a faucet is touched. Most pressure tanks are only rated to last around 15 years, so age alone is often enough to trigger the problem.
A few ways to check what's going on before calling for water pump repair:
Turn off power to the pump, then tap the tank from bottom to top. A healthy tank sounds solid near the bottom and hollow near the top. A waterlogged tank sounds solid the whole way through
Find the Schrader valve on top of the tank and press the pin. Air should come out. If water sprays instead, the bladder has failed
With the pump off, open a faucet until pressure hits zero, then check the valve with a tire gauge. A reading at or near zero PSI usually confirms bladder failure
Short cycling can also stem from a bad check valve, a failing pressure switch, or a hidden leak somewhere in the line. Whatever the cause, it's worth addressing quickly. Rapid on and off cycling can turn what would have been an affordable tank swap into thousands of dollars in pump damage down the road.
This is the symptom that gets everyone's attention fastest, and thankfully it's often more straightforward to diagnose than sputtering or cycling.
Start with the circuit breaker. A tripped breaker is common and easy to check before assuming the worst
Check the pressure switch next. A switch clogged with sediment or corrosion can fail to signal the pump at all
Listen for the motor. A humming sound with no water movement usually means the motor is receiving power but can't actually move water, which points toward a failing pump
Consider the well itself. In drought conditions or with a shallow well, the water table can drop below the pump intake entirely
A motor drawing far more amperage than it should, for example jumping from a normal 5 amps to 17 amps, is a strong sign the pump is struggling and close to failing outright. At that point, DIY troubleshooting reaches its limit, since pulling a submersible pump and inspecting wiring safely requires the right equipment and experience.
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Trust Bruce MacKay Pump & Well Service, Inc. With the Diagnosis
Whether your faucets are sputtering, your pump won't stop running, or your water has simply stopped altogether, the underlying cause is rarely obvious from the surface. That's exactly where an experienced technician earns their value: testing the pressure tank, checking the check valve and switch, and confirming whether the pump itself needs attention before anything gets pulled apart. For dependable water pump repair in Reno, Bruce MacKay Pump & Well Service, Inc. has the local experience to diagnose the real problem quickly and fix it right the first time, so your water runs steady, your pump lasts longer, and you're not stuck guessing at what your faucets are trying to tell you.
