InspectAPedia ^TM

How a Bad Water Tank Causes Loss of Water Pressure or No Water
WaterAPedia ^©

	Enter your search terms Submit search form
	Search This Website - InspectAPedia.com

• How Bad Water Pressure Tanks Can Cause Loss of Water Pressure or No Water at All
• How to diagnose loss of water pressure or loss of water in a building

This article describes Bad Water Pressure Tanks Can Cause Loss of Water Pressure or No Water at All - . The process of diagnosis and the costs of the repair are explained. Consumer advice on saving money on well repair costs includes a review of the parts and labor costs of a typical well pump and pressure tank replacement case.

If the building water supply stops and takes minutes to hours to recover, you may have problem with the well flow rate. But the problem of lost water supply and pressure could be more mechanical: a bad well pump.

The well pump, in turn, could have been damaged or hastened to the end of its life by a bad water pressure tank which has caused well pump short-cycling. Short cycling of the pump motor can burn up the pump relay control.

Readers of this document should see Water Pressure Tank Diagnosis (the next section of this article) and also see Water pressure tanks - how to diagnose the need for air, how to add air, stop water pump short cycling to avoid damage - water storage water pressure tank safety. © 2008 Daniel Friedman, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use the links at page left to navigate this document or to go to Other Website Topics. Green links at left show where you are in our document & website.

How a Bad Water Pressure Tank Can Cause Water Pressure Loss or Complete Water Supply Loss

1. Water tank short cycling: A bad or defective water pressure tank which has lost its air charge or which cannot keep its air charge will cause well pump short cycling - rapid turning on and off of the water pump. This frequent pump switching on and off is hard on the pump (damages the pump) and also on the pump switches and controls (switch contacts can become burned).

   Short cycling is especially risky with an older water pump, and might push it over the edge of failure. When the water pump fails the building will simply lose water pressure (and water supply) completely (unless it by luck the building is served by an artesian well).

2. Old water pumps may stop when hot: A water pump might be at end of its life and about to burn up but still work after a cool-down cycle.

   In other words when the pump has been working hard and the motor is hot the pump may stop running. Since the water pump may have been overheated due to short cycling, the actual root cause of its stopping may be the water tank (loss of air or a bad pump control) not the pump itself. After the pump has been off for a while it may magically start working again: some water pumps have an internal thermal overload switch that shuts them off combined with an automatic thermal switch reset.

   This is most likely to be found on water pumps that are inaccessible such as a submersible water pump. In this case water pressure and supply will stop completely but will return after the pump cools down. But this failure is likely to be recurrent.

3. More on short cycling, water tank air, and how to fix the problem:: To review loss of air charge, water pump short cycling, water pump pressure control settings, and other water tank repairs be sure to see WATER PUMP & WATER TANK REPAIRS
   
   
4. Water tank air bladder problems such as a burst bladder or one which has become collapsed and stuck to itself can also cause water pump short cycling and the loss of water pressure or flow shown above. Less common in our experience but possible is water tank inlet clogging due to a high level of sediment in the water supply, leading to similar symptoms.

   More often water sediment clogs the sensor of a water pressure regulator or it may clog a water filter, both of which lead to reduced water pressure and ultimately complete loss of water supply.

• See Water Pressure Tank Diagnosis to continue in diagnosis of apparent problems with water tanks.
  
  
• Our complete list of causes of loss of water pressure is discussed and water problems are diagnosed in detail at WATER PRESSURE LOSS DIAGNOSIS where we review the all of the things that can cause loss of water pressure or loss of water entirely in a building.

Use links at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.

Technical Reviewers

Particular thanks are due to experts and also consumers who read these articles and suggest corrections, changes, and additions to the material. Content suggestions, technical corrections and content critique are invited for any of the content at our website.

• Daniel Friedman - principal author/editor of the InspectAPedia ^© Website
• Critique, contributions wanted: Contact Us to suggest text changes and additions and, if you wish, to receive online listing and credit for that contribution.

Use links just below or at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.

PLUMBING TOPICS
OIL TANKS
SEPTIC SYSTEMS
WATER PRESSURE REPAIR GUIDE & COSTS
WATER PRESSURE LOSS DIAGNOSIS GUIDE
  Water Pressure Intermittent
  No Water Pressure
  Water Pressure Tank Problems
  Water Pressure Tank Diagnosis
  Bad water pressure regulator
  Water pipe clog diagnosis
  Water pipe clog repair guide
  Making the "right" repair
  Typical Water Tank & Pump Prices
  Typical Pressure Tank & Pump Prices
WATER PUMPS & TANKS & WELLS
WATER PUMP CONTROLS & SWITCHES
PUMP TYPES & LIFE EXPECTANCY
WATER PUMP & TANK SAFETY
WATER SUPPLY & DRAIN PIPING
WATER TANK TYPES: WATER, OIL, EXPANSION, ALL
WATER TANK LIFE EXPECTANCY
WATER TANK REPAIRS
WATER TANK AIR, HOW TO ADD
WATER TANK REPLACEMENT
WATER TANK PRESSURE CALCULATIONS
WATER TANK SIZE & VOLUME
WATER TANKS HOW THEY WORK
WATER TESTING
WELLS CISTERNS & SPRINGS
WELL LIFE EXPECTANCY

Use links at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.

More expert information on this topic

More Information on Plumbing & Other Building Diagnostic Inspections and Repairs

Plumbing Diagnosis & Repair: Water supply, drainage, septic systems, water testing, water contamination, defective plumbing materials & products.

• Water pump and pressure tank repair diagnosis & cost an specific case offers an example of diagnosis of loss of water pressure, loss of water, and analyzes the actual repair cost
• Water pressure tank failures & water pump short cycling diagnosis and repair
• Cheating on water tests: Testing Water for Real Estate Transactions - make sure your water test is valid
• Drinking Water Testing Advice for home buyers home owners home inspectors
• Interpreting Drinking Water Test Results and Correcting Unsatisfactory Water
• Drinking Water Contaminant Levels - Maximum Allowed
• Lead Contamination in Drinking Water: Testing & Correction - Advice (This Article)
• Lead Testing & Correcting Contamination from Lead Water Supply Lines/Entry Mains - Lead Pipe Problems/Advice
• Water pump and pressure tank repair diagnosis & cost an specific case offers an example of diagnosis of loss of water pressure, loss of water, and analyzes the actual repair cost
• Water testing for Pesticides: comprehensive and pesticides-example parameters
• Water Testing: background comments on classes of water contaminants, & links to home buyer advice about water testing, drinking water, water supply
• When and How to Shock or Chlorinate a Well - Procedure for Shocking a Well to (temporarily or maybe longer) "Correct" Bacterial Contamination
• Water Requirements, Home & Outdoor Living
• Typical Water Tests & Fees this water test fee schedule applies when testing is combined with other onsite building inspection services
• Drinking Water testing, contamination, correction - all topics
• General water testing and corrective measure advice: contact your local health department.

Building & Building Inspection, Environmental Inspection/Testing, Construction Diagnosis & Repair - Research Website

Home Inspection Construction Consulting Services & advice for home buyers

Contact Daniel Friedman for website content suggestions or for fee-paid consulting

	Enter your search termsSubmit search form
	Search This Website - InspectAPedia.com