I put this in the everything else section to , because I really could use some input on this Other thread http://firewoodhoardersclub.com/for...ing-not-sure-what-to-do-next.2079/#post-44379 You don't know what you got till it's gone When I got up this morning I found the water pump was running. I thought maybe a water line had broken somewhere so I turn the main water off, Pump still kept running, Pump was warm both hoses into the pump were warm, So I Shut the pump down, I figure the line from the well to the pump somewhere under the house is probably Stopped up, froze up. The front part of my house is a crawlspace The Addition on the back part Has a basement where the Water pump is, So the lines from the well runs under the front part and then into the basement to the pump. My furnace has not worked in two years, Normally the ductwork under the front part will probably keep that from freezing, But my furnace blower does work, So right now Getting the house warm as possible and I am running the blower trying to force in heat under there Through the ductwork. Right now actually, don't know what to do , Besides wait it out and see if it thaws out, There is one place to get up under the house but,How would i safety get heat up under there?? Never had to deal with anything exactly like this before Edit : I also have an electric heater running in the front part dining room, Which is where the Lines from the well are under there. With No water to flush the toilet it is nice to be able to pee off the back porch though
Can you get some sort of space heater under there, HDR? Have you thought of priming the pump? Not sure how it would lose it, but you could try that too.
Can you get some sort of space heater under there, A possibility Not sure priming the pump would do any good if I have a frozen clogg in the line from the well
I put a baseboard electric 120v heater under the pipes to the bathroom at the rear of my first floor this past weekend. Those pipes have frozen in the past when it got into the single digits but we didn't have any problems with this cold snap so far.
Electric heater near the line or some of the old school heatlamps directed at it. Leave a tap open just a dribble amount, if your lucky the little bit of heat you are getting in there might be enough. Next step is thaw with what is basically a welder if this is a metalic line. A heat tape wrapped on the line and insulated is what you need to do after you get it going again. ( would not hurt to do it now also , at least the tape) Only need to plug it in when it gets real cold like this. We use to leave a 150 watt spot light on pointed right at and within 6" if the well head transition almost all winter under a wood box to keep the weather out. If there is enough room a 60-100 incadestant light bulb right in the well casing at the top helps also ( just a second version of the spot light) the system sees low pressure so is calling for water which can't get through. Above based on frozen line, if the well itself is froze that's a different problem, rare but does happen, and of course the punp itself could have gone south. Dealt with frozen lines in the past, usually have to replace if it gets too far out of hand. or at least repair any leaks that developed due fracture of the line
When it thaws, look for leak, many times the pipe has some splits, cracks. Pump could be bad too, pumping with no water moving they get hot. 100 watt light bulbs 100 watts of heat each.
I should have opened a faucet a little bit last night, Can't do that now with the pump shut off it will just drain the tank. The well is under the front porch somewhere and about 6 feet over it comes up Under the dining room, Then goes under the house to the basement in the back, I was under there one time Very briefly, It has black plastic hose lines.
The pump sounds like it's trying to suck, But it doesn't sound like it's dry, Sounds like there is some water in the pump but its just not sucking any Water in, The needle is bouncing around, around 40 pounds, Pump was not hot it was warm, But I don't know I guess it could be bad. I am worried though That it may burst break whatever, What I'm hoping is it is just froze and clogged
Hind site Now put that on the "winter to do list" & heat tape &/or insulate it. Might be good, plastic can stretch a little before it breaks, Copper splits. Can't hook a welder to it to thaw like copper though.
I wouldn't put too much faith in that guage being right as they go bad quite often because of rust and such. They have only a small opening. Should be a pipe plug on the top of the pump to prime. If you break that loose and have water squiting you know you have water to prime. If not fill the pump to prime. Of course you need to get the pipes thawed if that's the problem.
Ok shallow well pump ( pump not in well bottom) that does make things a bit easier, You will need to check on the heat tape if it can be used with Plastic pipe. Get a light bulb down the casing if you can or a least 150w flood or spot light directed at intake to pump. and the electric heater for the rest of the area. You need to determine which side of the pump is froze, if not the pump itself.
Good news pushing heat through the duck work did the trick. I HAVE WATER I think I dodged a bullet everything seems to be okay so far
If you can not use the heat tapes with plastic pipes , put one or two infared heat lamps in that area, could even be set up for them to come on and off at a particular temp. settings. so you do not have to remember to turn it on or off, or if your away for an extended time. The better heat tapes have a thermal switch inline, down side is they only seem to last a couple years, least that is all they seem to last when I had my trailer. Yep, tape failed, line froze, ( Super bowl Sunday no less) copper line fractured in a couple places, soaked the belly insulation until it could not hold up any more and then the gates of the Hoover damm opened. Certainly was a lot of fun repairing that. ( not) So it was repair line , replace insulation and replace several areas of the particle board floor that of course the leaks were spraying on which also meant replacing floor coverings as well. The Joys of Home Ownership never cease.
To tell you the truth I did not have much faith in it thawing out that way, But figured it was worth a shot
