How To Keep Your Well From Freezing This Winter

As the coldest weather of the year approaches, this winter season is the ideal time to check in on your well water system. While Northern Florida residents may not experience heavy snowfall during winter, outdoor air temperatures and ground temperatures can drop substantially. Do you know how cold weather can negatively affect your private well?

If your well pump and pipes experience freezing or below-freezing temperatures, your system can become subject to severe damage, which can result in the need for costly cleanup and repairs, plus a lack of water supply to your property. Here, our North Florida water well company, North Florida Water Systems Inc, discusses four top tips for keeping your well from freezing this winter. Contact us today to learn about our water well services and to request well service for your property!

Winterize Your Water Well System

As a property owner, you want to protect your investment of time and money you’ve put into your property. The best way to do this is to ensure all aspects of your property and the systems that keep it running smoothly are taken care of year-round. While it can be easy to overlook your well system and its needs, doing so can cost you a pretty penny down the road. One of the best ways to keep your well from freezing is to winterize your well pump and pipes.

The Pump

If you have a submersible well pump at the bottom of your well, you don’t have to worry about this step, as the bottom of the well is not susceptible to freezing. But if your property has an above-ground jet pump, your pump is susceptible to freezing, particularly in very cold weather, and if it isn’t installed in a heated part of your property. Ensure your property well water tank is protected from drafts, poorly insulated entryways, and windows. That way, you won’t have to insulate your cold-water storage tank, but you will ensure your pump is safe.

The Pipes

Another component of your well water system susceptible to freezing during the winter is your pipes. Any pipes on your property that run above the ground should be well insulated. Consider insulating pipes with foam sleeves for piping, a thermal blanket, or another insulating material. You might also want to use heat tape, spacing it out an inch or so along the pipe as you lay it down. You should avoid using any type of heat lamp to keep your pipes or well tank warm, as they are susceptible to causing fires.

Drip Your Faucets

Another great way to protect your well system from harsh winter weather is to enact additional freeze protection by dripping your faucets. This is particularly important on the coldest nights of the year when the water running through your pipes can freeze over. Dripping your faucets is beneficial as flowing water will not freeze as easily as stagnant water. You don’t have to let your faucet run at full force. Instead, simply allow your faucets to trickle out water. While some property owners drip their faucets any time the temperatures drop below freezing, you can do so when nightly low temperatures reach or descend past 20 degrees Fahrenheit.

What To Do If Your Pump Or Pipes Freeze

Unfortunately, even if you do everything in your power to protect your well system from the cold winter temperatures, your pump or pipes may still freeze. If you come to find that your system is frozen over, you should first open a faucet in your property to release any accumulated water pressure on the pipes. Opening a faucet can also help you determine the problem area. Once you identify the frozen portion within your system, you can thaw it out (safely) using heat tape or a hairdryer. As soon as water starts to flow out of the opened tap, remove the heat source.

If this does not restore water to your property or if you’d rather leave the hassle to the professionals, the best thing to do is call North Florida Water Systems Inc for well pump repair and inspection. Whether you have a new well or you’re a long-time water well owner, our expert technicians can ensure your system is functioning optimally and providing your property with the highest-quality water possible. Contact us today to schedule services for your property!