Part 1 - for pumping with a modified vibration pump; Part 2 - flushing under pressure with a fire hose; deposits are destroyed by a jet under pressure; use heavy equipment (fire engine).
VIDEO Do-it-yourself well repair in any case will take several days even with the involvement of improvised mechanical means. If there is a desire to spend part of your vacation on this (we do not talk about working days, since we do not consider the option of not making money and doing hard physical labor, instead of hiring specialists and doing our own thing, not only as expedient, but even as viable ), then everything is quite feasible.
A private water source requires strict adherence to operating rules and maintenance. In addition, the shaft and mining equipment tend to wear out gradually. To restore the technical condition, it is not necessary to resort to the services of hired workers; the owner can carry out the repair of the well with his own hands. But first, you should familiarize yourself with the methods of resuscitation of the source. Isn't it true?
Thoroughly verified information on well workover options and technologies for their implementation is presented to help independent foremen. Here you will find valuable recommendations and a description of important nuances that ensure success in correcting the state of production. The information we provide is based on building codes and the experience of well site owners.
The article thoroughly analyzes all kinds of causes of violations in the operation of an autonomous water intake structure. Methods for cleaning the source are described and a method for replacing the casing is described. Photo and video applications are provided as excellent illustrating additions.
The owner of the water well must constantly monitor the health of the source. This is in his own interests, because the earlier a breakdown is detected and fixed, the cheaper and easier the repair will be. Sometimes, timely cleaning is enough for a hydraulic structure to work normally again, and the problem does not worsen.
It is worthwhile to diagnose the breakdown and troubleshoot if the water quality has deteriorated or the productivity of the well has decreased. With regard to changes in water quality, they are best seen in the results of chemical and microbiological analyzes.
A decrease in productivity becomes apparent when water is no longer sufficient for the usual needs or it disappears altogether.
Ideally, every owner of any hydraulic structure should regularly take water samples to a local laboratory to determine its suitability. However, in practice, few people closely monitor wells, so one has to rely on subjective assessment.
Such changes in water should alert:
turbidity;
the appearance of sediment during settling;
change in taste;
the appearance of a foreign smell.
A rusty residue and an unpleasant aftertaste may indicate a high iron content. Most often, the problem is not in the well itself, but in the erosion of iron-containing rocks by water. In this case, there is no need to repair the structure, it is enough to install filters with iron-removing cartridges.
If the water becomes cloudy and has acquired a putrid odor, then the problem may be in bacteriological contamination. Water should not be drunk and even less given to children until the well is cleaned. After cleaning, you will need to take a sample for analysis in order to receive confirmation from laboratory specialists that the water is safe for drinking and safe for health.
The decline in well productivity can occur gradually or abruptly. There may be several reasons for this:
It is worth noting that sometimes the water level in the aquifer simply drops. It means that as a result of long-term operation of the water supply source, the water supply may decrease. It is impossible to influence this, but you can contact a company engaged in drilling in the area, to consult with experts on how to solve the problem.
You can often come across a recommendation to flush the well to prevent siltation. This is usually the advice given by a drilling expert. Many well owners have a suspicion that they are simply tied to a specific company that will deal with their water supply system after construction.
Are preventive flushes really necessary or is it still a gimmick? If the well works constantly, then there is no special need for such an event. But for a structure that is used only seasonally or temporarily, it is advisable to periodically arrange flushing in order to avoid settling of sand and silt.
Sometimes, regular flushing can actually prevent workover or recovery of a well, but more often than not, they are not needed. Excessive flushing will not hurt in case of difficulties with putting the well into operation after construction or a long downtime.
To fix a breakdown, you need to clearly understand its cause. If it is planned to repair the well with his own hand, then if the diagnosis is incorrect, the owner will only lose time. If he turns to professionals, then also money. Therefore, you should take your time and carefully consider the diagnosis.
First of all, you need to make sure that the problem is really in the hydraulic structure itself, and not in the water distribution system. To do this, the pump is disconnected from the water supply, connected to a regular hose and put into operation.
If the water flows with good pressure, then everything is fine with the well and pumping equipment. The source of trouble is to look for in the water distribution system. If the pressure is weak or the water does not flow at all, and the pump is idling, you really need to reanimate the well with your own hands or call specialists.
To check the pump, you will have to get it out and temporarily connect another. If no changes occur, then equipment damage can be excluded. In this case, you will have to clean the well or deal with production casing malfunctions.
In the case of self-diagnosis, you have to act by elimination, checking each node in turn. It is impossible to investigate the wellbore with special equipment, you will have to call the employees of the drilling company.
In order to clean the well, filter or replace the production pipe, you should also resort to the help of drillers. If it is simply silted up, then it is possible to restore working capacity. In serious cases, professionals should be hired. And even in this case, there is no full guarantee that the productivity of the well will be restored.
If during the diagnostics it turned out that the problems arose due to silting, then the well can be cleaned independently. To do this, it is washed with water or blown through with a compressor.
The easiest option is to pump with water. The process takes a lot of time and effort, but the result is worth it. If the filter is not destroyed, but simply dirty, then it is quite possible to completely restore the productivity of the source.
We'll have to stock up on clean water in advance. If your own well does not work well, this can become a whole problem, you will need to turn to neighbors for help. Water will require a large container and pump, and finding them can also be difficult.
If these issues are resolved, then you can get to work. The hose is connected to the pump and lowered to the bottom of the well. It is important that it reaches not just to the mirror of the water, but practically to the very bottom.
The pump is turned on for pumping water, and it raises sludge and sand from the filter. The wellbore quickly overflows with water, and it begins to gush out uncontrollably. Particles of contaminants are emitted together with the water.
This is one of the fastest and most reliable ways to clean up a silted source. If you can't do the well restoration with your own hands, then you can contact the hydrogeologists and sewers. The former will calculate the required water hammer power, and the latter will help with a large-volume tank for removing excess water.
A shallow well can be cleaned of silt and sand with a vibrating pump. Small-diameter equipment is often used, for example, Malysh devices. The pump is lowered into the shaft of the mine to the level of the filter, turned on and gently rocked the well.
The device will pick up solid particles, and they, together with the water, will come to the surface. Such flushing of the well may take several days, but it will only be effective if there is light contamination.
When cleaning the well, the working parts of the pump can become clogged with dirt, and the electric motor can overheat. Therefore, it is advisable to take breaks and clean the device from dirt.
The advantage of this method is simplicity and low cost. Everything can be done by hand, no complicated equipment is required.
This method is suitable only for shallow wells - no more than 30 m. For work, you will need assistants, a winch and a bailer. It is a piece of metal pipe with a mesh-covered top and a washer-bottom. The bailer is attached to a long, strong cable.
The device is lowered to the very bottom of the well, after which it is raised by about half a meter and again abruptly lowered. After several such manipulations, the bailer is removed from the well and cleaned of sand. Usually it is about 0.5 kg.
Not all well owners consider this cleaning method to be effective, but most still agree that the bailer helps to cope with siltation. The main advantage of cleaning with a bailer is its cheapness. If you make the device yourself, you can remove the sand almost free of charge.
The method is similar to flushing with a pump, but with some differences. You will need two pumps - submersible and surface. Not far from the well, you should install a volumetric water tank (from 200 cubic meters), and in it - a homemade filter made from a bucket with a mesh or a woman's stocking. A hole is made on the side and bottom of the tank through which water will be pumped using a surface pump.
With the help of a submersible pump, contaminated water is pumped into the tank, passing through a filter. The surface pump takes the treated water from the reservoir and pumps it back into the well. The bucket is periodically freed from sand and silt. The procedure is carried out until pure water without impurities flows from the well.
One of the most unpleasant breakdowns is the wear of the production pipe. Replacing it is a complex and time-consuming process that requires considerable financial investment. It is best to entrust the work to professional drillers. For self-fulfillment, it is desirable to have the appropriate skills, because replacing a pipe is even more difficult than installing a new one while drilling a well.
It is easiest to work if the casing and production structure consists of two pipes of different diameters. In this case, only the production pipe is changed, without touching the casing. If everything is done carefully, the well will be operational again.
It is better not even to start repairing a well with asbestos-cement pipes, because the material collapses under additional loads. This is the case when it is worth immediately starting the construction of a new hydraulic structure. But the metal pipe is quite possible to replace, even if the material is heavily corroded.
To dismantle the pipe, it is grasped with a loop loop or a special clamp and pulled out using any available lifting mechanism - a railway jack, an automobile crane, etc. The main thing is that the device provides the force necessary for lifting.
When the pipe is removed from the shaft, a new one is installed - metal or plastic. Do not use asbestos cement. The material is impractical and potentially hazardous to health. This is confirmed by the data of the World Health Organization.
New pipes can be connected using threads or nipples. You should choose high-quality connecting elements with a special anti-corrosion coating. If plastic pipes are selected, then a strong nipple-free connection is provided here. When choosing pipes, it is not worth saving. This is fraught with new breakdowns.
When cleaning the well, it is important to be careful, otherwise the filter can be accidentally destroyed, especially if water hammer is used. If the filter has been cleaned with chemicals, the water quality will inevitably deteriorate. Don't worry. This is a temporary phenomenon.
Gradually, the well will be cleared of chemicals, and the water will again become of high quality. So that the reagents do not have a negative effect on health, you should pump water from the well for 12 hours and refuse to use it for domestic purposes for a couple of days. You also need to put in good filters in your home and not use unfiltered water for drinking and cooking until it is clean.
When dry cleaning a well filter, substances that are used in the food industry are used, therefore it is considered that they are safe. However, you should always keep in mind the quantity. The concentration of chemicals in the water after cleaning is too high. Reasonable precautions must be taken to avoid poisoning.
In addition to chemical cleaning of the filter, mechanical cleaning can be used. This method is safe and does not affect water quality. To clean the filter from deposits, a metal device is used, which looks like a regular brush for washing bottles, but of a much larger size.
Simultaneously with the brush, cleaning by means of water injection can also be used. But you should always be aware of the risks. The filter may not withstand the additional pressure and collapse. Better not to experiment unless absolutely necessary.
The video below describes how the well is silted up, and the process of pumping it on our own is presented:
VIDEO
How to clean a well using the simplest homemade bailer:
VIDEO
Unfortunately, you can never be sure that after restoration the well will work fully and uninterruptedly. There are cases when well resuscitation is generally impossible, especially if it is placed on sand and the filter is not removable. Then it is easier to arrange a new source than to bring the old one back to life, because in the end, the forces and funds for this will be spent about the same.
If there are problems with a new well, it means that it was originally constructed incorrectly. The contract with the drilling company usually specifies a warranty period, so you can get its employees to determine the cause of the problem and fix it, if possible.
Problems with the pump, filter, silt - this can be solved. But replacing a completely destroyed filter or worn-out barrel pipes will lead to serious costs with an uncertain result. Here you will have to decide what is more profitable - the restoration of the old well or the construction of a new one.
Artesian wells in the country, in a cottage community or just in a suburban garden area are often the only autonomous source of water supply. After several years of operation, as well as in connection with a breakdown of equipment, it is necessary to repair wells, current or major, depending on the type of pollution or accident.Do-it-yourself well repair on time protects the mine, the casing, the pumping mechanism from further destruction and allows the structure to be used for many years. Let's consider what activities can be carried out independently or with the help of specialists in order to preserve a functioning structure and not equip a new source.
A well differs from a well in that it is a closed structure, that is, if necessary, it is impossible to simply go down and find a breakdown. Most often, we learn about the presence of problems in the water supply system by indirect signs, for example, by unexpectedly appearing impurities that disable plumbing equipment, or simply a slightly cloudy liquid flowing from water points (home taps, irrigation hoses in the garden). An alarming signal is a clear decrease in water production, when its amount sharply decreases and the incoming liquid is not enough to maintain a garden or meet daily household needs.
At the first signs, the type of accident should be correctly identified, because it can be associated with the destruction of the shaft of the mine, and with a change in the level of groundwater, and with a breakdown of the pumping device. Problems with water quality sooner or later affect the condition of the equipment, so you should hurry up with diagnostics.
Here are some of the causes of breakdowns:
design errors;
improper installation of the pumping mechanism;
violation of the tightness of the casing;
silting of filters or pipes;
changing the location of aquifers;
wear on the water supply.
Experienced summer residents, who have independently equipped the source, usually know about the weaknesses of the structure and take preventive measures long before the onset of a critical situation. But most often, hired professionals are engaged in drilling and installing the technical part, therefore, in the event of a force majeure situation, it is better to contact the same company. With the help of special equipment, experienced drillers diagnose breakdowns, clean silted parts or repair a broken pumping device.
Attention! Professional diagnostics helps to correctly estimate the cost of repairs. Sometimes drilling a new mine is cheaper than rebuilding an old one.
The desire to understand the problem on your own is quite explainable by the cost savings: truly competent help is expensive. Indeed, there are a number of breakdowns in which it is not necessary to lay out a significant amount of money, but rather simple measures to repair a water well with your own hands. The interested owner of the facility can replace the pumping equipment or clean the filter himself, without involving qualified repairmen, but on one condition - if he already had experience in such work.
Vibration pumps of the Malysh or Rodnichok brands (there are many analogues of domestic and foreign manufacturers) are used for the installation of a water supply system, but they also have another popular purpose: they effectively clean the lower part (sump) from accumulated dirt and sludge. The working part of the pump is fixed on a strong steel cable and lowered into the casing. When the mechanism reaches the bottom, it is vigorously moved up and down to stir up the dirt adhering to the surfaces and bring it out along with the water.
Attention! Movements must be active, otherwise the sludge will clog the holes of the hose or pump.
Having lowered the device to the bottom, you may encounter such a nuisance as the device sucking to the surface of the sump. The mistake of inexperienced summer residents is the desire to quickly, with one effort, return the mechanism to working condition. Do not make sudden movements! It is necessary to slowly but persistently pull on the cable until the apparatus is free. The vibrating pump is suitable for cleaning a slightly dirty sump.If the filters are clogged and the flow rate tends to a minimum, it is better to use more powerful equipment, for example, a motor pump.
The powerful drainage unit works in a different way. Before using it, a hose (for example, fire or sewer), the diameter of which does not exceed 40 mm, or a plastic pipe with a metal tip, are lowered into the casing. The stream of water, supplied with tremendous force by the motor pump, washes away the dirt. To increase the power of the jet, an ejector is put on the end of the pipe, or it is simply made already, flattened on the sides.
Attention! For high-quality flushing, a large volume of liquid is required - 2-3 cubic meters.
After using the motor pump, you will need a vibration pump, which will perform the drainage part of the procedure, that is, it will pump out dirty water.
In the absence of an electric pump, home-made devices with a similar operating principle are used. The most popular is the bailer - a convenient device with a valve for taking liquid from the bottom of the source. Using the scheme, such a device can be built independently from a meter-long cut of a metal pipe. The diameter must be less than the inner bore of the casing so that the mechanical device can move freely up and down. The valve is made of durable and flexible rubber, such as a piece of an automobile inner tube. The bailer, like a vibrating pump, is suspended on a reliable steel or metal cable and lowered to the bottom.
Pulling the device up and sharply lowering it back, they reach its filling with dirt and silt. Despite the mechanical execution of the procedure, the cleaning process is quite fast. To make it easier for a heavy device to get up, a supporting structure is erected from boards or beams. If you do not wait for the complete silting of the pipe and filters, but regularly carry out preventive cleaning, you can avoid premature breakdowns of the pumping mechanism.
Silting leads to the fact that the volume of the supplied liquid is sharply reduced, that is, the productivity of the supply system decreases. The water pumped into the house becomes cloudy, and the suspension disables plumbing and critical parts. To avoid this, it is sufficient to clean the filters from time to time and check their position relative to the bottom of the sump. The layering of dirt and sand often leads to the fact that not only clogs the mesh, but also interferes with the functioning of the submersible pump, creating a lack of cooling space.
There are several reasons for the contamination of the mesh elements:
gradual siltation of the pipe and sump;
wastewater pollution of the aquifer;
violation of the tightness of the casing;
incorrect caisson equipment;
unqualified choice of the feed mechanism.
Some troubles can be avoided by choosing a suitable vibration pump model or by making the right caisson project. But if contamination does occur, an urgent cleaning of the filter will be required.
Attention! The bottom filter is a device that cannot be removed, so it must be cleaned on site.
The resuscitation process resembles cleaning a silted sump. It is carried out in two ways: using a submersible vibration pump or a powerful pump. In the second case, an external container with a large amount of liquid will be required, sometimes special equipment is used to deliver it. After pumping, the dirty liquid will rush to the surface, so take the trouble to ensure its drainage in advance, otherwise it will flood the yard or plantings.
Regular maintenance is the most effective preventive measure. To perform some procedures, special equipment is required, for example, to accurately measure the resource of the source or to completely dismantle the structure.
However, some of the work can be done independently:
check the serviceability of pumping equipment and water supply;
replace faulty parts of the system (accumulator, pressure gauge, relay);
monitor the tightness of the column;
regularly clean the sump and filter from silting;
control the electrical voltage;
flush the hydraulic tank, etc.
The loss of water transparency or a slight drop in the flow rate parameters signals that the prevention has not been carried out in full and an urgent intervention is required. For routine maintenance and overhaul of a well, an installation diagram and cleaning equipment are required: a thief, a vibrating pump or a pump.
Attention! It is not recommended to do the cleaning of the riser with chemical reagents on your own. Water after dry cleaning for 2-3 months is suitable exclusively for technical needs.
One of the conditions for the smooth operation of downhole equipment is continuous use without downtime. Long breaks in work provoke the formation of deposits, silting, clogging with sand.
If problems become frequent, the supply system is working intermittently, and the flow rate is steadily decreasing, it is worth considering creating a new permanent source. The practice of drilling shows that sometimes the transfer of a well is much more profitable, since the reasons for the failure of mechanisms are rooted in poor-quality work on the device.
There are a number of violations that cannot be eliminated, and most of them are associated with the arrangement of the filter:
improper installation (past the aquifer);
when selecting the mesh, the fraction of water-bearing sand was not taken into account;
no gravel barrier installed;
installation of low-quality mesh that allows sanding.
If the design of the mine does not allow the replacement of internal mechanisms, the listed factors automatically become the reason for the conservation of the source. You can put in extra mesh gear or do weekly resuscitation, but your performance will continue to decline.
As you know, the Abyssinian version is installed for a limited period - up to 7 years, so it is also customary not to repair it, but to close it at the end of its service life. Each restoration attempt will only prolong the work by 2-3 months.
Many causes of breakdowns lie in improper design and installation, therefore, qualified specialists should be engaged in drilling and repairing water wells. They solve a whole range of tasks, from diagnostics and video logging to recovery of individual parts and chemical analysis of water. The breakage of the water-lifting mechanism only in words seems to be a simple breakdown, in practice, special equipment (at least a winch) and qualified foremen for servicing artesian water supply systems are needed for a repair measure.
When replacing the casing or filter, the repairers clean the walls, cement and disinfect the annular gap. Also, overhaul includes the following procedures:
liquidation plugging (conservation);
arrangement of the second shaft without dismantling the first;
flushing fluids;
shaft waterproofing throughout its depth;
sealing casing cracks;
cleaning with chemical reagents.
Attention! Before starting a major overhaul, carefully check the estimate: often restoration measures are more expensive than equipping a new source.
VIDEO If you are unable to carry out routine repairs on your own, you can conclude a regular maintenance contract, in which the repair company gives a guarantee for various types of services, including the replacement of all mechanisms of the pumping system.
Well repairs in the country will need to be done regularly. The quality of the water completely depends on this.
Maintenance and repair must begin with a definition.It has just appeared or has occurred gradually due to poor water quality. It is possible that the well did not work for a long time.
Check the condition of the pump equipment, electrical and plumbing piping. This will allow you to understand which specialist you should contact. In any case, the data of the well certificate will be needed.
If the well has not been in operation for a long time, and its wellbore is silted up, pumping should be carried out until the water becomes clear. If it has been used constantly, but not intensively, you need to understand and find how inclusions penetrate into the system. Sludge and sand can penetrate if the tightness of the pipe is broken, or through the bottom if the filter zone is damaged.
There are four main methods in this question. They differ in the method of work and in labor intensity:
Cleaning with a bailer. We lower the bailer with the help of a cable to the bottom, then raise it to a height of 70 cm and then release it.
Flushing is also dangerous because it can destroy the filter. Of course, if you know the structure of the filter, then you can prevent this development of events.
Pump pressure method. This method will require a self-propelled pumping station and a lot of water. This is difficult to do, since it is not easy for heavy vehicles to reach the site.
Airlift cleansing. Air is supplied under a pressure of 15 atmospheres.
Based on the above, it follows that if you do not take into account the use of heavy equipment, then it is not at all difficult to clean up and repair the well yourself. Of course, mechanics will always come to the rescue to do drilling and repairs, but doing it yourself will always be cheaper.
It is clear that everything can be repaired, but sometimes it may not be profitable and, most importantly, not effective. Therefore, it is important that specialists diagnose all indicators.
Well filters are not installed at the level of the aquifer;
Gravel filter not supplied;
The mesh filter is not made in accordance with the fraction of water-bearing sand.
Attention: These violations cannot be repaired. In this case, you will need to install another well.
Sanding of the well can also cause disruption to its operation. This means that the filter has broken during operation. Attention: Sanding can be prevented by additional installation of smaller filters, which will reduce the efficiency of the well by 2 times.
The whistle well cannot be repaired. These are disposable designs that last only five to seven years, so they are very cheap.
Attention: In this case, the installation of a new well is required. And it is better that the diameter of the casing is at least 90 millimeters.
VIDEO
In principle, this is just an ordinary pipe, but its diameter is simply less than the diameter of the well itself. The length of such a structure is about three meters.
For cleaning, you just need to raise the thief about 50 cm and then lower it. During the execution of such an action, it is filled with sand. Then the bailer rises and the sand is simply removed;
This work is performed until the well is completely cleaned.
Video (click to play).
After complete cleaning with a pump. This is done before clean water enters the well.
