Part 1 - for pumping with the help of 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 are not talking about working days, since we do not consider the option not to earn money and do hard physical labor, instead of hiring specialists and doing your own thing, not only as expedient, but even as viable ), then everything is quite feasible.
A private source of water requires strict adherence to operational rules and maintenance. In addition, the shaft and mining equipment tend to gradually wear out. To restore the technical condition, it is not necessary to resort to the services of hired workers; the owner can repair the well with his own hands. But first you should familiarize yourself with the methods of resuscitation of the source. Is it true?
Thoroughly verified information on well repair options and technologies for their implementation is presented to help independent craftsmen. Here you will find valuable recommendations and a description of the important nuances that ensure success in correcting the state of development. The information we provide is based on building codes and the experience of the owners of sites with wells.
The article thoroughly analyzes all possible 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 string is described. Photo and video attachments are provided as excellent illustrations of the theme.
The owner of a water well must constantly monitor the health of the source. This is in his own interests, because the sooner a breakdown is detected and corrected, the cheaper and easier the repair will be. Sometimes timely cleaning is enough for the hydraulic structure to work normally again, and the problem does not worsen.
It is worthwhile to start diagnosing a breakdown and troubleshooting if the water quality has deteriorated or the productivity of the well has decreased. As for changes in water quality, they are best seen in the results of chemical and microbiological analyses.
A decrease in productivity becomes apparent when water is no longer enough for the usual needs or it disappears altogether.
Ideally, every owner of any waterworks should regularly take water samples to a local laboratory to determine its suitability. However, in practice, few people carefully monitor the wells, so you have to rely on a subjective assessment.
The following changes in the water should alert:
turbidity;
the appearance of sediment during settling;
taste change;
foreign odor.
A red sediment and an unpleasant aftertaste may indicate an increased iron content. Most often, the problem is not in the well itself, but in the erosion of iron-bearing rocks by water. In this case, it is not necessary to repair the structure, it is enough to install filters with iron-removing cartridges.
If the water turns cloudy and has a putrid odor, then the problem may be bacteriological contamination. Water should not be drunk, let alone given to children, until the well is cleaned. After cleaning, you will need to take a sample for analysis in order to obtain confirmation from laboratory specialists that the water is drinkable and safe for health.
The decrease in well productivity can occur gradually or abruptly. There may be several reasons for this:
It is worth noting that sometimes there is simply a decrease in the water level in the aquifer. This means that as a result of long-term operation of a water supply source, the supply of water may be reduced.This cannot be influenced, but you can contact the drilling company in the area, consult with experts on how to solve the problem.
Often you can find a recommendation to flush the well to prevent silting. Usually such advice is given by drilling specialists. Many well owners have a suspicion that they are simply tied to a certain company that will deal with their water supply system after the arrangement.
Are preventive flushes really needed or is it still a trick? If the well is constantly working, then there is no particular need for such an event. But for a structure that is used only seasonally or temporarily, it is advisable to periodically flush to avoid sedimentation of sand and silt.
Sometimes regular flushes can indeed prevent a well from being repaired or rehabilitated, but more often than not, they are not needed. Excess flushing will not hurt in case of difficulties with putting the well into operation after construction or a long downtime.
To eliminate the breakdown, you need to clearly understand its cause. If it is planned to repair the well by hand, then if the diagnosis is incorrect, the owner will only lose time. If he turns to professionals, then also money. Therefore, you should not rush 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 comes with good pressure, then everything is fine with the well and pumping equipment. The source of trouble should be sought 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 resuscitate the well with your own hands or call in specialists.
To check the pump, you will have to get it and temporarily connect another one. If no changes occur, then equipment failure can be ruled out. In this case, you will have to clean the well or deal with malfunctions in the operation of the production string.
In the case of self-diagnosis, you have to act by the method of elimination, checking each node in turn. It is impossible to explore 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, then it is possible to restore performance. 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 diagnosis it turned out that the problems arose due to silt, then the well can be cleaned on its own. To do this, it is washed with water or blown with a compressor.
The easiest option is to pump water. The process takes a lot of time and effort, but the result is worth it. If the filter is not destroyed, but simply contaminated, then it is quite possible to completely restore the productivity of the source.
You will have to stock up on clean water in advance. If your own well works poorly, 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 does not just reach the mirror of water, but almost to the very bottom.
The pump is turned on for pumping water, and it lifts silt and sand from the filter. The wellbore quickly overflows with water, and it begins to gush uncontrollably. Pollution particles are thrown out with water.
This is one of the fastest and most reliable ways to clean a silty source. If you can’t do the restoration of the well with your own hands, then you can turn to hydrogeologists and sewers. The former will calculate the required water hammer power, while the latter will help with a large volume tank to remove excess water.
A shallow well can be cleaned of silt and sand using a vibration pump. Small-diameter equipment is often used, for example, devices of the Malysh brand. The pump is lowered into the shaft to the level of the filter, the well is turned on and gently rocked.
The device will lift solid particles, and they, along with water, will come to the surface. Such flushing of the well may take several days, but it will be effective only if the pollution is not severe.
During well cleaning, the working parts of the pump may become clogged with dirt, and the electric motor may overheat. Therefore, it is advisable to take breaks and clean the device from contamination.
The advantage of this method is its simplicity and low cost. Everything can be done by hand, no complicated equipment is required.
This method is only suitable for shallow wells - no more than 30 m. Assistants, a winch and a bailer are required for work. It is a piece of metal pipe with a mesh 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 sharply lowered again. After several such manipulations, the bailer is removed from the well and cleaned of sand. Usually it is recruited about 0.5 kg.
Not all well owners consider this method of cleaning effective, but most still agree that the bailer helps to cope with silting. The main advantage of cleaning with a bailer is cheapness. If you make a device with your own hands, you can remove the sand almost for free.
The method is similar to flushing with a pump, but has some differences. Two pumps are required - submersible and surface. Not far from the well, a large water tank (from 200 cubic meters) should be installed, and in it - a home-made filter made from a bucket with a mesh or a women'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 deep pump, contaminated water is pumped into the tank, passing through the filter. The surface pump takes the purified water from the tank and pumps it back into the well. The bucket is periodically freed from sand and silt. The procedure is carried out until clean water without impurities flows from the well.
One of the most unpleasant breakdowns is the wear of the production pipe. Its replacement is a complex and time-consuming process that requires considerable financial investments. 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 when drilling a well.
It is easiest to work if the casing and production structures consist 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 performance of the well will be restored.
It is better not to start repairing a well with asbestos-cement pipes, because. the material is destroyed under additional loads. This is the case when it is worth immediately starting the construction of a new hydraulic structure. But it is quite possible to replace a metal pipe, even if the material is very rusty.
To dismantle the pipe, it is captured with a loop loop or a special clamp and pulled out using any available lifting mechanism - a railway jack, a truck crane, etc. The main thing is that the device provides the necessary force 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 data from the World Health Organization.
New pipes can be connected with threads or nipples. You should choose high-quality connecting elements with a special anti-corrosion coating. If plastic pipes are chosen, then a strong nippleless connection is provided here. When choosing pipes, you should not save. This is fraught with new breakdowns.
When cleaning the well, it is important to be careful, otherwise you can accidentally destroy the filter, especially if water hammer is used. If chemical filter cleaning has been used, the water quality will inevitably deteriorate. Don't worry. This is a temporary phenomenon.
Gradually, the well will be cleaned of chemistry, and the water will again become of high quality. So that the reagents do not have a negative impact 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 good filters in the house and do not use unfiltered water for drinking and cooking until it is purified.
When cleaning the well filter, substances are used that are used in the food industry, so it is generally accepted 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 filter cleaning, mechanical cleaning can be used. This method is safe and does not affect the quality of the water. To clean the filter from deposits, a metal device is used that looks like a regular bottle brush, but much larger.
Simultaneously with the ruff, you can also use cleaning by pumping water. But you should always be aware of the risks. The filter may not withstand the additional pressure and collapse. It is better not to experiment unless absolutely necessary.
The video below describes how the well silts up, and shows the process of pumping it on your own:
VIDEO
How to clean a well with a simple homemade bailer:
VIDEO
Unfortunately, you can never be sure that after restoration, the well will work fully and smoothly. There are cases when the resuscitation of the well 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 means for this will be spent approximately the same.
If there are problems with a new well, it means that it was originally built 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 eliminate it, if possible.
Problems with the pump, filter, silt - this is solvable. But replacing a completely destroyed filter or worn 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 a country house, in a cottage settlement or simply in a suburban garden plot are often the only autonomous source of water supply. After several years of operation, as well as due to equipment breakdown, well repairs are required, current or capital, depending on the type of pollution or accident. Do-it-yourself well repair in time protects the shaft, casing, pumping mechanism from further destruction and allows the construction to be used for many years.Consider what activities can be carried out independently or with the help of specialists in order to maintain 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. We most often 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 just a slightly cloudy liquid flowing from water points (home taps, irrigation hoses in the garden). An alarming signal is also a clear decrease in water flow, when its amount drops sharply and the incoming liquid is not enough to care for the garden or meet daily household needs.
At the first signs, it is necessary to correctly determine the type of accident, because it can be associated with the destruction of the mine shaft, 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 with the diagnosis.
Here are some causes of breakdowns:
design errors;
improper installation of the pumping mechanism;
violation of the tightness of the casing string;
silting of filters or pipes;
change in the location of aquifers;
deterioration of the water supply device.
Experienced summer residents who have independently equipped the source are usually aware of the weaknesses of the structure and take preventive measures long before a critical situation occurs. But most often, hired professionals are engaged in drilling and installation of 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 a breakdown, clean silty parts or repair a broken pumping device.
Attention! Professional diagnostics help to correctly estimate the cost of repairs. Sometimes drilling a new mine is cheaper than restoring an old one.
The desire to understand the problem on your own is quite understandable by saving money: 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 well for water 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.
Vibrating pumps of the brands "Kid" or "Spring" (there are many analogues of domestic and foreign manufacturers) are used to set up a water supply system, but they also have another popular purpose: they effectively clean the lower part (sump) from accumulated dirt and silt. 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! The movements must be active, otherwise the sludge will clog the openings of the hose or pump.
Having lowered the device to the bottom, you may encounter such a nuisance as the apparatus sticking 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 the cable until the device is released. The vibratory pump is suitable for cleaning a lightly polluted sump. If the filters are clogged and the flow rate tends to a minimum, it is better to use more powerful equipment, such as a motor pump.
A powerful drainage unit operates in a different way.Before using it, a hose (for example, a fire or sewer) is lowered into the casing, the diameter of which does not exceed 40 mm, or a plastic pipe with a metal tip. A stream of water, supplied by a motor pump with great force, washes away dirt. To increase the power of the jet, an ejector is put on the end of the pipe or simply made narrower, flattened on the sides.
Attention! For high-quality flushing, a large volume of liquid is required - 2-3 cubes.
After using the motor pump, you will need a vibration pump that will perform the drainage part of the procedure, that is, it will pump dirty water out.
In the absence of an electric pump, home-made devices with a similar principle of operation 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 smaller than the inner hole of the casing so that the mechanical tool can move up and down freely. The valve is made of durable and elastic rubber, for example, from a piece of an automobile chamber. The bailer, like a vibration pump, is suspended on a reliable steel or metal cable and lowered to the bottom.
By pulling the device up and sharply lowering it back, they reach its filling with mud and silt. Despite the mechanical execution of the procedure, the cleaning process is quite fast. To make it easier to get a heavy fixture 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 performance 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 enough to clean the filters from time to time and check their location relative to the bottom of the sump. The layering of dirt and sand often leads to the fact that not only clogs the grid, but also interferes with the operation of the submersible pump, creating a shortage of cooling space.
There are several reasons explaining the contamination of mesh elements:
gradual silting of the pipe and sump;
pollution of the aquifer by sewage;
violation of the tightness of the casing;
improper equipment of the caisson;
unskilled choice of feed mechanism.
Some troubles can be avoided by choosing a suitable model of a vibration pump or by correctly designing a caisson. But if contamination does occur, an urgent cleaning of the filter will be required.
Attention! The bottom filter is a fixture that cannot be removed, so it must be cleaned on site.
The process of resuscitation resembles the cleaning of 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 removal in advance, otherwise it will flood the yard or plantings.
Regular maintenance is the most effective measure in terms of prevention. Some procedures require special equipment, 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 plumbing;
replace faulty parts of the system (hydraulic 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 indicates that the preventive maintenance has not been fully carried out and urgent intervention is required. For current and major repairs of the well, an installation scheme and cleaning equipment are required: a bailer, a vibratory pump or a pump.
Attention! It is not recommended to clean 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 uninterrupted operation of downhole equipment is continuous use without downtime. Long breaks in work provoke the formation of deposits, silting, clogging with sand.
If failures become frequent, the supply system is intermittent, and the rate is steadily declining, it is worth considering creating a new permanent source. The practice of drilling operations shows that sometimes the transfer of a well is much more profitable, since the reasons for the failure of mechanisms lie 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 a low-quality mesh that allows sanding.
If the design of the shaft does not allow the replacement of internal mechanisms, the listed factors automatically become the reason for conservation of the source. You can put in additional meshes or do weekly resuscitation, but performance will still constantly drop.
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 after the expiration of its service life. Each recovery attempt will only extend 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 the restoration of individual parts and chemical analysis of water. A break in the water-lifting mechanism only in words seems to be a simple breakdown, in practice, special equipment (at least a winch) and qualified craftsmen for servicing artesian water supply systems are needed for a repair event.
When replacing a casing string or a filter, repairmen clean the walls, cement and disinfect the annulus. The overhaul also includes the following procedures:
liquidation plugging (preservation);
arrangement of the second shaft without dismantling the first one;
fluid flushing;
waterproofing of the mine throughout the depth;
sealing cracks in the casing string;
cleaning with chemicals.
Attention! Before starting a major overhaul, carefully check the estimate: often, restoration measures are more expensive than arranging a new source.
VIDEO If you cannot carry out routine repairs yourself, 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.
Repair of the well in the country will need to be done regularly. The quality of the water depends entirely on this.
Maintenance and repair must begin with a definition. It has just appeared or occurred gradually due to poor water quality. It is possible that the well has not worked for a long time.
You should check the condition of the pump equipment, electrics and plumbing piping. This will allow you to understand which specialist should be contacted. In any case, data from the well passport will be needed.
If the well has not worked for a long time, and its trunk is silted up, pumping should be carried out until the water is clear. If it was operated constantly, but not intensively, you need to understand and find how inclusions penetrate the system. Silt 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 conducting work and in labor intensity:
Cleaning with a bailer. We lower the bailer with a cable to the bottom, then raise it to a height of up to 70 cm and then release it.
Rinsing is also dangerous because it can destroy the filter. Of course, if you know the filter device, then you can prevent such a development of events.
Pump pressure method. This method will require a self-propelled pump and compressor station and plenty of water. This is difficult to do, as it is not easy for heavy equipment to reach the site.
Airlift cleaning. Air is supplied under a pressure of 15 atmospheres.
Based on the foregoing, it follows that if you do not take into account the use of heavy equipment, then it is not at all difficult to clean and repair the well on your own. Of course, mechanics will always come to the rescue to do drilling and repairs, but doing it yourself will always turn out 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;
Not in accordance with the fraction of water-bearing sand, the mesh filter is made.
Attention: These violations cannot be corrected. In this case, you will need to install another well.
Sanding a well can also cause disruption of its operation. This means that during operation, the filter broke. 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 is beyond repair. This is a one-time design, the service life of which is 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 pipe is not less than 90 millimeters.
VIDEO
In principle, this is just an ordinary pipe, but its diameter is simply smaller than the diameter of the well itself. The length of this design is approximately three meters.
For cleaning, you just need to raise the bailer by 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 carried out 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.
