From the way the water disappeared, suddenly or gradually, you can often guess the cause yourself. Below are the signs, the things you can safely check, and the point at which it is better to send a request.
Causes by symptom
| What you notice | Most likely cause | What helps |
|---|---|---|
| The pump runs but no water comes, especially in the morning | The non-return valve does not hold the water, and it drains back into the spike well | Priming the pump, replacing the non-return valve |
| Water comes with bubbles, the pressure jumps | An air leak between the spike well and the pump | Resealing the joints or replacing a section of pipe |
| The water gradually decreases over months | Clogged filter | Flushing the spike well |
| Water disappears in dry weather or in the middle of long watering and returns after a pause | The water level has fallen to the pump's limit | Lower flow, the pump placed lower, or a borehole |
| The pump does not switch on, hums, or switches on and off | Pump, pressure switch or pressure tank | Pump check and repair |
| The water disappeared after frost | Frozen pipe, non-return valve or pump | Thawing and checking for damage |
If the flow is decreasing gradually, read about spike well cleaning. If the fault is in the pump, water pump repair helps, and if the pump often switches on and off, the cause is often the pressure tank: water pump switches on too often.
What you can safely check yourself
- Electricity: whether the pump has power and whether a fuse or the pump's thermal protection has tripped.
- Pressure gauge: what pressure it shows and whether the pressure drops even when no tap is open. If it drops, there is a leak somewhere.
- The visible joints between the spike well and the pump: damp spots, drips or rust stains while the pump is idle.
- Priming the pump: switch off the power, fill the pump and suction pipe with water through the priming port as the pump manual says, screw it shut and switch on.
- When the problem appears: overnight, after watering or after a dry week. This shows whether the non-return valve, the flow or the water level is to blame.
What not to do: do not run the pump dry for long, as this ruins the mechanical seal and the motor. Do not pour chemicals into the spike well, and do not hit or yank the spike well pipe, as it can break at the thread. Do not heat a frozen pipe with an open flame.
If priming helps only for a while
If water comes after priming but disappears again after a few hours or overnight, there is a point in the system where air gets in or water gets out. This is the most common case. An air leak between the spike well and the pump often cannot be seen, because when running, the pump draws air in through it instead of letting water out. It is found by checking the joints one by one or by pressure-testing the system. If the leak is in the underground pipe, you need a spike well repair.
If the water level has fallen
A surface pump lifts water no more than 7–8 metres. In a dry summer, when a lot of watering goes on in the area, the groundwater level can fall so far that the pump starts drawing air. The sign: water disappears during pumping and is back after a pause. What you can do:
- Water at a lower flow or with breaks, so the level has time to recover.
- Place the pump lower, for example in a basement, if it is close to the spike well. Every metre the pump is closer to the water helps.
- Deepen the spike well, if the filter is at the top of the water-bearing layer and the layer continues deeper.
- If the level is regularly below the pump's limit, the solution is a borehole with a submersible pump. Comparison: spike well or borehole.
When to send a request
- priming does not help, or helps only until the next morning;
- sand appears in the water;
- the flow has become noticeably smaller over months;
- the pump runs without stopping or is hot;
- the spike well needs to be pulled out or deepened.
In your request, describe how the water disappeared (suddenly or gradually), what happened before, what pump you have and how old the spike well is. This lets us narrow down the cause as early as the first conversation. How a spike well works and how it is installed is explained on the page spike well.
What does it cost if a spike well gives no water?
The price depends on the cause. Fixing an air leak or replacing a non-return valve is a small job, but the scope of cleaning and repair depends on the spike well's condition, depth and location, so we price it after hearing the situation. If it turns out the spike well is no longer worth restoring, a new spike well installation costs from €350 (usually €350–650, without the pump).