Well pumps: no water, short-cycling and upkeep
A well pump pushes water from your well into the house, working with a pressure tank and a pressure switch that turn it on and off. This guide covers both the pump and the pressure tank. The usual trouble is no water, often a tripped breaker or a failed pressure switch, or a pump that short-cycles, clicking on and off rapidly, most often from a waterlogged pressure tank. Well pumps are usually 240 volts, so switch off the breaker before opening the pressure switch cover.
- No water from your well pump?Taps run dry or only sputter, often a tripped breaker, a failed pressure switch, or a control box or capacitor problem.
- Well pump short-cycling?The pump clicks on and off rapidly and pressure surges, usually a waterlogged pressure tank, or a leak or failing pressure switch.
Typical lifespan: about 15 years for the pump, sometimes 8 under heavy use; the pressure tank varies with its bladder and how hard it works
Signs it is near the end:
- The pump short-cycles, clicking on and off, even after leaks are ruled out.
- Pressure surges at the taps or drops off.
- The pump struggles to start, or trips the breaker.
- Repairs are adding up on a pump close to 15 years old.
- Know which breaker feeds the pump, and keep the well house or pressure switch area from freezing.
- Glance at the pressure gauge now and then so you know what normal looks like.
- Fix a running toilet or dripping tap early; a small leak makes the pump cycle more.
- Never try to pull a pump from the well yourself; call a well pro.
- If the pump starts clicking on and off rapidly, have the pressure tank looked at soon.
- FurnaceFall
The furnace runs but the house stays cold, which is usually a clogged filter, a thermostat setting, or an ignition fault.
- Heat pumpFall
The heat pump runs but the house stays cold, which is usually thermostat settings, a clogged filter, or an iced-over outdoor unit.
- Washer
Water is left in the drum after the cycle, which is usually a clogged pump filter or a kinked drain hose.
- Fridge
The fridge section is warm or warming. The cause depends on whether the freezer is still cold, and the first fix is often free.
- Washer
The drum fills and washes but won't spin, which is usually an unbalanced load, the lid switch, or a drain problem.
Diagnose your well pump in seconds, for free
No account, no phone number. Fixology’s AI reads your photo and tells you what’s likely wrong, how worried to be, and whether it’s a DIY fix.
Snap one of these:
- the pressure tank and pressure switch
- the pressure gauge reading
- the well cap or control box
- the breaker for the pump
Add a note or more photos next. Nobody calls you.
Fixology helps you understand your home — it isn't a substitute for a licensed pro on serious gas, electrical, or structural work.