No water from your well pump?

When the house loses water, the first suspects are power (a tripped breaker or an outage) and the pressure switch. Well pumps are usually 240 volts, so switch off the pump's breaker before you open anything electrical.

Not sure which one it is? Snap your well pump and we’ll narrow it down.

Is the pump clicking on and off rapidly instead?

That's a different problem, usually the pressure tank. Well pump short-cycling

Likely causes

  1. Tripped breaker or power outage

    Most commonEasy DIY

    Nothing runs at the taps and the pump is silent. Other things in the house may be off too, or the pump's breaker (usually a double breaker, since well pumps are typically 240 volts) has flipped. Reset it once only.

  2. Failed pressure switch

    CommonCall a pro

    The pump has power but never starts, or won't shut off. The contacts inside the switch can be burned, or the small tube underneath it can be clogged. The switch is live at 240 volts, so switch off the breaker before taking its cover off.

    Part: $120–175 (pressure switch)

  3. Failed control box or start capacitor

    CommonCall a pro

    Three-wire submersible pumps have a control box with a start capacitor. The pump hums, clicks or doesn't start even though the switch calls for water.

    Part: $200–500 (control box), $100–150 (motor start capacitor)

  4. Failed pump motor

    Less commonCall a pro

    Power, switch and control box all check out, but the pump makes no sound or trips the breaker as soon as it starts. The pump sits deep in the well and needs a pro to pull and replace.

    Part: $973–2,822 (pump replacement, about $1,897 average)

  5. Low water level in the well

    Less commonCall a pro

    Water sputters or runs out after heavy use or during a drought, then returns after the well rests. The pump may run but pull air or little water.

  6. Frozen line at the pressure switch or tank

    Less commonModerate DIY

    It's been very cold and the well house or the pipe near the pressure switch and tank is unheated. The pump may run without building pressure.

Quick checks

Well pumps are usually 240 volts. Switch off the pump's breaker before taking the pressure switch cover off, because its parts stay live otherwise. Reset a tripped breaker once only. Never try to pull a pump from the well yourself: it's heavy and deep, and it can contaminate the well.

  1. Check whether the rest of the house has power. If there's an outage, wait for it to come back.
  2. Find the pump's breaker in the panel. If it's tripped, switch it fully off, then on again. Reset a breaker once only; if it trips again, leave it off and call a pro.
  3. Look at the pressure gauge near the tank. Note the reading and whether it's falling while a tap runs.
  4. Listen at the well house or pressure tank: a hum, a click or silence tells a pro a lot.
  5. If it's freezing out, check whether the well house or the pipe by the pressure switch is cold or iced. Warm the space gently; don't use an open flame.
  6. Think about recent weather and use. A drought or heavy watering can leave the well low for a while. If the pump is clicking on and off rapidly instead, see well pump short-cycling.
Sharpen the read

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.

When to call a pro

The breaker trips again after one reset, the pressure switch, control box or capacitor needs replacing, the pump hums or makes no sound with power present, or the well seems to be running low. HomeAdvisor puts a well pump repair at an average of $974 ($373–1,624), with a house call fee of $100–150. For a pump that clicks on and off rapidly, see well pump short-cycling. For upkeep, see the well pump guide.

Typical cost: HomeAdvisor puts well pump repair at an average of $974 ($373–1,624). A pressure switch is $120–175, a control box $200–500 and a motor start capacitor $100–150. The house call fee is $100–150. Replacing the pump averages $1,897 ($973–2,822).

Sources: HomeAdvisor: Well pump repair cost (updated June 19, 2026), HomeAdvisor: Cost to replace a well pump (updated June 17, 2026)

After a scan, Fixology can also help you find pros near you.

Related problems

  • Well pump short-cycling?

    Well pump

    The pump clicks on and off rapidly and pressure surges, usually a waterlogged pressure tank, or a leak or failing pressure switch.

  • Furnace won't heat?

    FurnaceFall

    The furnace runs but the house stays cold, which is usually a clogged filter, a thermostat setting, or an ignition fault.

  • Heat pump not heating?

    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 won't drain?

    Washer

    Water is left in the drum after the cycle, which is usually a clogged pump filter or a kinked drain hose.

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