1. Turned on upstairs faucet yesterday and no h20. Just air sucking.
2. Went and shut off water to house. Bladder filled and pump shut off.
3. Opened shut off to house. Pressure gauge kept dropping, pump came on and pressure kept dropping to below 10psi. Shut off h20 to house again and bladder filled and pump cut off again.
4. Crawled under house. Wife cut on water to house. I hear water running through pipes but see no visible leaks.
5. Tested bladder air. Air hissed out after 2 taps on the air atem. No water came out. Seemed like it had good pressure.
6. Post message on forum.


Well is 20 to 40 ft deep. Foot valve, pressure switch and pump were last repairs. Bladder is about 16 years old.

pressure on air tank?

The water is going somewhere. Maybe an outside faucet left was left open ? Maybe the water heater is filling ?

Maybe a leak in well line?

I don't think so. The pressure switch cuts off and holds pressure when the house valve is closed.

This afternoon I cut off the pump power.

Drained the tank. Checked the pressure.

Pressure was maybe 2psi.

Then I cut the power back on to refill tank.

Pressure was about 25psi with main cut off to house and the tank full.

I agree the water has to be going somewhere. Crawlspace has been wet from abnormal heavy rain and pumping out making this a little harder to diagnose.

I changed the whole house filter last night to check it off the list. Double checked the 2 outside faucets.

This morning I checked the crawlspace areas where the h20 pipes go up to the second story for visible wet spots. Nothing stood out. Wife cut main on while I was shining light around visible pipes looking for leaks. Nothing stood out. Pressure does drop at a fairly fast rate when the main to house is cut on.

I thought of the hot water heater having to fill up too but it seems like the pressure would slowly climb back up from 10 psi as when I shut the main off.

Always been a challenge living on 2" well with 2 people and a garden.

There must be a leak that I can't see but I think I would see it with such a large pressure drop as if a hose was left on.

Thanks for all of your input!!!

Guess I'll open outside faucets, cover with old shirts, and put a heater in pump house to get through a couple of 20 degree nights.



Edited 2 times.

Pump house? Then there could well be an underground leak involved.

Yes. Pump house. Keeps everything nice and warm. Line tees 3 feet out from pumphouse to irrigation and garden. Then 20 more feet out it tees into old pump house and the main house. Found 35 year shut off under house. Almost afraid to turn it off but will slowly shut it off to test line between house and well. Don't feel like digging today. Going to run hose from well to washer for now.

Now there's a shovel-ready job.

Glad I know where to dig! Just hope a break isn't under the garage slab that was built after the house. Luckily the house has 2 48" "earth tubes" that run under the slab and into the crawlspace. Worst case I will have to bore through a earth tube and run a new line. Hope it will be easier than the worst case. Glad to have h20. Moved in years ago and first well died in the first month. Took a month to get a new well. That was ruff n it enough.