For many homes, the well system is crucial to supply the water for the house or water tank. In such situations, the well pumps are essential, as they provide with the power needed to get the water. Since the well pumps work constantly, breakdowns are always present.
Whether it’s time to replace the old pump or you need to install one in your home, you need to run the numbers before you go shopping. Pump replacement costs can differ on many things. The more you know about well pumps, signs they need replacement, etc., the more prepared you will be for the cost to replace the well pump.
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What Is A Well Pump?
The well pump raises and extracts water from the well and takes it to a pressurized storage tank. If you have a deep-well water system of 90 to 250 ft, you will need a deep well submersible pump. In the case of a single pipe type of pump, you can use convertible jet pumps or shallow well pumps; they can work up to 90-ft in a tw0-pipe configuration.
Most well pumps don’t need to run all the time, but only when the pressure in the storage tank drops below a specific amount. Then, the pump refills the tank until the pressure level goes between 40 to 60PSI.
Which type of well pump do you need?
There are two main categories of pumps to choose from jet pumps and submersible pumps. Each of them is made to accommodate various well sizes and conditions.
Jet pumps
Shallow well jet pumps and deep well jet pumps are the two main types of jet pumps.
Shallow well jet pump
Wells that are less than 25ft deep or wells in areas with high water tables benefit the most from the shallow ground pumps. They don’t need a lot of maintenance and include few running elements. Shallow well jet pumps require pump installation above the ground, inside the well house. The above ground jet pumps produce high pressure to extract the water from the well and into the house through an inlet pipe. Unlike the above ground pump, the shallow ground pumps require a well booster pump or a tank to enhance the water pressure to the house.
Deep-well jet pump
The deep well jet pump is installed within the well, whereas the motor is placed in the well house. The pump uses two pipes: one is to extract water out of the well and the other is to direct the water to the house. Wells that are 110ft deep require deep well jet pumps.
Submersible Well Pumps
The deep well submersible pump is set up at the bottom of the well right in the water. The submersible pump uses its motor to draw water from the bottom and pushes it out of the well into the house’s water lines. This type of pump is appropriate for wells up to 300ft deep.
How much will you pay for a well pump?
It’s not an easy answer as several types of pumps to choose from. Go over the details to pick the pump type for your well.
Submersible Well Pump Cost
Submersible pump installation of a submersible well pump can cost you between $400 and $2,000, according to the depth of well, motor size, and whether you already have a pump or not. You can use deep-well submersible pumps for wells up to 300ft deep or more. They range from 1/3 to 5-HP with output capacity ranging between 5 to 140GPM.
The submersible well pumps are pricier than jet pumps but are also more dependable. This pump can last for a long time and run instead entirely. Most households need ½ to 1- ½ HP submersible models made of stainless steel, cast iron, or thermoplastic housing.
Constant pressure submersible pumps
This kind of pump depends on the water system pressure and can adjust the speed of the pump if need be.
Regular-pressure submersible pumps
Also known as “40/60 pumps”, these pumps turn on every time the pressure goes below 40PSI and turn off once the pressure gets to 60PSI.
2-wire or 3-wire pumps?
Before you give an idea about the well pump replacement cost, you need to make sure to get a model with the same amount of wires, either it’s two or three wires.
Constant Pressure Well Pump Cost
Expect to pay anywhere between $2,000 to $5,000 for a constant pressure pump installation. The constant pressure system operates without stopping, as long as there’s at least a 1-GPM demand on the water supply. The tank capacity should be at least 20 gallons. The pump controller is a VFD (variable frequency drive) that needs a stable electrical supply. The VFD controllers are more appropriate for urban areas. Prices range between $800 and $2,900 and they last for a decade.
Jet Well Pumps Prices
Jet well pumps present an output capacity of 1 to 70GPM and are thermoplastic, stainless steel, or cast iron. Cast iron models range between $92 and $329, whereas thermoplastic models start at $155 and go as high as $600. Stainless steel models are the priciest, with prices as high as $1,200.
Jet well pumps make an excellent choice for wells up to 25ft. Convertible jet pumps are perfect for deep-wells up to 90ft and cost between $400 to $1,200. A high-end convertible jet pump is self-priming, whereas a standard model can lose the prime and stop pumping. A jet pump is more affordable than a submersible model and doesn’t deliver the same volume and pressure as the submersible pumps. Should you be interested, you can buy a combination of a self-priming jet pump and a pressure tank. Such a pump installation is fast and costs $300 to $1,400. Shallow-well jet pumps are excellent in warm climates but require overload protection to reduce the risk of motor burnout. Otherwise, the shallow well pump will run even if the water level is low. If so, the pump will burn out, regardless of the pump quality.
We care to remind you that you need to protect the jet pumps with an insulated bag during the winter, which costs $50 to $200. You can also set up a well house (costs $150 to $1,200) and use insulation sleeves to wrap the exposed pipes.
Solar Powered Well Pump Cost
Solar pump installation can cost you $1,650 and $3,200, along with the purchase. You can use it for both shallow and deep wells. Solar pumps are excellent in rural areas and they reduce energy costs. They require unobstructed sunlight for at least 6 to 8 hours per day. Solar well pumps come in plastic or stainless steel housing.
You can choose between two types of solar-powered pumps:
- Positive Displacement Pumps (Submersible)extract water into an inlet space and push it to an outlet, with a diaphragm, rotary mechanism, or diaphragm. The discharge flow is constant with this type of well pump.
- Centrifugal Pumps (Jet)generate a vacuum to push water through a rotating impeller, and the flow will fluctuate.
Solar Well Pump Kit
You need a budget from $1,500 to $6,500 for a solar well pump kit, according to the necessary foot lift and the GPM. A kit should include solar panels, the pump, mounting brace, and all the elements needed to power and protect the pump. Most options are deep-well submersible pumps as they don’t need much energy per gallon of water. They use pressure and not suction to pump water out of the well.
Water Well Hand Pump Cost
If you’re interested in a hand pump for your water well, you should expect to pay between $50 and $600. High-end hand pumps have prices starting at $500 and going as high as $2,000. Pump installation costs range between $195 and $350. Hand pumps are made of cast iron, stainless steel, or plastic. The premium models are the best choice for deep wells and pump one gallon per 7 strokes from 300ft deep wells. You need to protect the hand pump against freezing. It’s not a costly operation and you only need to drill a tiny hole in the downpipe—the hole should be 4 or 5 ft below the ground level.
Windmill Water Pump Prices
If your budget is generous and your property is suited, you can opt for a windmill water pump that costs $4,200 to $19,600. Cross brace tower costs around $12,000, whereas the average stub tower is around $9,900. Windmill water pumps are excellent in locations with no electric service, or solar pumps cannot give enough power.
You need to hire pump installers which can cost you between $2,000 and $5,000. You still need a storage option, which adds $380 to $1,500 to your spending. The type of pressurization and type of tank will profoundly impact the costs for storage.
How much does it cost to install a well pump?
At a glance, you will pay anywhere from $300 to $4,500 to install the well pump and most people spend $725 to $1,850. The well depths, size and pump type, labor costs, and size of the pressure tank are factors weighing in for the final spending.
Pressure tank
The size of the pressure storage tank depends on the gallons per minute the pump generates. Well pressure tanks are made to store 3 gallons of water for every gallon per minute (GPM) the pump generates. To discover the well pressure tank size you need, you get the GPM system requirement and multiply it by 3. An average household using 8GPM needs a 24-gallon tank for storage.
Deep vs. Shallow wells
The depth of the well is crucial for the type of pump you need. Since shallow jet pumps are used for shallow wells up to 25ft, they’re cheaper and easier to install than submersible pumps. The deeper the well, the more time and materials the pump replacement professional team will need. Deep wells have check valves for every 80ft of the downpipe. The equipment and time necessary to remove the old shallow well pumps will impact the total cost.
Pump size
The horsepower the pump needs depends on the water usage in your home and the well depth. The size of your family deeply impacts the water usage in your home. For instance, a 3 to 4 bedroom home needs 8 to 12 GPM water. To find out the water needs in your home, you can add one GPM for every water fixture in your home. Showers, faucets, washers, toilets, dishwasher, water spigots, washers, and refrigerators are all fixtures.
If a well pump replacement is necessary, you need to examine the identification plate on the unit to see the horsepower. Select a pump with the same horsepower (HP); if your family got bigger or if you bought new appliances, you can go up a size.
Artesian Well Pumps
Artesian wells are drilled to a confined aquifer layer under an unconfined aquifer and the upper confining bedrock layer. Since the water underground is under pressure, the flowing wells don’t typically need pumps. If you opt for an artesian well with progressive reduction in pressure, you will need to install a submersible pump. It’s impossible to connect a shallow well pump right from the well to the buried line. Instead, you need a booster pump to connect to the surge tank and discharge into the pressurized well tank.
Installation or replacement?
It’s easier and cheaper to install a new pump than to replace a well pump. The well replacement costs will be high because the professionals need to pull out of the ground the old pump, which means more hours and labor. Labor costs for well pump replacement range between $250 and $800, and complex projects can get over $1,000. You will pay $200 for installing new wires or piping for the pump. Plumbers and well services charge $45 to $150 per hour.
Typically, it’s easier and cheaper to install a new pump. If plumbing, piping, or repairs for the water systems are also necessary, the installation costs will increase. When you have to replace a well pump, you need a pump roller machine or a derrick truck to get the submersible pump out or remove the old well pipe for repairs. Once the well pump replacement is done, the professionals also have to test and disinfect the water well system—the labor fees for the pump professional team are included.
What are the costs for replacing well water pump parts?
You don’t always need to replace an average well pump, but only some parts such as the pressure tanks, control box, the carbon-ceramic shaft seal, etc. Pump motors are truly the only parts that are worth replacing. Here are some costs to expect for replacing the components of your well pump:
Replacing the pressure tank
According to the tank’s capacity and the pressure rating, a pressure tank will cost you to replace between $275 to $500. A complex tank hookup with plumbing relocation and a high-end model can cost you over $1,000. Should you decide to replace an average well pump and the pressure tank, you will pay anywhere from $800 to $2,300.
When the pump is not on the same level as your house, the cost to replace it will go high. You don’t always need to call professionals to replace a well pump. Watching some video tutorials can be of great help as long as you buy the exact same model that comes precharged at the needed pressure.
Most tanks feature two compartments to reduce the risk of waterlogging: the bladder or the diaphragm mechanism for the water and the pressurized area. If you need to replace a bladder pressure tank, you can pay between $50 and $600, and high-end models can cost as high according to the brand and tank capacity, most,500. Most bladder-pressure tanks come with replaceable bladders that cost between $k capacity.
Well Pump Motor Prices
Should it be necessary to replace the well pump motor, you will pay between $200 to $1,400. Expect to pay $200 to $4790 for a single-phase motor, and $280 to $1,889 for a three-phase motor. Not all submersible pumps come with replaceable motors; typically, they are only high-end models. Most of the time, you will have to replace the entire pump. Sediment alters the pump bearings and moving elements and permanentaly damage the motor. Once the motor fails on the pump, the well pump mechanism element will fail. Replacing the entire well pump will be more affordable and safer.
Well Booster Pump price
According to the brand, features, and pressure booster kit, an average well booster pump costs around $750, but you can pay anywhere between $250 to $2,000. Installing the well booster kit costs you $200 to $300. A booster well pump is necessary to enhance the low water pressure from the showerheads and faucets. It connects to the main water line and improves water pressure by up to 70 pounds. Before you buy a pressure booster, you need to make sure that other factors don’t cause the low pressure in the faucets:
- We recommend you hire a plumber to look for pipe blockages and clogged drains.
- Old pipes could have buildup that stops water from flowing accordingly.
- You can remove the water softening system and see if the pressure increases.
- Ask your local water company to make sure that there are no local limits for water pressure in your area.
Submersible Well Pump Torque Arrestor
You can expand the durability of a submersible well pump by installing an expandable torque arrestor around the piper. It will be widened to fit the casing’s diameter and secured to the pipe.
Well Pump Repair Costs
It all depends on the task, but most well pump repairs cost $150 to $600. Replacing the pressure switch ($150), the bearings and internal pump valves are common repairs. You will pay $200 to replace the submersible electric cable.
You can avoid to replace a well pump by calling professionals for annual well pump inspections. You will pay between $100 to $150.
How do you know it’s time to replace the well pump?
Most homeowners will need to contact a professional to properly deal with well pump problems. However, several signs mean that the pumps need repairs and even replacement.
The well is low or dry
Every time you need water inside the house, a signal is sent to the pump to extract water out of the well. When the well is low on water or dry, the well pump will try to extract water out of the well, but it will overheat and eventually break.
Dirty water
A broken water pump can make the water dirty and discolored. Well pumps aren’t made to extract water with high amounts of sediments and sand. However, if silt gets to the well pump, the wear and tear will produce damage.
Spitting faucets
Faucets can spit for many reasons and a damaged well pump is one. If the well pump is broken, it won’t be capable of pulling water out of the well and send it inside the house. If the water pumps seem to be working fine, you should look for breaks in the water pipe above the well. A hole in the water pipe lets unnecessary air inside the system, making the water sputter out of the faucets.
High Electric Bill
If your electric bills get high for no apparent reason, you should examine the well pump—it might run continuously and increase your electric bills. Dirt and sediment could clog the pump and make it run continuously. The well water could also run low, making the pump motor run without stopping.
Let’s break down the well pump replacement cost!
When you wonder how much does it cost to replace average well pumps, the well size and type of pump affect the well pump replacement cost. You will pay more for replacing a stainless-steel submersible well pump than replacing a shallow well jet pump. Here’s how much you will pay for replacing a specific type of pump:
Shallow well jet pumps
Shallow well pumps are placed right within the well house, so replacement is around $200. The replacement cost will go higher if the well pump needs additional protection and features such as insulated bag or wrapping exposed pipes.
Deep well jet pumps
Since the deep well jet pumps are pricier than the shallow pumps, the replacement will cost more than with shallow models. A jet pump costs around $300 to be replaced.
Deep well submersible well pumps
The horsepower of the submersible pumps impacts the price, with lower horsepower models running around $400 and more powerful options going over $500. Check valves and other features that are standard with submersible models lead to higher costs for replacement.
