Ask Me Help Desk - Low water pressure

In the last 2 weeks we have seen a decrease in our Well water pressure. I have read about increasing the PSI on the cut-in and cut-off as a possible solution. If I increase these pressures do I have to be concerned about the pressure in the bladder? Does the bladder pressure need to be increased as well?

Thanks
Bill

Quote:

Originally Posted by willdanish

In the last 2 weeks we have seen a decrease in our Well water pressure. I have read about increasing the PSI on the cut-in and cut-off as a possible solution. If I increase these pressures do I have to be concerned about the pressure in the bladder? Does the bladder pressure need to be increased as well?

Thanks
Bill

I like to state up front that I am no expert, but I do have a well and have worked on it MUCH more than I ever thought I would. That said, bladder pressure should be 2 pounds under the cut in pressure. So, if you set cut in pressure at 35 (the pressure at which the pump cuts on), then the bladder pressure would be 33. However, I would be concerned that pressure is falling. Unless the pressure switch has been readjusted, pressure should not be changing. Do you have a gauge at the pressure tank? You probably do, so what is it reading at cut-off and cut-in? Also, about how old is the pressure tank?

Hi Bill,
Since you didn't ask I assume you know how to increase the pressure at the control box. The bladder tank will have to be increased to 2 PSI under whatever the cut in pressure's reset at. If all you do is increase the cut out point to increase pressure but don't change the cut in pressure no action need be taken concerning the bladder tank setting. Good luck, Tom

Thanks for the info.
The pressure gauge is reading about 37 and does not move. The pressure tank is about 15 years old. As our family is using water I do not hear any cut on or cut off the valve. Or hear the pressure tank filling.

Sounds like the bladder is ruptured. If so, then there is no air charge in the tank. Turn off the water in the house. The pump should stop running. From an outside faucet, start water running into a five gallon bucket. If the tank is in good shape, then you should get five or six gallons before the pump cuts back on.

If the bladder is ruptured, then the air "above" the water in the tank will slowly dissolve into the water over several weeks and eventually go away. When that happens, the pump has no way to build pressure, so it will simply run on demand. If that is the case, then you will notice that the pump will cut on/off almost as soon as you turn the water faucet on/off. I'm not sure if the bladder can be replaced or not, but you can certainly replace the tank.

All of this, of course, is subject to Speedball's review. I read this board frequently and he has really good solutions.

One more point. Tap on the bladder tank from bottom to top. If the bladder's ruptured then you will hear the same dull sound all the way up and the tank must be replaced. If the bladder's Ok you will hear a hollow sound about 1/2 way up. If your pump kicks on and off the chances are the control's OK. Same for the gauge and check valve. If the tank seems full of water, you can check this by charging the tank with air. To do this, first shut off the pump and open a faucet to let the water exit the tank. Now connect a air compressor or an air tank to the air valve on top of the tank and pressure up the tank to 2 pounds under the cut in pressure on the control box. On a average 25#in 45#out control that would be 23 PSI. If the bladder is bad, then charging the tank with air will be a temporary fix but will work only for a few weeks. If you have a bad bladder then changing out the tank is not the hardest job in the world. At fifteens years of service on the tank, the bladder could well be gone.