If your house runs on a private well, no water means no showers, no flushing and no washing up until it's fixed. Go through these checks first. Some calls end at step one.
Call (321) 220-9883Safe checks (about five minutes)
- Is the power out? Storms are the number one cause of sudden no-water calls.
- Check the pump breaker. If it's tripped, reset it once. If it trips again, leave it off and call.
- Read the tank gauge. Near zero means the pump isn't refilling it.
- Listen at the pump or well head. Humming without water and silence are both useful to report.
- Look for a burst pipe or open spigot that's draining the system faster than it fills.
Don't open the pressure switch, control box or wiring. They're live.
Likely causes
- Surge or lightning damage to the switch, capacitor or control box.
- A failed pressure switch.
- A burnt-out pump motor.
- Lost prime on a shallow-well jet pump.
- A broken pipe between well and house.
Sprinklers stopped, but the house is fine?
That's an irrigation pump problem, not an emergency. See jet and sprinkler pumps. Call anyway. Just switch the pump off at the breaker so it doesn't run dry while you wait.
After a flood
If floodwater reached the well head, don't drink the water until it's tested. The Florida Department of Health in Brevard County advises private well owners on testing and disinfection after flooding.
Common questions
My breaker trips every time. What now?
Leave it off. Repeated resets can damage the motor further. It usually means a shorted motor, a failing capacitor or a wiring fault.
The power came back but the water didn't. Why?
Surges when power returns can damage switches and capacitors. The pump may also have lost prime during the outage.
Can I run my well on a generator?
Often, if the generator is big enough for the pump's start-up load and it's connected safely by an electrician. Ask the contractor what your pump needs.