No Water From Your Well? 5 Things to Check First

Dry faucets on a well usually mean something in the system stopped working, not that your well ran dry. Here are safe checks you can do before a professional arrives.

1. The Breaker

Find the breaker for the well pump. If it's tripped, reset it once. If it trips again, leave it off. Repeated tripping points to an electrical or pump problem that needs a licensed pump installer.

2. The Pressure Gauge

Most systems have a gauge near the pressure tank. If it reads near zero and the pump has power, the pump isn't delivering water.

3. Power to the House

A storm or outage may have knocked out power in general. Without power, the pump can't run.

4. Visible Leaks

Look for wet ground between the well and the house, or water around the tank. A broken line can drain the system.

5. Your Neighbors

If neighbors on wells are also low, it may be a drought-related drop in the water level. If they're fine, the problem is likely your equipment.

What Not to Do

Don't open the pressure switch, control box, or wellhead wiring. They carry high voltage. And if the pump keeps running with no water coming out, switch it off at the breaker so it doesn't run dry.

Common Causes

A failed pump, a bad pressure switch or control box, wiring problems, a failed pressure tank, a broken pipe, or a falling water level. A licensed pump installer can test each one. Read more on our no water page and well pump repair page.

Get Help

Get a free quote and choose "Emergency (no water)."