7 Warning Signs Your Well Pump or Septic System Needs Attention

If your home is on a private well and septic system, you are your own water utility. Around Zionsville, Cicero, Whitestown and much of rural Hamilton and Boone counties, that is common. The upside is independence. The downside is that small problems stay hidden until the water stops or the drains back up.

Here are the signs worth calling about early, before they turn into an emergency.

Well pump warning signs

1. Water pressure that drops or surges. Weak showers, or pressure that swings high and low, often point to a failing pressure switch, a waterlogged pressure tank or a pump that is wearing out.

2. The pump runs constantly or clicks on and off. A pump that cycles every few seconds (called short-cycling) is usually a pressure tank problem. It wears the pump out fast and drives up your electric bill.

3. Sputtering faucets or air in the lines. Spitting taps can mean the water level in the well has dropped, or there is a leak in the drop pipe.

4. Cloudy, gritty or discolored water. Sediment can mean a failing pump, a damaged screen or a well that needs service. New tastes or smells are also worth a water test.

Septic warning signs

5. Slow drains throughout the house. One slow sink is usually a clog. Every drain slowing down at once points to the septic tank or the line to it.

6. Gurgling pipes or sewage odors. Gurgling toilets and a sewer smell inside or near the tank mean the system is not venting or draining the way it should.

7. Soggy ground or unusually green grass over the drain field. Standing water or extra-lush patches above the tank or field can mean the system is backing up or overloaded.

What you can do now

• Note when the problem happens: after showers, laundry or heavy rain.

• Spread out laundry and dishwasher loads to go easy on the septic system.

• Keep grease, wipes and "flushable" products out of drains.

• Don't drive or park over the tank or drain field.

When to call a plumber

Call right away if you have no water, sewage backing up, or a pump that won't shut off. For slower changes, a diagnosis now is almost always cheaper than a failed pump or a flooded basement.

ExpertPipe Indy repairs and replaces well pumps, pressure tanks and pressure switches, and handles septic line repairs and backups. You get an upfront, flat-rate price before any work starts, and every job carries a 12-month workmanship warranty.

Call or text (317) 731-3028, or request service online.