stupid question about a well

[chad]

sorry for all of my "i just moved to a farm" type questions, but i have another one.

first time ever owning a well.

there a pipe sticking up out of the ground about 1 1/2 feet where it was drilled and capped.

do i need to insulate this or anything to keep it from freezing, or is it fine just sitting out there in the yard like that?

last winter it got down to minus 30 for about 10 days...

[osoab]

sorry for all of my "i just moved to a farm" type questions, but i have another one.

first time ever owning a well.

there a pipe sticking up out of the ground about 1 1/2 feet where it was drilled and capped.

do i need to insulate this or anything to keep it from freezing, or is it fine just sitting out there in the yard like that?

last winter it got down to minus 30 for about 10 days...


I am guessing that you are talking about the well sleeve sticking out? Should be fine as long as your well isn't 10 ft deep.

Others should know more.

[chad]

here's what it looks like, only dirt all around it with 1 foot or so sticking up:

http://www.donlundgren.com/cms1/content/files/images/new_house/TheWell/WellCapInstalledAndReadyForBackfill.jpg

[Dogman]

here's what it looks like, only dirt all around it with 1 foot or so sticking up:

http://www.donlundgren.com/cms1/content/files/images/new_house/TheWell/WellCapInstalledAndReadyForBackfill.jpg



If no water and just air, no problem, to make you feel better , throw a bale of hay on it and cover with
a tarp.

[chad]

okay, thanks. i covered it with one of those rose bush styrofoam type things, so that should be okay to keep the snow off of it.

[bellevuebully]

That is the well head Chad. I've got some advice for you buddy.......backfill around that sucker and berm it up....that is not a good thing you have going there. When they drill the well by whatever method, whether it is button bit percussion or rotary, they will push the casing down in stages as they make depth on the hole. Once the first length of casing is flush with the ground, they will set another section on top of it, align it and then weld the two pieces together and continue pushing the casing down. The drilling implement at that point is actually running down through the casing. (just for clarity....they start the hole, set the pipe in the hole, lower the bit throught the casing, work for depth and push casing as they are making depth).

Once the hole is completed, there is space between the bore through the earth and the casing. This is a direct route from ground level to the source of your drinking water.....and a major source of potential bacteria. Think of a dog taking a nice coiler up the hill from your well and then having a rainstorm....capeche? Normally the space between the casing and the earth is grouted for 10 to 15 feet, but there is no way of ensuring you have an integral seal, so the preferred method is to ensure you have good backfill around your well and berm it up so that rain will run around/away from the casing, diminishing the likelyhood of anything seeping down along the casing and entering the supply.

I would strongly suggest you do this, regardless if it is potable or not.

Fire away a pm anytime if you need specifics on anything like this.

[chad]

yeah, i was wondering about that. i get exactly what you're saying. i have about 8 years of black dirt that i'm planning to use next year to swale out one side of the house (to make the water run away from the foundation). i will use some of it to take care of this well problem. i thought that seemed weird to have a big pipe sticking up out of the yard.

i may pm you next spring bellvue...

[bellevuebully]

yeah, i was wondering about that. i get exactly what you're saying. i have about 8 years of black dirt that i'm planning to use next year to swale out one side of the house (to make the water run away from the foundation). i will use some of it to take care of this well problem. i thought that seemed weird to have a big pipe sticking up out of the yard.

i may pm you next spring bellvue...


Use clay if you have access to it. It is greasy and less permeable. Then dress with soil and let the grass create a turf. If it's an option of course. Pm anytime.....electrical, plumbing, building....whatever. Cheers

[hoarder]

In the North, they often cut a hole on the outer casing 7 feet down and fit the water pipe with a special "L" so the water line will be 7 feet or so underground. Sometimes they put a well pit over that "L" to facilitate servicing. Your pic shows excavation on one side and a pile on the other. That leads me to suspect that the water line penetrates the casing several feet down. Maybe the previous owner planned to install a pit.
Backfilling is an option, but remember that it may have to be dug out again to disconnect the "L" when they do any pump repairs later. You could fill the hole with straw until you get around to installing a well pit if you decide to go that route.
There is a special type pf "L" that slides apart and the weight of the pump holds it from leaking. It comes in two halves with an o ring seal in between.

[chad]

oh, that's not my pipe, just a pic i found on the net. mine comes neatly up out of the ground about 1.5 feet high from where it sticks out. there's dirt all around it. i was ust going to pile even more dirt up around, it make it a little molehill so the pipe barely sticks out.

[banjo]

Chad,
Mine is exactly like you describe yours-- it sticks out of the ground about 1.5 or 2 ft and I've never had to do anything more to it. I assume that its designed for the weather just the way that it is. Mine is in central MN so it has seen some cold weather without any problems.

[ximmy]

oh, that's not my pipe, just a pic i found on the net. mine comes neatly up out of the ground about 1.5 feet high from where it sticks out. there's dirt all around it. i was ust going to pile even more dirt up around, it make it a little molehill so the pipe barely sticks out.


Build a doghouse and place it over the pipe...

[bellevuebully]

oh, that's not my pipe,

Glad to hear that chad. I thought that was your well.