Lots of people are confused about the difference between water flow rate (how many gallons per minute are coming out of a faucet) and water pressure (how hard is the water pressing inside the pipes and fixtures). We suspect a problem with clogged piping in the building: if the inside of a water supply pipe is blocked by mineral deposits or rust the effective diameter of the pipe is reduced, causing a reduction in water flow rate in a building even if the starting water pressure is good. If water pressure starts very strong and falls off to much slower immediately, If water pressure is always "ok" but varies between pretty strong and not so strongīecause the water pressure normally varies within this range, you may observe a modest change in water flow at an individual fixture such as a shower head or sink faucet. The water pressure at a fixture served by a private well, pump, and pressure tank, will normally vary between the pump cut-in pressure (typically 20 psi or 30 psi) and the pump cut out pressure (typically 40 psi to 50 psi or a little higher). The water flow rate at a building served by a pump and well will vary over timeĪs the pump cycles on and off, and perhaps slow down or even stop completely if the well and its static head have only a limited volume of water available.
How Water Flow & Pressure Behave in a Building What we describe below is not a true well flow test or well drawdown test but this procedure can let us know early if there is an obvious red flag alert about water quantity. A rough "do-it-yourself" well flow testīut when buying a property it's reasonable to perform your own crude water flow test right in the building, so long as you keep in mind that the water pump, water tank, pump controls, and the condition of the water supply piping, the height of the building, and the condition of the fixtures (such as a clogged sink spigot strainer) are all affecting the actual flow rate you see at a fixture. That procedure has the advantage that the well flow rate recorded is not affected by other problems such as a piping error or clogged water pipes or a defective well pump or water pressure tank. What is a true well flow rate or capacity test?Īt WELL FLOW RATE we explained that a real well flow rate test is usually performed right at the well by the well driller or a plumber, at the time the well was drilled, and using special equipment.Ī true well flow test, well recovery test, or well draw-down test requires special equipment and locating, opening, and pumping right at the well. Just above: schematic of a typical well pit design, also courtesy of Carson Dunlop Associates, a Toronto home inspection, education & report writing tool company. In fact it's possible use mere visual inspection to form a reasonable suspicion that a building has insufficient well water before testing anything. That procedure can give an accurate picture of how much water the well can deliver, though the quantity may vary seasonally or for other reasons.īut there are some steps that an amateur can take first to check on the well water quantity. The sketch at page top, courtesy of Carson Dunlop Associates, outlines what happens during a true well flow test, also called a well drawdown or well flow test procedure.
WELL DRAWDOWN MATH HOW TO
How to Do Your Own Amateur Well Flow Rate/Well Yield Test or Well Drawdown Test We also provide an ARTICLE INDEX for this topic, or you can try the page top or bottom SEARCH BOX as a quick way to find information you need. This article describes how a home owner or home buyer can test, measure, or estimate the amount of water available from a well and how to evaluate the water pressure delivered in a building served by a private well. We have no relationship with advertisers, products, or services discussed at this website. InspectAPedia tolerates no conflicts of interest.
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