When and How To Test Your Well Pressure Tank

Are you having issues with consistent water flow from your well pump? Is the pump cycling more frequently, or perhaps water isn’t being supplied from the tank as it should? The answer to your problem could lie in the well pressure tank. If pressure is too low, you risk damage to your pump, low water pressure at home, and even damage to the tank itself. Here’s everything you need to know about how to test a well pressure tank.

What Is a Well Pressure Tank?

Your well requires compressed air pressure for water to flow through the system and out of your faucets. This air is supplied by your pressure tank, which uses sealed air to increase pressure on the water. There are two main kinds of well pump pressure tank setups. 

With both types of well tanks, a pressure switch is used to cycle the pump and control the pressure levels of your water. Provided you don’t have a bad well pump pressure switch (more on those in a minute), it should automatically disengage when the pressure reaches a certain level.

Steel Well Tanks

In a steel well tank, water is kept separate from the air chamber by a rubber diaphragm. The air increases water pressure in your well as it flows into the tank, eventually forcing water into the pipes all the way to your faucet. 

Composite Well Tanks 

Air pressure tanks in composite tanks work very similarly to steel well tanks. The main difference is that the pressure is created by a rubber, balloon-shaped air bladder which expands within the tank itself. 

Signs of an Issue With Your Well Pressure Tank

There are a few common well pump issues that almost always indicate a problem with your well pump pressure tank or pressure switch.

• Regular problems with water pressure and flow

• Fluctuating water pressure

• Faucets that are spitting or sputtering water

• Clicking sounds coming from your pressure tank

• Increased power consumption from your constantly running well pump

If you’re experiencing any of these issues, it’s likely a problem with the air pressure system in your well pump. The fix could be as simple as adjusting your well pump pressure switch, or you could be facing the costs of replacing your well pressure tank entirely. The only way to know for certain is to run a well pressure tank test.

How To Prep for a Well Pressure Tank Test

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To run a proper well pressure tank test, you’ll first need to make a few preparations.

1. For time and ease, get help from a second person.

2. Get an accurate stopwatch that counts seconds (your phone will work), and give it to the person standing by the well tank.

3. Position your helper at a faucet or tap within earshot of the well tank.

4. Find your well tank’s pressure gauge (usually small, black, round, and located at the bottom of the tank).

5. Check to see how the tank’s pressure cycling is configured—either on a high (40/60 psi) or a low (30/50 psi) cycle.

   • You can check this by having your partner run cold water from a tap for a few minutes.

   • Watch the gauge until it lowers and makes a clicking sound—the number indicated on the first click is the low setting (either 30 or 40 psi).

   • Watch as the needle climbs again until it clicks once more—this number is the high setting (either 50 or 60 psi).

Once these steps are done, you’re ready to run the test itself.

How To Test Your Well Pressure Tank

Once you’re all set up and you know the psi cycle that your tank has been set up for, it’s time to run the actual test. Here’s how to do it:

1. Stand next to the tank with your timer.

2. Have your helper turn on the tap at the faucet they’re waiting by—don’t start the timer yet.

3. Allow the water to run from the tap until your pressure gauge reaches its low setting and makes the first clicking noise.

4. Once you hear the first click, tell your helper to shut off the faucet, and start the stopwatch right away.

5. Wait until the needle reaches its high point and clicks again—stop the timer as soon as you hear the second click.

6. Check your timer to see how many seconds it took between the two clicking noises.

As you can see, this is a very simple process, and one that you can easily do without having to hire a well pump repair service. For a working pressure system, the entire process should take at least 60 seconds. 

Testing Troubleshooting

If it takes less than 60 seconds to complete your test, it’s a sure sign of a problem—likely that the bladder tank has been ruptured. If the cycle is only 20 seconds, this means that your pump is only running at about a third of its proper capacity. This will lead to it cycling too often, causing excess wear and tear on the system.

If you’ve determined that your well pressure tank has a problem, you’ll then need to decide whether to try and address the issue yourself or refer to an expert for help.

DIY vs. Hiring a Pro

There are many factors that go into well repair. It’s quite common that the well pressure tank size actually not right for the well tank. If this is the case, you’ll likely want to contact an expert to provide suggestions on the right pressure tank for your needs. If your tank is the right size, it can still be quite cost and labor-intensive to replace a ruptured one without the right tools and know-how. In cases like these, it’s often worth the costs of hiring a professional well repair expert.

Sometimes, your well pressure tank problems are only caused by a simple issue like a faulty pressure switch—problems like this can sometimes be tackled on your own, saving you a fair amount of money in the process. At the same time, an expert can still help you out if you’re not sure where to start with well system repairs.