Turning off your well pump when you go on vacation can prevent damage to your system if a power outage occurs or if pipes burst, but only if you turn off your hot water heater and supply valve, too
Whether you’re a city dweller recently relocated to the country or you're used to rural living, you might still have some questions about how to take care of your well pump. If you’re going to be out of town for more than a few days, for instance, you might wonder if you should turn off the power to your pump. The answer, in most cases, is yes—but that’s not all you’ll need to do.
If you’re going out of town for more than a few days, it’s a good idea to plan for the unexpected, such as a power outage or a sudden cold snap that might cause your water pipes to freeze and burst.
If there’s an issue such as a water leak or busted pipe and the well pump still has power, there’s a risk of significant damage to your pump system. And that can be an expensive repair; the average cost to replace a well pump is around $1,600, though some systems can run as high as $4000.
Before you cut the power to your well pump, though, you should make sure there’s no need for running water while you’re gone. Some home heating systems, for instance, use hydronic systems and thus need water to operate.
If you’re not sure what kind of system you have or how to prepare it before you go out of town, it’s always a good idea to check with a pro. Your local well system specialist can evaluate your system, ensure everything’s in working order, and advise you on the best way to manage your well pump, whether you’re at home or away.
You should turn off your pump using the circuit breaker located in your home’s electrical panel. But be careful: if your pump shares a breaker with another appliance or system, you’ll be cutting power to it, too.
Your job’s not done when you shut off your well pump. For extra safety, you should also turn off your main water supply line.
Turning off the water supply line will help prevent a problem if there’s an unexpected water leak or busted pipe. After all, no one wants to come home from a lovely vacation only to find a swimming pool in their flooded living room.
To turn off your water supply, you’ll need to use the supply valve located on your main water line. You can usually find this located near your hot water heater. If it’s not there, and your home has a crawl space instead of a basement, it could be in the crawl space or along an outside wall of your home.
In addition to turning off your well pump at the circuit breaker and your water supply at the main shutoff valve, you will also need to turn off your hot water heater. If you don’t cut the power and your tank runs dry, you could end up burning out your heating circuits and having to replace your tank.
Just as you did with your well pump, you’ll want to cut off your electric water heater at the circuit breaker, but make sure your heater’s the only appliance on that breaker. If you have a gas water heater, you’re also going to want to turn off the gas supply to your appliance. That way, you’re covering all your bases to protect your home and valuables while you’re away.
