Northeast Water Wells Inc

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unknown

I contacted Northeast regarding my well casing and water system. I bought a home with an older water system and I noticed that the well casing was corroding very badly. You could peel sheets of metal off the casing with the finger. I asked if they repaired well casings, which they identified they do with dresser couplings. I asked if this was the only method they use, as opposed to welding. I scheduled to have a service tech come out and inspect my entire water system for a quoted price ($80) and, if needed, replace the well casing with a dresser coupler for $180. When the service tech arrived he inspected the well casing and at first thought it would be fine, until he found a hole near ground level. The pipe had corroded through and with a light tap of the hammer he was able to break through in other spots. We decided it would be best to replace the top of the casing. The tech started digging and hit a small 3" root a few inches below the surface. He asked if he could cut the well casing at the service and add the coupler there. I was concerned about the coupler sitting right at the surface, and after speaking to the NH DES it turns out I should be. I cut the root out with the chainsaw and helped him dig the hole another 2'. The tech then cut the pipe with a sawzall and bolted on a 3' extension casing. I thought when he cut the casing it was crooked, but I couldn't tell in the hole. When all was said and done I was put off by the techs inambition to do the job the right way, and only wanting to complete job with the least amount of effort, not to be confused with shortest amount of time. He made sure to drag his feet as he went. After back filling the hole with earth and getting more dirt to slope the ground away from the casing, sure enough it was obvious that the casing was installed crooked. Had the tech taken a few extra seconds and use a level he would have noticed that the cut was uneven and the casing was horribly crooked. What this means is that the casings aren't butted up tightly and coupling isn't optimally sealed and at some time in the future it will start leaking. With this all being said, I was concerned about the coupling being installed so close to the surface due to frost. I contacted NH DES and learned a lot of interesting things. First although the coupling is an acceptable form of casing repair it is the least desirable because it is the most likely to fail. They also informed me that it should have been installed below the frost line. This is because the frost can work the coupling off, and they even stated that depending on the depth of casing it could lift the entire casing breaking the bedrock seal. I expected hiring Northeast Water Wells that with their experience and expertise, they would do a good job not be careless. Maybe some of the techs are better than others, but I will not take my chances bringing future business to this company. FYI Anyone who is interested in detailed charges: $135 /hr for labor (no special tools needed only shovel, Sawzall, and wrench) Fuel Surcharge: $10 Other parts: $240