Well Pump Not Working: A Troubleshooting Guide
Well Pump Not Working: A Troubleshooting Guide
By the WellWater HQ team
No water from a well pump most often traces to one of three things: a tripped breaker, a failed pressure switch, or a waterlogged pressure tank. All three are things a homeowner can check safely before calling a well contractor, and checking them in that order saves an unnecessary service call more often than not.
Safety warning: well pumps run on 120 or 240-volt circuits, and pressure switches and control boxes carry live current even when a pump isn’t running. Turn off power at the breaker before opening any electrical panel, switch cover, or wiring connection, and confirm it’s off with a non-contact voltage tester before touching anything inside. If you’re not confident doing that safely, stop and call a licensed electrician or well contractor.
Why is my well pump not working?
The three most common causes, in order of how often they turn out to be the actual problem, are a tripped double-pole breaker at the panel, a pressure switch that’s stuck, corroded, or worn out, and a pressure tank that’s lost its air charge and gone waterlogged. Less common causes include a failed pump motor, a broken or leaking supply line, or in older or shallow wells, the water table itself dropping below the pump intake during a dry spell.
What should you check first?
Start at the breaker panel. Well pumps run on a dedicated double-pole (240V) or single-pole (120V) breaker, and a tripped breaker is the single most common reason a pump stops entirely with zero warning. Reset it once; if it trips again immediately, stop, that’s a sign of a short or a failing motor, not a simple reset situation, and it’s time to call a professional rather than reset it repeatedly.
If the breaker is fine, check that the well’s separate on/off switch, if the system has one, hasn’t been bumped off.
How do you diagnose a pressure switch problem?
A pressure switch tells the pump when to turn on and off based on tank pressure, and it’s one of the most failure-prone parts in the system because its electrical contacts sit exposed to moisture and mineral buildup. Signs of a bad switch include the pump not starting even though the tank pressure has clearly dropped, or the pump short-cycling (turning on and off rapidly, sometimes several times a minute).
With the power off, remove the switch cover and look for corrosion or scorch marks on the contacts, a burnt smell, or visible pitting on the metal points. A well contractor can test the switch’s cut-in and cut-out pressure with the power safely restored; that’s not a step to improvise without training, since it involves working near live contacts.
How do you check for a waterlogged pressure tank?
A pressure tank holds a cushion of compressed air above the water, and normal operation cycles the pump on around 20 psi and off around 40 psi as that air cushion compresses and releases (Penn State Extension, Using Low-Yielding Wells, 2026). When the air charge leaks out over time, the tank “waterlogs,” which causes the pump to short-cycle far outside that normal range and can eventually burn out the motor. Two checks confirm it:
- Press the Schrader valve on top of the tank (it looks like a tire valve) with a small screwdriver or the tip of a key. If water sprays out instead of air, the tank’s internal bladder has failed and the tank needs replacement.
- Knock on the side of the tank near the top and the bottom. A properly charged tank sounds hollow near the top (air) and solid near the bottom (water). A tank that sounds solid all the way up is waterlogged.
When does a pump problem require a professional?
| Symptom | Likely cause | DIY-checkable? |
|---|---|---|
| Breaker trips once, resets fine | Nuisance trip | Yes |
| Breaker trips repeatedly | Motor short or wiring fault | No, call a pro |
| Pump short-cycles on and off | Waterlogged tank or bad switch | Partially, tank check is DIY; switch repair is not |
| Pump runs constantly, no pressure buildup | Broken supply line, lost prime, or failed pump | No, call a pro |
| Water table dropped (seasonal) | Well running dry temporarily | Yes to check, no fix without a pro |
| Loud grinding or humming, no water | Failed pump motor or impeller | No, call a pro |
A pump that runs constantly without building pressure, or one making a grinding or humming noise with no water output, points to the pump itself, either lost prime, a broken line downhole, or a failed motor, and none of those are safe or practical DIY repairs on a submersible pump, since the pump sits below the waterline in the well casing. Penn State Extension’s well maintenance guidance recommends a full system checkup by a licensed well contractor whenever pump behavior changes and basic checks like these don’t identify the cause (Penn State Extension, Water Well Maintenance and Rehabilitation, 2026).
Run through the WellWater HQ well pump diagnostic checklist to confirm which symptom you’re dealing with before you call anyone out. The WellWater HQ well water handbook also walks through the seasonal maintenance schedule that catches most of these problems before they turn into a no-water emergency.
FAQ
Why does my well pump keep turning on and off? Short-cycling almost always means either a waterlogged pressure tank that’s lost its air charge or a worn pressure switch. Check the tank’s Schrader valve first; if it sprays water, the tank needs replacing.
Is it safe to reset a well pump breaker myself? Resetting a tripped breaker once is safe and common. If it trips again immediately after resetting, stop resetting it. Repeated trips point to a short or motor fault, and continuing to force a reset risks fire.
How do I know if my well pump motor is dead? A pump that hums or grinds but produces no water, or one that runs continuously without ever building pressure, usually indicates a failed motor or impeller. Confirming that requires pulling the pump, which is a job for a licensed well contractor.
Can a dry well cause a pump to stop working? Yes. In shallow or lower-yield wells, especially during drought conditions, the water table can drop below the pump intake temporarily, which starves the pump and can trip a low-water cutoff if the system has one, or run the pump dry if it doesn’t.
How much does it cost to fix a well pump problem? A pressure switch replacement is typically the least expensive fix; a full submersible pump replacement is the most expensive, since it requires pulling the pump from the casing. Get quotes from at least two licensed well contractors before committing, since pricing varies significantly by well depth and pump type.
Bottom line: check the breaker first, the pressure tank second, and the pressure switch third, all without opening anything electrical while it’s live. A pump that runs constantly with no pressure or makes grinding noises has moved past DIY territory; that call goes to a licensed well contractor.