How often should a well pump be replaced?

A residential well pump often lasts about eight to fifteen years. That is a range, not a warranty. Sediment, short cycling, lightning, and running dry all shorten it. A pump that was oversized or undersized for the house fails sooner too.

Replace on failure, or when repair costs walk up to the price of a new pump. Humming with no water, a breaker that will not hold, burning smell at the tank, or a pump that cannot keep pressure during a shower are the usual signs.

Age alone is not a reason to pull a working pump. If it is twelve years old and quiet, leave it, and fix the tank or switch if that is what is cycling. If it is four years old and it already burned up twice, the well or the tank is the real problem.

Jet pumps (above ground) and submersibles (in the well) are different replacements. Tell us which you have, or describe the tank area in the comment. Well pump installation is the job page. Well pump repair is the diagnostic page.

This article is for Benton Harbor area wells, including the city pages on this site. We pull and set the pump at your property.