Water wells
Pressure tanks
The least understood component on a well system, and the one whose failure quietly destroys the most expensive one.
Crews with 20+ years in the tradeLicensed & insuredOne-year warranty
No water? Call and we will tell you what it sounds like.
A well that has stopped delivering, pressure that has dropped away, or a pump that will not shut off. Call and you will get a person and a straight answer about when we can be there.
What the pressure tank does
It holds a cushion of compressed air above the water, so the system delivers steady pressure between pump cycles. Without that cushion, the pump has to start every time anyone opens a tap.
That is the whole reason it matters. A pump is designed for a certain number of starts across its life. A failed pressure tank multiplies that number, and the pump pays for it.
Signs the tank has failed
- The pump switching on and off rapidly whenever water is running
- Pressure that surges and drops rather than holding steady
- The tank feeling full and heavy all the way up when you tap it
- Water coming out of the air valve on top of the tank
- A pump that has been replaced recently and is already struggling
Recharge or replace
A tank that has simply lost air charge can sometimes be recharged, and that is a small job. A tank whose internal bladder has ruptured cannot be, because there is no longer anything separating the air from the water. Tapping the tank and checking the air valve tells us which it is in a few minutes.
Sizing matters here too
A tank that is too small for the pump makes it cycle more often even when everything is working correctly. If your system has always short-cycled, the problem may never have been a failure at all. It may have been sized wrong from the day it went in.
What we do and do not do on wells
We service existing wells. We do not drill new ones. Pumps, pressure tanks, the switches and wiring that go with them, water testing and inspections for a sale — that is our work, and it sits under the same licence as the septic side. We do not sell or fit water treatment equipment.
Drilling a new well is a different trade with a different licence, and we will say so rather than take the job and subcontract it. If that is what you need, call anyway and we will tell you what you are looking at before you start ringing round.
Where we do this work
We handle pressure tanks across Duval, Clay, Nassau, St. Johns, Putnam, Union and Baker counties. Each area page covers the local ground conditions and which office issues the permit there.
Jacksonville · St. Augustine · Orange Park · Middleburg · Green Cove Springs · Ponte Vedra Beach · Fernandina Beach · Yulee
See every area we serve, all water well services, or who issues your permit.
Pressure tanks — questions we get asked
What does a well pressure tank do?
It holds a cushion of compressed air above the water so the system delivers steady pressure between pump cycles. Without it, the pump has to start every time a tap opens, which multiplies the number of starts the motor was designed for and shortens its life.
How do I know if my pressure tank is bad?
The clearest sign is the pump switching on and off rapidly whenever water runs. Others are pressure that surges and drops instead of holding steady, a tank that feels full and heavy all the way to the top when tapped, and water coming out of the air valve on top of the tank.
Can a pressure tank be recharged instead of replaced?
Sometimes. A tank that has only lost its air charge can often be recharged. A tank whose internal bladder has ruptured cannot be, because nothing is separating the air from the water any more. Checking the air valve and tapping the tank distinguishes the two in a few minutes.
Can a bad pressure tank damage my well pump?
Yes, and this is the reason it matters. A waterlogged tank forces the pump to start far more often than it was designed to, and those starts are what wears a pump out. Replacing a pump without correcting the tank leads to the new pump failing early as well.
Related services
Wells
Well pump repair
No water at all, or pressure that comes and goes. Before anything gets replaced, the job is working out which component failed, because the wrong guess is an expensive one.
Read more →Wells
Well pump replacement
A replacement pump is not a like-for-like part swap. Sizing it to the well and the household is what decides whether you get fifteen years out of it or three.
Read more →Wells
Well inspections
A well inspection is usually bought against a closing date, and a closing date does not move because the well turned out to have a problem. Book it early enough that a repair is still an option.
Read more →Tell us what the system is doing.
Call and talk to someone who works on these every day, or send the details and we will come back to you.