When To Replace Your Well Cap

A well cap is a tiny device but a critical aspect of protecting your household water supply against any contamination that may get into your water through the well casing. A well cover ensures the quality of your drinking water by acting as a solid seal for the gaps between the well casing and the ground surface. The well technology has undergone tremendous revolutions, with each technological advancement bringing in a safer and more efficient device. This makes a well cap replacement necessary at some point. 

The Well Cap, What Is It, and What Are Its Functions?

A well cap is the outer cover for the well casing that protrudes above the surface. It is typically made of aluminum or thermoplastic. These well caps have a transparent screen to ensure that when water is pumped from the well, the pressure gradient between the well casing’s interior and exterior can be balanced. A well cover ensures the quality of your water supply is maintained throughout by keeping any impurities out of reach. Well pits can be an environmental hazard when left uncovered due to their depths and the toxic gases they emit. Therefore, a well cover cautions people from dangerous falls and air pollution.

Common Types of Well Caps

Well cap designs vary with the features and the applications of these features in your water supply systems. The popular Well Cap designs that are readily available in the market include:

Conduit Well Caps

Conduit well caps, model number WTMLC-A066, are used with submersible pumps when the power pump cables leave the well via its casing’s top. These Well Caps are built with a conduit zone to allow cables to enter the power tube outside the Well Pit.

Watertight Well Caps

Like the conduit well cap, a watertight well cap, model WTC-A06-BLUE, permits an electrical tube outside your Well Pit. The difference is that the conduit and casing are entirely sealed by waterproof materials for the watertight well cap. The vent screen is added close to the conduit, enabling the well to breathe while keeping pests out.

Basic Well Caps

A basic well cap is the most straightforward kind of well cover. These water caps do not have any power cables leaving the well via the cover. The basic well caps are applicable in places where the pump’s power supply is in a basement or pump house. They are usually used where jet pumps are installed on a pitless adapter.

When Do You Need a Well Cap Replacement?

Several signs will tell you it is time to replace your well cap. These signs include;

• A Broken Well Cap. A lawnmower or usual weather elements may damage your well cap. A broken cap compromises your drinking water supply’s quality. A well repair will then be necessary to ensure a proper seal between the well cap and the pit.
• A Substandard Well Cover. A standard well cap should have an O-ring seal and be at least a foot above the ground. If you notice your Well Cap does not meet these requirements, you will need to replace it with a standard one.

Improvements on well caps and pitless adapters have made them a much-needed replacement for dangerous well casings. Due to the hazards associated with well pits, you should contact a professional technician instead of attempting well cap repair or replacement.

Categorised in: Well Cap Repair