Home Water SOS

No water from your well

When every tap goes dry, the cause is usually one of five parts: the breaker, the pressure switch, the pressure tank, the pump, or a clogged filter. Answer the questions below to narrow it down.

Updated October 2026

Question 1 of up to 4

What's happening at the taps?

Check a couple of faucets on different floors, cold side.

How a private well system worksA submersible pump sits deep in the well below the water table. It pushes water up the drop pipe, through the pitless adapter and into a pressure tank in the basement. A pressure switch turns the pump on and off, and the pump gets power from a breaker in the house panel.Well capPitless adapterDrop pipeand pump wireWater tableSubmersiblepumpBreaker panelPressure tankand gaugePressureswitchFilter

Before you troubleshoot

  1. Stop using water. Don't run the dishwasher or washer while you check things.
  2. Stay out of the pressure switch box and the well cap wiring. Both carry 240 volts.
  3. Reset a tripped breaker once, not twice. If it trips again, leave it off.

How your well delivers water

A pump sits deep in the well, usually below the water table. When you open a tap, pressure in the tank drops. At a set point, often 30 or 40 psi, the pressure switch closes and starts the pump. The pump pushes water up the drop pipe, through the pitless adapter below the frost line, and into the pressure tank. When the tank reaches the upper setting, often 50 or 60 psi, the switch opens and the pump stops.

That chain is why the order of checks matters. No power means nothing else can work, so the breaker comes first. The gauge then tells you whether the problem is before the tank or after it.

The five usual causes

A tripped breaker

Storms, power surges and a struggling motor can all trip it. One reset is fine. A breaker that keeps tripping is a warning about the pump or its wiring, not a breaker problem.

A failed pressure switch

The switch contacts pit and burn over years of clicking, and the small tube under the switch can clog with sediment. It's a cheap part, but it's live electrical work.

A waterlogged pressure tank

Modern tanks hold an air charge behind a rubber bladder. When the bladder fails, the tank fills with water and the pump short-cycles, starting and stopping every few seconds. That wears out a pump quickly.

A worn pump or a broken drop pipe

If the pump runs but pressure won't build, the pump may be worn out, the pipe inside the well may be leaking, or the water level may have dropped below the pump. Turn it off so it doesn't run dry, and call a well contractor.

A clogged filter or softener

If the gauge shows normal pressure but the taps are weak or dry, the blockage is after the tank. Bypass the filter and softener to test it.

What a repair might cost

A full pump replacement typically runs about $900 to $2,500 depending on pump type and well depth. Smaller repairs like a pressure switch or a tank cost less. See the well pump cost guide for ranges by pump type.

Sources