Plumbing

A reliable toilet seal is critical for preventing leaks from the base of your toilet, but there’s more than one way to make that seal. Traditional wax toilet seals are widely used, but they can be messy and tricky to install. Modern wax-free toilet seals are easier to install, but not always as durable. Professional plumbers use both at times, depending on their preference and job’s requirements. To decide which is best for you, consider the pros and cons of each.

Wax Toilet Seals: Traditional, but Inconvenient

A toilet seal, also known as a tank-to-bowl gasket, forms a semi-flexible seal between the flange (the part in the floor) and the toilet. Traditional toilet seals are made from a ring of wax. Beeswax was the original material, but now vegetable and petroleum waxes are more common. The ring is placed on the bottom of the toilet or the top of the flange. If the top of the flange is below floor level, you’ll need an adapter. Stacking two wax seals is another possible solution, but it’s not ideal. The toilet is placed on top of the flange so that its weight compresses the wax into the exact shape of the flange, forming a perfect seal.

Wax seals are still the go-to for many plumbers. If the flange is particularly high and can’t be lowered, wax might be the only option. Even the thinnest wax-free seal can’t compress as effectively as wax.

Other plumbers consider wax seals a cheaper, but messier and out-dated option. While wax gets the job done, it’s not easy to work with. Most wax seals must be above 70 degrees, meaning around room temperature, to be soft enough to mold. Cold wax is too hard to shape and won’t form a good seal. If the wax is too warm, though, the weight of the toilet can squeeze it out of place.

The toilet must be placed exactly over the flange and straight down. Shifting the toilet after you’ve put it down can deform the wax so it doesn’t seal correctly. Lifting and positioning a toilet on your own can be difficult. If you don’t have another person to help, you might ruin a few seals before you get it right.

Wax seals are highly durable and can easily last 20 years or longer as long as the toilet isn’t moved. The problem with that is that toilets often shift slightly over time. Some new toilet models have smaller bases than older models, making them more likely to rock somewhat when used. Most floors aren’t perfectly level, and while using shims helps compensate, the toilet can still shift. If the floor bolts loosen from corrosion or being bumped once too often, that also allows the toilet to move.

Any of these issues can break the wax seal and let bacteria, mold, and wastewater leak out. There might also come a time when you need to remove the toilet to clear a blockage.

In these situations, you’ll need to remove the old wax seal and install a new one. That requires applying enough indirect heat to soften the wax so that you can scrape it off. It’s a messy job, especially if two wax seals were used.  

Wax-Free Toilet Seals: A Cleaner, Easier Alternative

Most wax-free toilet seals are made from rubber, but you’ll also find models made of soft foam that offers more flexibility than rubber. PVC seals made for deeper flanges are also available. Ease of use is the main benefit of these seals, which makes them a better choice for a DIYer working alone.

Rubber and foam seals are placed over the flange the same way as wax seals. Some can be stacked if necessary. PVC models are typically self-stick and attached to the bottom of the toilet with a strong adhesive. They’re long enough to accommodate flanges below floor level, so you won’t need to stack them.

Once the wax-free seal is in place, just lower the toilet onto the flange and the ring seals as it compresses. There’s no need to worry about temperature. The material’s flexibility compensates for imperfect placement of the toilet while still forming a perfect seal. You can reposition the toilet several times without needing a new ring as you would with wax. You’ll still need to ensure the toilet is firmly seated. If the seal doesn’t compress enough to let the weight of the toilet rest on the floor, you’ll end up with a wobbly toilet that puts too much weight on the flange.  

These seals’ ability to stand up to heat is another benefit. Although wax seals are usually safe for use in bathrooms with radiant floor heating, using a wax-free seal eliminates the risk of the seal melting. Wax-free seals are also a safer bet in climates with temperatures that reach higher than 100 degrees. At temperatures that high, if your air conditioning goes out, a wax seal can soften enough to leak, but a wax-free seal holds its shape.

If the toilet shifts slightly, a foam seal can change shape to fill any gaps and maintain a seal. Rubber and PVC seals are less able to do this. If you need to remove the toilet, you can reuse the wax-free seal as long as it’s still in good condition. There’s nothing to scrape up or replace. The benefit here is mostly easier clean-up. Toilet seals are cheap, so there’s little cost savings.

Corrosive cleaners such as bleach can damage any type of toilet seal, but rubber and foam seals are more vulnerable. Some wax-free toilet seals come with a 10-year guarantee, but most aren’t expected to last as long as wax models.

The choice between wax toilet seals and wax-free toilet seals ultimately comes down to your personal preference. Many professionals stick with wax because they know it’s reliable, and they’re paid to deal with the mess. If you’re more comfortable with the tried-and-true approach, go with a wax seal. If you’d rather have something that’s easy to install, then a modern, wax-free toilet seal might be a better choice. The best seal for the job also depends on the type of flange you have, so know your toilet before you buy.

A macerating toilet, also known as an upflush toilet, lets you put a bathroom almost anywhere. Unlike standard gravity-flush toilets, they can be installed below or far from your main plumbing stack, giving a lot more options for placement.

Due to their higher cost and maintenance requirements, though, they’re not always the right choice. Before you decide to install one, get to know where these toilets work best.

How Macerating Toilets Work

On the outside, a macerating toilet looks just like a traditional toilet. Push the lever on the tank, and the waste is flushed away with water. The difference is in what happens to that waste once it’s flushed down. A traditional gravity-flush toilet uses the force of gravity to flush waste through a hole in the floor and into the plumbing system. A macerating toilet flushes waste out the back into an electric macerator and pump tank.

The macerator is a small unit placed on the floor directly behind the tank or connected to a pipe and hidden behind the wall. When you flush the toilet, the macerator turns on automatically and uses a rotating blade to grind up the waste and mix it with water, forming a slurry. The waste is then pumped up PVC piping to your existing main plumbing stack. Depending on the power of the pump, that could be up to 15 feet upward and 150 feet away horizontally. From there, the waste goes to the sewer or septic tank.

French company Société Française d’Assainissement (Group SFA) developed the macerator for plumbing use in 1950. The toilets were meant to fit small spaces and make it easier to install bathrooms below pre-existing lateral lines. The technology arrived in Canada in the 1980s, then started catching on in the United States in the 1990s.

When to Choose a Macerating Toilet

Macerating toilets are only recommended for situations where installing a traditional gravity-flush toilet isn’t possible or practical. In fact, not all local plumbing codes allow for these toilets. They’re also not ideal as primary toilets because frequent use causes excess wear on the pump.

While you don’t need existing pipes to install one, you do need a water supply and a plumbing stack. For installation, small-diameter PVC or copper pipes are sufficient. The pump requires a power source, but battery-operated models are available.  

A macerating toilet is a good choice when you want a bathroom below or far from your pre-existing lateral lines, or where the water pressure is low. That could be on the ground floor of your home, in the basement, or in an outbuilding such as a garage or workshop. These toilets also work well for remote cabins without standard plumbing. Many upflush toilets let you connect a sink or shower, too.

Pros: Flexibility and Convenience

In addition to the more flexible plumbing requirements, upflush toilets are also well suited to small spaces. They only need two pipes and can be installed with a few small tools. If you have some experience working with plumbing, you can install one yourself in around 4 hours with little planning.

The job requires close attention to detail, though, because small errors can cause big, messy problems. Read the instructions carefully and follow them exactly. Choosing the right pipe sizes and installing them at the correct angles is critical.

These toilets are just as easy to remove and reinstall in another location without damaging either the toilet or the bathroom. They’ll work well in a temporary bathroom for long-term guests or for someone with limited mobility who can’t easily reach the upstairs bathroom. They’re handy if you’re planning extensive home remodeling and won’t be able to use your main bathroom for a while.

Macerating toilets are as durable as standard toilets, usually working for around 10 to 15 years before any parts need replacing. They’re also easy on the environment. While some models use the standard 1.6 gallons per flush (GPF), most upflush toilets use around 1.28 GPF, with some using as little as 0.8 GPF. The slurry they create breaks down quickly.

Cons: Upfront Cost and Maintenance

The upfront cost of a macerating toilet is almost always higher than for a standard gravity-flush model, and depending on the brand, the cost could be almost twice as high. Even so, installing one is cheaper than modifying existing plumbing to accommodate a standard toilet.

The pump can’t run without electricity, so if you’re in an area with frequent power outages, you might find an upflush toilet too unreliable. A battery-operated model can solve this problem.

Due to the action of the grinder and pump, macerating toilets are a little noisier than standard toilets. Most pumps run between 35 and 45 dB(A), around the same noise level as the hum of a modern refrigerator. The maceration process produces some odor, but most systems are enclosed and vented well enough that you won’t notice it.

Maintenance for these toilets is a little more involved than for standard models, and they’re more likely to clog. You’ll need to flush regularly and monitor the pump to make sure it doesn’t run dry, which could cause it to burn out. Keep an eye on the pump’s overall performance because the impeller is prone to wear with age, leaving you with a slow-running toilet.

Some common toilet cleaners, especially those containing corrosive chemicals such as bleach or hydrochloric acid, can damage the toilet’s rubber components. Cleaning products that foam up can cause the macerator pump to run too long, leading to damage. Avoid using soap with a thick lather in any connected sink or shower. Vinegar works for cleaning the bowl, but if you have hard water, use a specially formulated descaler to prevent limescale buildup in the pump.

When installing a standard toilet isn’t possible, a macerating toilet gives you a more flexible alternative. You’ll pay more upfront and spend a little more time on maintenance, but you can enjoy the convenience of having a bathroom exactly where you want it.

How long your septic system lasts depends in large part on how well it’s built and how well you care for it. While you should get 20 to 30 years out of your system if you care for it well, a design flaw, neglect, or misuse could cause it to fail within 15 years.

Choose the Right Type of Tank

The material your septic tank is made from affects its longevity. Well made concrete tanks have the longest potential lifespan at 40 years or longer. They’re impervious to rust and heavy enough not to work their way to the surface as some lighter tanks can.

High-quality plastic and fiberglass tanks can last 30 years or longer, while steel tanks typically last 20 to 30 years. Construction matters, though. A steel tank will outlast a tank made from low-quality, incorrectly mixed concrete.  

Your soil quality also has an influence. Acidic soil and groundwater are the biggest threats to concrete and steel tanks, but they’re less destructive to plastic and fiberglass models. Plastic and fiberglass tanks are, however, more vulnerable to damage from vibrations or the weight of vehicles driving over them. Each material has its place, and your installation company can help you decide which is best for your situation.

Use Your Septic System Correctly

Being mindful of how you use your system will keep it in good condition longer. When a septic system is installed, the drain field (leach field) is sized to accommodate the number of people who’ll be using it. This is calculated by assuming two people for each bedroom. So the drain field for a two-bedroom house is sized for four people.

Typically, the drain field is the first part of the septic system to start having problems, and it’s often due to hydraulic overload caused by overuse. When your tank gets more water than it’s designed to handle, the wastewater can be forced out of the septic tank and into the drain field before the solids have been broken down. The solids then end up in the drain field where there aren’t enough of the right bacteria to break them down efficiently.

To prevent this problem, be aware of how much water you’re putting into the system each day. Try to avoid doing two water-using tasks, such as showering, doing laundry, or running the dishwasher, at the same time.

If you have several loads of laundry every week, break the loads up over several days. Repair leaky fixtures or replace them with low-flow fixtures. Direct downspouts and yard runoff away from the drain field. If your septic system wasn’t sized for a whole-house water softener, don’t use one. Water softener backwash can overload the drain field soil.

Avoid rinsing or flushing away any solids. This includes food scraps that aren’t first run through the garbage disposal, cooking grease, and coffee grounds. Using the garbage disposal won’t damage your system, but it will put more strain on it.

Nothing other than human waste and toilet tissue should go into the toilet. Not even so-called “flushable” wipes, toilet tissue rolls, and other products should go into the system. Choose toilet tissue labeled septic-safe or biodegradable.

Some household cleaning products contain chemicals that can kill the beneficial bacteria that make your septic system work. Products containing chlorine, ammonia, and antibacterial chemicals are particularly harmful. Take care to use only septic-safe products.

Avoid driving, parking, building, or letting livestock walk on the drain field. This kind of weight can compact the soil and make it less able to absorb effluent. Don’t pave the drain field. Doing so blocks oxygen necessary for soil bacteria to break down material in the effluent. To protect your system from root damage, don’t plant trees within 25 feet of the tank or drain field.

Stay on Top of Maintenance

No septic system will enjoy a long lifespan without regular professional maintenance. Over time, scum accumulates in the tank and must be removed before it exceeds the tank’s storage capacity. Let the tank get too full, and you’ll soon have slow drains and backups in the house and a swampy drain field that smells of sewage. Eventually, your drain field will fail, which usually means you’ll need a new one.

The average household system requires pumping once every three to five years, or more often when the garbage disposal is used regularly. Some systems might need pumping every year. Most septic system maintenance companies also perform an inspection and take care of any necessary repairs when they come to pump the tank.

Repairing a crack in the tank or replacing a broken pipe or damaged baffle early on prevents more severe problems that could destroy your system. Once you know how often your system needs service, put a date on your calendar and update it for changes, such as another person moving in.

Make sure your septic tank’s lid is accessible, so you aren’t tempted to delay service because it’s inconvenient. Uncover the lid if it’s buried and install a septic riser. Septic risers are large, lidded wells of concrete, plastic, or steel that bring the septic tank opening to the surface where it’s easy to reach.

The more you know about your septic system, the better you can provide the care it needs. Learn where the tank and drain field are, what type of tank you have and how much it holds, and the last time the tank was pumped. If you don’t have the original plans or permit, the local agency responsible for septic tank permits can most likely provide a copy.

Correct use and good professional care pay off for years. While most septic systems start having drain field problems after around 20 years, a system that’s well maintained and not overloaded could serve you for 30 years or longer.

Over time, all the gunk that passes through your pipes can build up, leaving you with slow-running drains and backups. Tree roots growing into your sewer line can cause the same problems. While drain cleaners and drain snaking might help with smaller clogs, the results don’t last long. Professional hydrojetting completely removes buildup and blockages to keep your plumbing working reliably for longer.

How Hydrojetting Works

Hydrojetting is a method of pumping highly pressurized water through the pipes to break up clogs and remove buildup. It’s like having your plumbing pressure washed.

A hydrojetting machine consists of a high-pressure hose line connected to a specialized jet nozzle on one end and a water pressure machine on the other. The nozzle end is fed into the pipe, and pressurized water is pumped through the hose to the nozzle, which produces high-pressure water jets that remove debris as the nozzle moves down the pipe. Some of the debris these jets can cut through include:

• Grease and kitchen drain sludge
• Soap scum
• Hair clogs
• Mineral scale
• Tree roots
• Dried concrete

If you have a clogged or slow-running drain, your plumber might recommend hydrojetting when the blockage is too severe to remove with a drain snake alone or too hard to reach with one. The method is especially helpful when your problem is recurring, suggesting your pipes need a thorough cleaning rather than just clog removal. Hydrojetting is also useful for routine pipe cleaning to prevent future issues.

Weighing the Pros and Cons

Safe and Environmentally Friendly 

Hydrojetting uses only water to clean your pipes, so you won’t have to hassle with caustic drain cleaning chemicals. Sodium hydroxide, the active ingredient in most store-bought drain cleaners, isn’t technically an environmental pollutant, but it is hazardous to your health. The fumes irritate the nose, throat, and respiratory tract, and skin contact can cause chemical burns.

Gentle on Pipes

Caustic drain cleaners might seem like an easy way to get rid of clogs, but they can cause more harm than good. They rarely dissolve the whole clog, so it’s likely to form again. Using drain cleaners to get rid of recurring clogs can corrode your pipes, raising the risk of leaks.

Hydrojetting eliminates the clogs and other buildup without harming your pipes. It’s safe enough to use every year. Even so, some very old or damaged pipes might be too weak for hydrojetting. Your plumber should inspect your pipes to make sure they can handle the pressure.  

Thorough

Drain cleaners and snaking only poke a hole in the clog or, at best, partially break it apart. Hydrojetting flushes the clog and any surrounding debris away, leaving the pipe interior clean. This reduces the chance of debris backing up or lingering debris forming another clog. Hydrojetting is also more effective at reaching clogs deep down in the pipes.

Limited Use 

While hydrojetting is safe and effective for most situations, it can’t get rid of every obstruction. If a pipe is blocked due to damage, such as a break, a bellied (sagging) line, channeling (erosion-based damage), or offset (misaligned) joints, hydrojetting won’t help.

In these cases, your plumber might need to slip line the pipes or dig them up and replace them. For dense tree root blockages, the plumber might first snake the pipe to break up the roots, then hydrojet to remove the remaining debris. Hydrojetting a dense blockage can cause damage if the water can’t get through the blockage and sprays back through the pipe. 

The Hydrojetting Process

Most plumbers don’t start hydrojetting until they’ve inspected the interior of the pipes. To do this, they’ll access a cleanout, a section of the plumbing system that gives a professional easy access to the pipes. Usually, one outside your home is preferable.

They’ll then insert a small camera on a cable into the pipes. This helps them determine the exact cause of the blockage and decide whether or not hydrojetting will help. The inspection also alerts the plumber to any cracks, deterioration, or other issues that could be worsened by hydrojetting.

Some plumbers offer camera inspection as an optional service at an additional cost, but it’s still a critical step. If your plumber hydrojets without an inspection and hits a weakened section they weren’t aware of, you could end up with serious plumbing damage.

If the plumber determines hydrojetting is the right approach, they’ll calculate how much water pressure to use based on the pipe’s size and condition. In the average home, most pipes are between 1 1/2 to 4 inches in diameter. For these, around 1500 to 2000 PSI gets the job done. That’s similar to the water pressure a home pressure washer produces.

Larger pipes require higher pressure and specialized equipment. Some hydrojetting machines can produce 5,000 PSI, but due to the risk of serious injury, operating one requires advanced skills and protective gear.

To start work, the plumber inserts the nozzle-tipped hose into a cleanout or other opening in the downstream section of your plumbing system. The hose moves upstream along the pipe, cutting through clogs and scrubbing debris from the sides of the pipe. Any debris that breaks loose is pulled downstream by gravity, leaving your pipes clean. All the plumber needs to do to finish up is remove the hose.

If you’re tired of slow drains and constant clogs, it might be time for hydrojetting to get rid of the stuck-on debris gunking up your pipes. Even if your plumbing is working perfectly, hydrojetting as part of routine maintenance will keep things flowing smoothly. A plumber can help you decide if hydrojetting is the right cleaning option for your system.

As they age, septic tanks can sustain damage that isn’t immediately obvious, but that can still cause issues such as sewage backups or water supply contamination. A septic dye test makes it easy to spot major problems without using more invasive inspection methods. Although common, a dye test is far from exhaustive, so make sure you understand the limitations of this test before you schedule one.

What a Septic Dye Test Can Tell You

A septic dye test is one of the simplest methods of pinpointing issues with the septic system. It’s most often used to check for leakage of septic effluent (liquid sewage) due to broken pipes or incorrect installation, but can also be used to verify that a new household appliance or drain is correctly connected to the septic tank system.

The inspector who performs the test only needs to put dye into the septic system, then wait to see if it shows up above ground. If it does, you know you have a problem somewhere. Many certified home inspectors offer the test as an add-on service, but in some jurisdictions, you might need to hire a certified septic inspector.

While you can have the test done for your own septic system if you suspect there’s a problem, it’s more often done as part of a home inspection to provide the prospective buyer with some basic assurance that the system is running correctly. Because incorrect installation can cause malfunctions, even brand new septic systems should be inspected.

As popular as the septic dye test method is, its usefulness is highly limited. Dye test failures are rare, and when a system does fail, it’s usually already showing signs of leaks or clogs, such as backed up toilets and drains, sewage odors, and standing water around the tank and drain field.

It’s also possible to get inaccurate results by using too little or too much water. Recent rain or snow, a layer of leaves, and tall grass can obscure any dyed effluent on the soil surface so much neither you nor the inspector notice it. What’s more, even if no dyed effluent appears, that doesn’t conclusively prove the system is working optimally.

Most septic systems need to be pumped every three to five years, and they’re usually inspected at the same time. If you’re looking to buy a house where the septic system was recently pumped and inspected, ask the owner to show you the invoice. This should list any issues found or repairs made. If no invoice or other report is available, consider holding off on the dye test until the system contains the amount of water needed to test the drain field effectively.

A septic dye test should satisfy your home loan lender, but if you want to know the system’s true condition, you’ll need a full septic tank inspection. If you’re serious about buying the house, ask the owner if they’d be willing to have the system pumped and inspected at a cost you can both agree on.

The Septic Dye Test Process

A septic dye test is done by adding dye, usually green or red, to the septic system, flushing water into the system, then waiting to see if the dye appears anywhere above ground. The dye makes any escaping effluent visible and traceable. If there’s a problem with the system, the dye might show up in the drain field, your yard, or a nearby waterway.

The home inspector starts by determining the capacity of the septic tank, then calculating the amount of dye required to color that amount of water. Next, they’ll determine the water flow rate in gallons per minute from the source they’ll be using to add water to the tank. With this information, they can calculate how long to let the water run to fill the septic tank.

If the goal is to test for escaping septic effluent from any source in the house, the inspector will either add the dye tablets directly to the septic tank and add water from a garden hose or flush the dye down a toilet and run a faucet. If you’re trying to verify that a household appliance or drain is connected to the septic system, the inspector will add dye directly to that appliance or drain.

They’ll then run the water for around 10 to 15 minutes to push the dye through the septic system, then into the drain field. Exactly how long the water should run depends on the size of the tank and the faucet’s water flow.  

If a pipe, inlet, outlet, or other part of the system is damaged, the dyed effluent might escape and travel to the soil surface at the point of damage. If the drain field is clogged, dye might show up there or nearby. Again, though, just because damage exists, that’s no guarantee the dye will show it.

In most cases where dye appears, it surfaces within 15 minutes to several hours. In rare cases, it can appear in nearby waterways as much as five days later. The inspector or health department regulations determine how long to wait, but this should never be less than three hours. Some inspectors prefer to check back several days later.

Dye appearing on the soil surface means the system has failed the test. If you’re considering buying the house, a failed dye test can affect your ability to secure a loan unless you have a plan for replacement. If it’s your house, you’ll need to consult a septic tank company for advice on what to do next.

A septic dye test alone isn’t enough to prove a septic system is working, but it can show you if any major issues are present and help you secure a home loan. If you’re considering having a system dye tested, work with a home or septic system inspector who’s trained in performing the test and interpreting the results.

A dry well is always concerning, but it’s rarely a long-term problem. Even when it hasn’t rained in weeks, it’s often possible to fix a dry water well using techniques developed to reach water still lingering deeper down.

Assess Your Situation

Before you look for solutions, make sure your well really is dry and not just running into a problem with the pump or pressure tank, or with a buildup of mineral scale that’s reducing your water flow. A professional well technician can measure the water level and assess the well’s condition to tell you exactly what’s going on.

In the meantime, there are a few signs to look for. When your well starts to run dry, you might notice reduced water pressure, sputtering faucets, and/or sediment in the water. The pump might run, but fail to draw water.

It’s rare for a well to run dry permanently. Once the water table is recharged by rainfall, you should have water again. The bad news is that if your well is dry due to severe drought, the best solution might be to find an alternative water supply until it rains again. Hiring a water delivery service is one option, but the water they bring should never be poured into your well. Doing so could damage the well and contaminate your water supply.

Lowering the Water Pump

There’s a good chance your well still contains water below the pump’s current level. If your well uses a submersible pump, the most common type used in residential wells, lowering it down to the new water level could allow you to draw water again.

Unfortunately, this won’t work if you have a jet pump. Your well also has to be deep enough to accommodate more pipe. Even with the right pump and depth, if the well is producing little to no water, lowering the pump might not be worth the effort for the little water remaining.

It’s possible to do this job yourself if you’re experienced with well development, but it’s always a good idea to consult with a well drilling technician, especially if your well is more than 150 feet deep. Although deepening is often the cheapest way to fix a dry water well, hiring a technician for the job can run well over $1000.

The technician will first need to assess the conditions in the well. In some cases, lowering the pump can interfere with motor cooling and isn’t advisable. The technician will then determine the depth of both the well and the pump intake, and compare the two. Finally, they’ll install more pipe at the top of the well to allow the pump to reach a greater depth.

Hydrofracture the Well

Also known as hydrofracking, this well rehabilitation method uses high-pressure water to clear away silt and sediment that’s blocking the fractures in your aquifer, allowing more water to flow to your well. It’s only an option if your well draws water from an aquifer.

When successful, hydrofracturing can increase your yield by 1 to 3 gallons per minute on average. The success rate is around 97 percent, but there are rare instances where geologic conditions don’t allow for any increase in water flow.

The cost typically runs between $2000 to $5000, but it’s almost always cheaper than drilling a new well. The technicians start by removing the pump, pipes, wiring, and other equipment in the well. They’ll then lower a packer, which resembles a giant balloon, into the well and inflate it. The space under the packer is then filled with clean water to increase the pressure until the pressure suddenly drops off, indicating the blockage has been cleared. Finally, the well equipment is reinstalled.

After 48 hours, a technician can perform a yield test to find out if the work was successful. Because so much water is used in the hydrofracking process, a yield test performed too early is likely to give you inaccurate results.

Deepen the Well  

Drilling deeper could let you tap into another aquifer that’s still carrying water. This is typically the best option if your well is shallow, meaning less than 50 feet deep. A deeper well will give you a more drought-resistant water supply and better water quality.

For wells already deeper than 50 feet, drilling down just another 10 feet could be enough to reach more water. A well drilling technician can assess the area and tell you if it’s worth trying to find more water deeper down. Drilling work is expensive, especially in rocky terrain and on slopes, and you’re never guaranteed to reach water.

If your well casing doesn’t extend above ground, a technician will need to extend it to conform to modern safety codes. Before drilling, the technicians will remove the pump and other well equipment. They’ll then set up a drilling rig over the well and clean, or ream, the borehole to remove debris. Finally, they’ll attach a drilling bit to deepen the borehole.

Given the work involved, deepening isn’t always cheaper than drilling a new well. The cost depends on the condition of your well, the terrain, and the depth of the water table among other factors.

Replace the Well

Although many wells supply water reliably for 50 years or longer, their average lifespan is around 20 to 30 years, not including replaceable parts. If the well that’s run dry is older than a few decades, it might be time to have a new one drilled.

Before drilling, your well drilling technician will use groundwater exploration methods to find an ideal site, so there’s little risk of coming up empty handed. In addition to restoring your water supply, drilling a new well gives you the chance to correct anything you didn’t like about your old well, such as construction issues, storage tank capacity, and yield.

Because the technicians won’t have any equipment removal or cleaning work to do before getting started, drilling a new well is often simpler and less expensive than deepening an old one. The cost varies widely depending on your terrain and the depth needed, but it averages around $5500. You’ll also need to have the old well sealed according to local guidelines to protect your water supply and prevent accidents.

A dry well doesn’t have to mean disaster. If the drought is short term, just lowering the pump is often enough to fix a dry water well until the rains return. For longer dry spells, hydrofracturing or deepening your well could restore your water supply and improve your future yield, too.