No Water at the House? Run This 5-Minute Checklist First
Published · Updated
When the house goes dry, the first instinct is to call for emergency service. That is sometimes correct — but about one in three no-water calls turns out to be something the homeowner can fix in two minutes once they know where to look.
Run through this short checklist before you submit a request. If the answer is still no water, submit an Urgency 5 request through the form and we will move fast.
Step 1 — Check the breaker
Find your main electrical panel. Look for the breaker labeled "Well," "Pump," or sometimes "Sub Pump." If it is tripped — sitting in the middle position rather than fully on or off — flip it fully off, then fully on.
If the breaker holds, you may have water back within 30–60 seconds. If it trips again immediately, stop. Tripping breakers usually indicate a real electrical problem, and resetting repeatedly can damage the pump motor.
Step 2 — Check the pressure switch
Find the pressure switch — usually a small gray box on the pipe near your pressure tank. With the breaker off, you can manually push the contactor lever to test the switch. Switches fail surprisingly often, especially after lightning storms.
If you are not comfortable with this step, skip it. Pressure switches are inexpensive and we replace them frequently — often it is the entire fix.
Step 3 — Check the pressure tank
Tap the side of your pressure tank with a knuckle. The top third should sound hollow (air); the bottom two-thirds should sound dull (water). If the entire tank sounds dull, the bladder has failed and the tank is waterlogged. That alone can cause no-water symptoms by short-cycling the pump.
Step 4 — Look for visible leaks
Walk the line from the well to the house if you can. A buried leak between the pump and the pressure tank can drain the system faster than the pump can refill it. Wet patches, soft ground, or unusually green grass in a line from your well are all clues.
Step 5 — Check the well cap
If your well cap is cracked or sitting loose, surface water can enter and overload the pump. Note the condition but do not remove the cap — it is sealed for a reason and needs proper sanitization if opened.
If you still have no water — submit a request
When you submit, include: how long you have had no water, anything that happened just before (storm, surge, livestock incident), what your breaker did, and what your pressure gauge reads (if visible). Mark Urgency 5 for true emergencies.
We carry the most common Franklin and Goulds parts on the truck and can usually restore water on the first visit.
Related questions, answered.
Air spitting at the faucets and dropping water table reports in your area both point to a dry well. A clean stop with no air, after years of normal service, more often points to a pump or electrical failure. We can confirm with a downhole sounding in 15 minutes.
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