House, design, renovation, decor.  Courtyard and garden.  With your own hands

House, design, renovation, decor. Courtyard and garden. With your own hands

» How wells are cleaned. An overview of the most effective ways to clean a well with your own hands

How wells are cleaned. An overview of the most effective ways to clean a well with your own hands

The well is an ideal alternative to connecting to the central water supply network. Such a source of life-giving moisture completely solves the issue of irrigation and the use of water for domestic needs.

Availability of a water source on personal plot undoubtedly has a lot of positive aspects, but it should be remembered that it needs to be serviced regularly. The main maintenance procedure is well cleaning, which will be discussed in the article.

Maintenance work must be carried out at least once a year. Then the system will function properly, and you will receive an uninterrupted water supply. The owners of summer cottages strive to carry out the cleaning procedure on their own, so the question "How to clean the well with your own hands?" is quite relevant for them.

If you do not carry out preventive cleaning once a year, then the minimum pressure in the system may serve as a signal to carry out such measures. After it, a short-term stagnation occurs, characterized by gurgling and the release of dirty water.

The main causes of breakdown

Before deciding how to flush the well, you need to identify the cause of the breakdown. A lot of them. The most common are:

  • non-seasonal use;
  • mistakes made during the drilling process;
  • changing the direction of the flow of groundwater;
  • lack of protection against debris falling into the mouth;
  • incorrect operation of the pumping mechanism and untimely maintenance of the hydraulic machines responsible for the water supply.

When deciding how to clean the well from sand, stones and other things that impede the water supply, you need to take into account the type of well. It can be with or without a filter device. In any case, well cleaning can be carried out in three ways:

  • flushing;
  • pumping;
  • purge.

Do-it-yourself well cleaning can be done much faster if there is no filter in its design. This is due to the fact that the equipment for carrying out cleaning activities can be lowered to the very bottom.

Of the three cleaning methods proposed above, the most accessible is pumping. It is most often taken into account by people thinking about how to clean the well of sand.

Cleaning with a vibrating pump

Cleaning of water wells can be carried out using a conventional or special pump designed to pump out a mixture of sand and debris with small stones. Cleaning the borehole from sand in this way is quite simple. To carry it out, you must perform the following steps:

  • lower the hydraulic machine to the bottom and start it;
  • all small debris at the bottom will fall into the water supply system and will be taken out; a similar method is acceptable for those people who do not know how to clean a well from clay;
  • during the cleaning process, it is required to periodically pass clean water through the system;
  • it will not be possible to clean the well with your own hands quickly, because during operation, the pump casing can get very hot, and it must be allowed to rest.

Well cleaning with a standard pumping unit of the "Malysh" type is permissible if their depth does not exceed 40 meters.

A bailer and a little physical effort

Cleaning of wells from silt and sand can be carried out using a thief. This method is acceptable if the well is slightly clogged and shallow. Otherwise, this method is ineffective.

Do-it-yourself cleaning of wells using a bailer is permissible if their depth is no more than 25 meters. Cleaning requires a winch and the physical efforts of at least two adult men.

Structurally, the bailer is a short piece of pipe on a cable, inside which there is a net and a ball. The cleaning process with its help is as follows:

  • the device sinks to the bottom;
  • then rises to a height of 50–70 centimeters and rushes sharply;
  • under the influence of pressure, the inner cavity of the pipe is filled with water, and the ball moves to the upper part and then falls, closing the hole;
  • a similar cycle is repeated several times; then the bailer is pulled out and cleaned of silt, sand and other debris.

At a time, about half a kilogram of sand and silt gets into the bailer. By cleaning in this way, you can understand at what speed the well is clogged.

A bailer with a ball-shaped valve can be made by yourself (there are many videos on the Internet that can facilitate the manufacturing process) or purchased at a hardware store. Such a device is inexpensive.

Highly efficient mechanized method

Before cleaning the well in the country, you need to attend to the correct selection of equipment. First of all, you need to pay attention to performance characteristics pump responsible for the drainage of dirty water. For example, vibration pumps are used if the well depth is more than 10 meters.

Use of professional fire fighting equipment

You can clean the well from sand and silt by calling a fire engine. The fire hose must be lowered into the mine. A strong pressure of water under pressure will allow it to be cleaned in 10 minutes.

In contrast to the speed of cleaning, a number of reasons can be cited that characterize this method from the negative side:

  • firstly, rented fire fighting equipment is quite expensive;
  • secondly, this method of cleaning is dangerous: the filter and other components of the system may be damaged.

Thus, a fire engine should be involved in cleaning wells only in exceptional cases, for example, in case of severe pollution.

Archimedes' laws in the service of the summer resident

This method allows you to independently clean the well from sand and silt, using the Archimedes' laws known for several thousand years. A well shaft is a kind of vessel with a liquid. It is required to lower a pipe into it, at the bottom of which air is supplied under significant pressure by means of a compressor. This creates an air-foam mixture in the pipe. Thus, the water column rises up the pipe and goes out.

Compressor cleaning should be monitored. The blowing stops when the water runs out. Together with the water, all the debris present in it rises through the pipe.

How to choose a cleaning method

All of the above do-it-yourself well cleaning methods are available. You just have to choose the most effective one. As a rule, wells in suburban areas do not differ in great depth, therefore, cleaning can be done using a pump or a bailer.

If in the process of drilling water was found at a considerable depth, then a mechanized cleaning method should be used. Of course, there are many more cleaning methods, but they are not very popular.

Well filter

The above indicates that the water in the well is not of high quality, therefore, it must be purified using a filter before use.

In addition to the obvious factors indicating the low quality of water (sand, silt, etc.), it contains a lot of harmful impurities:

  • Iron. His allowable rate is equal to 0.3 mg / l. As the threshold is raised, the water becomes cloudy, stains plumbing and has an unpleasant odor. A well-chosen filter will help to cope with this problem.
  • Hydrogen sulfide. Its presence is indicated by an unpleasant odor. You cannot drink such water: it can be poisonous.
  • Increased mineralization. The salt content in drinking water should not exceed 1000 mg / l. Otherwise, the liquid will be salty.
  • Nitrates. They are capable of negatively affecting the heart and blood vessels. Their norm is 45 mg / l for adults and 10 mg / l for children.
  • Bacteria and Viruses. They are capable of causing various pathologies. These harmful microorganisms enter the water from the environment.

A well-chosen filter will help protect against problems caused by poor water quality. Its installation is especially relevant in water pipelines originating in wells prone to frequent clogging.

The filter must be changed regularly. The period of its correct functioning directly depends on the quality of the water. It increases with regular cleaning of the water source.

Purification can be carried out not only from various debris (for example, sand or silt), but also from harmful microorganisms and substances that affect the quality of water.

Such events cannot be carried out independently. For this, specialists from the sanitary and epidemiological station should be involved. In this case, the water from the well cannot be drunk for a certain time.

Preventive measures

It is almost impossible to prevent the contamination of wells with silt and sand, since these materials carry with them groundwater, and violation of the integrity of the soil structure is an excellent place for their accumulation. But it is not difficult to protect yourself from getting into the mine of various debris. To do this, you must carefully close it. It can be done various materials, for example, sheets of tin.

If the shaft has a shallow depth, then it is possible to finish the shaft with wood, concrete, etc. Often ordinary wells act as a place for water intake. They get off with reinforced concrete rings.

It should be understood that even timely preventive measures do not give a 100% guarantee that the well will not be clogged. They only allow you to increase the time between cleaning. In other words, a well-maintained well can be cleaned once every 2 years, and an uncomfortable well, sometimes several times per season.

Clean and replace filters in a timely manner, and then you will all year round provided with clean and tasty water. Moreover, carrying out cleaning activities will not require much effort, time and money from you. Surely one of the above five methods is perfect for you.

The well is convenient because it is an excellent alternative to centralized water supply; such a water source on the site solves problems with irrigation and the use of life-giving moisture for household needs. But it is necessary to carry out preventive work from time to time so that the well is clean and the system works properly, so many owners of summer cottages are thinking about how to clean the well with their own hands, without spending a lot of money on it.

If the water pressure has become weaker, this is the first alarm signal. This is usually followed by a brief stagnation with a characteristic gurgling and subsequent release of turbid water, and then the system stops working.

Do-it-yourself well cleaning begins with determining the cause of the breakdown. There can be many reasons for this: problems often arise during irregular operation, errors during drilling and construction. Aquifers can change their direction - in this case, the reason will be natural.

If the structure does not have protective mechanisms, much more debris will fall into the wellhead. This could be due to lack of maintenance or poor pump performance.


There are two main types of wells (with a filter and a straight bore) and three main ways to set up a well: flush it, pump it, or blow it out.

It is more convenient to clean the water intake with a straight barrel - the equipment can be lowered to the bottom, thereby eliminating the risk of quick siltation. But with irregular operation, any well will sooner or later become clogged.

The most affordable independent way of cleaning a summer well from sand and silt is pumping.

Method # 1 - using a standard vibration pump

If you have a regular pump or a special one that is used for polluted water, you can pump out both a mixture of silt and sand, and debris with small stones. A pump is installed at the bottom of the well, and all the debris deposited on the bottom enters the pipe and is sucked in by the pump. From time to time, clean water must also be passed through the pump. If the case gets very hot, it means that the equipment should be allowed to rest. It is possible to clean the well with a standard vibration pump of the "Malysh" type; if it is shallow, the pump will drop to a maximum of 40 meters.

Method # 2 - cleaning the well with a bailer

If the well is slightly clogged, and at the same time itself is shallow, you can use a bailer. In other cases, its application will be ineffective. If the depth is within 30m or more, you will need a winch as well, and this method of cleaning will require a lot of effort from two strong men.


A bailer is a piece of pipe on a cable with a mesh at the top and a hole at the bottom. It sinks to the bottom, then rises to a height of 0.5 m and drops sharply. Water is drawn inside, a metal ball is located inside the cylinder, which rises after a couple of seconds, and then descends and closes the hole. This lifting-lowering cycle is repeated three to four times, then the thief rises and is cleaned of sand. To work more conveniently, you can use a tripod. At a time, about 0.5 kg of sand gets into the cylinder, so by cleaning in this way, you can find out how quickly the well is clogged.

You can make your own bailer with a ball valve or buy it ready-made in the store.

Method # 3 - mechanized cleaning

The most effective method for deep wells is mechanized cleaning. The best option is to use two pumps working in pairs.

A downhole pump equipped with a lower hydraulic intake is located at the bottom of the well. It lifts up water with mud and silt. The pump, working with it in pairs, supplies water to shake up the deposits under pressure from the reservoir. For the cleaning to be really effective, the water drainage hose must be shaken and taken care that the amount of contaminants is not too large, if their concentration in the water is very high, overheating and even equipment damage can occur.

The equipment must also be selected correctly, the selection depends on the depth at which the water is located. Vibration pumps are used if the water depth is more than 10 meters.

Method # 4 - cleaning with a fire truck

You can call a fire truck to clean the well. Using a fire hose and a high pressure head, a well can be cleaned in ten minutes. But this method is expensive and dangerous, from strong pressure filters and system components can be damaged. This method is recommended for heavy contamination.

Method # 5 - using a lift-airlift

How to clean a well in the country from sand and silt using an airlift? The method is to use Archimedes' law. What is a well in essence? This is a vessel with water. A water-lifting pipe is placed in it, into the lower part of which compressed air is supplied with the help of an air compressor. A mixture of air and foam forms in the pipe. The water column presses from below on the riser pipe - the process begins, it must be controlled so that the water in the well being cleaned does not end.

Since the bottom of the pipe is located almost on the sand, the sand rises with water and is absorbed by the riser. The job of the cleaning person is to monitor the water level in the well.

As a rule, the wells in the areas are shallow, and a standard vibratory pump or a bailer is suitable for cleaning. If the well depth is significant, you can try the mechanized cleaning method. When using a fire engine hose, cleaning the well will be very quick but expensive. Unfortunately, this method often leads to damage, and this entails additional costs. If the main source of water in your country house is a well, choose a cleaning method convenient for you and periodically clean it so that there are no interruptions in the water supply, because water in the country is the main condition for a comfortable stay.


diz-cafe.com

Clogging reasons

The following indicators are considered the most common:

  1. Incorrect pipe installation. For example, when the water intake is located in the aquifer zone or in the area of ​​slow arrival of water.
  2. Low pumping volume when equipping a well for high volume consumption. Yes, this also leads to the fact that the bottom is silted up and cleaning of the well is required. If the well is not used for a year, you can try to organize a very intensive pumping by turning on the pump for a long time. Doesn't help, read and watch the video: how to flush a well.
  3. The use of a rotary pump also leads to the appearance of silt and sand in the mine. The reason is the impossibility of using a pump of this type at a depth below 10 meters; a deep submersion pump is required here.
  4. Installing a filter with a diameter smaller than the pipe is a sure way to clog the mine. A very thorough well cleaning will be required, and not always possible by the user's own efforts.
  5. A vibrating pump equipped with an overhead water intake is another cause of blockages.

Important! The presence of coarse or fine sand may not affect the operation of the entire well in any way.

But in order to minimize the risk of clogging, it is better to use a special filter that allows water to pass through, the smallest particles of insoluble inclusions. In some cases, the well is equipped with a filter equipped with two pipes of different diameters with drilled holes. In this case, the annular space will be filled with a wire spiral. This design will help to avoid frequent flushing, but it will impair the natural cleaning of the mine.

Cleaning options

Preventive flushing of wells will help to avoid serious troubles when you need the help of specialists. In order to clean the well with your own hands successfully, you will need some devices: a pump, injection guns, hoses and pumps. Of course, not all at once, and the use of these technologies is an expensive pleasure, so we will analyze some options on how to clean the well on our own.

Bailer

This method is laborious, but very good results can be achieved with the bailer. The type of cleaning is especially shown if there are deposits of silt, sand, large particles falling into the water at the bottom. You can make a thief yourself if you make it (in outer diameter) smaller than the narrowest section of the mine. In order to make a bailer you will need:

  • 600 mm pipes with a diameter of 500 mm;
  • metal ball about 40 mm in diameter;
  • make the bottom of the pipe in the form of a washer, the top - like a funnel;
  • the saddle will be 40 mm;
  • need washer bottom or back funnel.

To prevent the ball from jumping out, the washer is welded to the pipe, just like a wire mesh. The rope for the ball is fixed with an arc-shaped handle, but several sharp fangs can be welded to the bottom of the bailer, loosening the bottom, this will speed up the cleaning process.

And now how to clean the well with a bailer:

  1. securely fix the structure with a cable that lowers it to the bottom;
  2. slightly raise the bailer above the well and sharply lower it;
  3. the weight will "throw" the entire structure to the bottom, and the ball will remain in place, so the bottom hole will not close;
  4. it is into the hole from below that a layer of sand, silt will enter the water;
  5. as soon as the thief is full, the ball will gradually drop down and block the hole.

It remains only to lift the equipment up, pour out the slurry and you can start the cycle of work again. Such cleaning of the well eliminates up to half a kilogram of slurry at a time, which will allow you to accurately calculate the timing of siltation of the well. You can watch how professionals do cleaning in the video, it will also tell you best options making the bailer yourself.

Cleaning the bottom of the mine with a vibration pump

This is a slightly less laborious process and much faster, cleaning a well with a vibration pump requires:

  • pump;
  • a firmly fixed hose (you can strengthen the fastening with a wire or PVC tube inserted inside);
  • weight on the bottom of the hose.

Now directly cleaning the well:

  1. lower the pump to the bottom, and you need to turn on the device no earlier than at a distance of 10 cm from the bottom;
  2. turn on the pump and continue pumping.

This method will completely pump out water with a mixture of silt and sand, however, large particles will remain at the bottom of the well. You can watch the cleaning option on the video, where pumping is carried out in mines of varying degrees of contamination.

Steam pump cleaning

This is an even simpler technology that requires a deep and self-priming pump. Taking a little longer, the process prevents the vibration pump from quickly silting up. So, do it yourself cleaning the well using two pumps:

  1. a capacity of 200 liters is installed near the well;
  2. fix a bucket with a bottom punched like a colander to the container;
  3. lower the end of the hose to the bottom, lower the other end into the well;
  4. submerge a vibration pump in the water of the well;
  5. fix the pump about 250 mm from the bottom, run the hose.

It remains only to stir up the water with one pump and with the second pump out the slurry with a mixture of silt and sand using a hose. If the slurry is too thick, it is better to slightly raise the hose from the pump with water supply to avoid damage to the device.

Attention! Before starting work, the container must be filled with water. And do not rush to pump out the slurry, so as not to clog the hose.

In general, flushing the well will take no more than 2-3 hours, but this technology allows you to very thoroughly clean the bottom, however, it will leave large pieces of rock there. The duration of the process, as the video shows, depends on the degree of siltation of the bottom of the mine.

The simplest cleaning method

Often there is neither a bailer nor materials for its manufacture at hand, but there is a vibration pump. Then cleaning the well with your own hands from silt and sand will go well too, although the process is laborious. You will need a pump, reinforcement pin, cable. And now a description of the process:

  1. tie the pin to the cable;
  2. sharply raising and lowering the rope, loosen the silty bottom so that the layer of silt and sand gets into the water;
  3. now lower the pump into the water and pump out the slurry until a stream of normal purity comes out.

The method is really very simple, but it is rarely seen in the video. But there is advice from professionals: it is best when the cable and the pump are in the well at the same time, so that the slurry is pumped out immediately after mixing.

Chemical reagents are rarely used in well cleaning. As a rule, this requires special skill and application. special technologies... However, if there is nothing to call specialists for, and there is no hydrochloric, oxalic or other acid at hand, but only citric acid, it will also cope quite well.


The process of the chemical reaction is known to everyone: getting into the water, the acid begins to boil violently and thereby raises a layer of silt from the bottom. It remains to pump out the slurry by means of a pump and how to pump the well in order to remove the slightest acid residues. Positive moment this type of acid cleaning - the chemical reagent destroys even fossilized deposits, pulling them then to the surface. In this case, water is disinfected. However, if you take not food acid, but hydrochloric acid, then it is better to seek the help of specialists so that the cleaning takes place with minimal losses.

In addition, professionals use neutralizers, complexing agents, reducing agents and other reagents, with which cleaning the well from silt, as well as disinfection and aeration of the flow is not difficult.

Attention! When choosing any of the well cleaning methods, you need to be extremely careful. Working with heavy structures is dangerous, so it is best not to do it alone.

vodakanazer.ru

Reasons for clogging the water intake

One of the most common causes of clogging is irregular well use. This is especially true for those who use this source of water only in spring and summer, and live in the city during the autumn and winter months. During downtime, sediment from rust particles, silt and sand accumulates at the bottom, which clogs the filters.

The second most frequent cause is external pollution. Debris gets into the wellhead, edges crumble and other factors.

In third place are two possible reasons clogging. One of them is a filter smaller than the pipe size. In this case, the pump cannot be lowered to the required level and the filter gradually clogs. A similar situation can be observed when using rotary pumps, which can supply water from a depth of no more than eight meters.

Well cleaning options

There are several main ways to clean up a well, each with its own pros and cons.

  • Using a conventional vibration pump is the easiest way, but it can lead to premature wear of the device. This is due to sand particles, which can significantly reduce the life of the piston and check valve.
  • Cleaning the well with a bailer is the most time consuming method, but guarantees good results.
  • Swing Cleaning - Requires two pumps, so this is the most costly method.
  • Using an airlift - the method consists in cleaning the barrel with compressed air.

Cleaning and disinfection with acids

It is believed that the best way water well cleaning - using chemical reagents. The most popular are various acids, such as hydrochloric acid solution.

However, self-cleaning with such substances is not an easy task. The fact is that without special training, such actions can damage the equipment, as well as harm your health. Also, an important role is played by the fact that getting enough acid is not the easiest thing to do. Therefore, cleaning with chemicals is the lot of professionals. The methods presented below are no less effective, but they do not require special skills.

Well cleaning with a pump with a bottom intake

This method, which is known as swinging wells, is usually applied immediately after drilling is completed. However, it is also well suited for subsequent cleaning.

If you have a drain or faecal pump, the well cleaning process is greatly simplified. These devices are especially good in that they can pass fractions up to three centimeters long through themselves. For cleaning you will need:

  • Pump.
  • Discharge hose.
  • Cable.

A small metal rod or bracket that is securely attached to the bottom of the device will be a good help - they will break down dense layers of dirt.

You should proceed in this order:

  • The pump, fixed on a cable (preferably steel), is lowered until it touches the dirt.
  • The pump is connected to the power supply.
  • Slightly shake the pump up and down to loosen the sediment.

An indicator that the blockage is clearing up will be the flow of water with mud and sludge supplied by the pump.

In this case, it is to the pump that the improvised "baking powder" will be attached.

The procedure is the same as above. It is worth noting that the device must be constantly in water so as not to overheat.

It is also very important not to let go of the cable and monitor its tension. It is not uncommon for the sand accumulated at the bottom of the trunk to turn into quicksand. As a result, the surprised owner discovers that the pump is stuck in the well.

Well flushing with two pumps

Well cleaning with two tools is quite costly, but it is highly efficient. In addition, it works by flushing out sand and silt particles. You will need:

  • Barrel for water, volume not less than two hundred liters.
  • A bucket with small holes drilled in it.
  • Submersible and centrifugal pumps.
  • Two hoses.
  • A couple of pieces of rebar.
  • Clamps.
  • Cable.

The procedure is as follows:

  1. The submersible pump is lowered down and fixed at a height of about fifty centimeters above the blockage.
  2. The discharge hose is lowered into the barrel, after which it is filled with water to the very top.
  3. A bucket with holes is installed in the barrel, and a centrifugal pump is already in it.
  4. Pins from fittings are installed on the discharge hose of the centrifugal pump using clamps. It is necessary that they protrude from the edge of the hose by ten to twenty centimeters. After that, the hose, with an improvised baking powder, is lowered to the bottom.
  5. Both devices must be turned on, and the hose with fittings must be wiggled up and down. In this case, the blockage will be cleared due to the pressure of water and mechanical destruction of the formed plug.

It is worth monitoring the water level in the barrel, for which periodically turn off or turn on one of the pumps.

Using the airlift for flushing

This method of removing the blockage consists in using the so-called "airlift", from the English "air lift", that is, "raising the air." It acts due to the fact that water, with the help of air, begins to flow upward, and this draws in sand and silt from the bottom.

For such cleaning you will need:

  • Air compressor at twelve atmospheres.
  • Water in large quantities to create the necessary pressure.
  • Metal pipe, six centimeters in diameter and one meter long. In it, at a distance of 25 centimeters from one edge, an outlet for the duct is installed.
  • Air hose.
  • Water hose.

The procedure is as follows:

  1. The air hose is attached to the compressor and to the outlet.
  2. The second hose is attached to the opposite end of the pipe.
  3. This structure descends into the lower part of the trunk, plunging several centimeters into the silt. It is very important that the duct end points downwards and not upwards.
  4. The second hose is led out.
  5. After that, the well should be filled with water and maintained at its level so that the required pressure is created.

After turning on the compressor, water circulation will be provided, which will wash away the silt and sand. As a result, the dirt will be removed to the outside.

Removing a blockage with a thief

Cleaning the wells in this way is one of the simplest, you only need a bailer and a steel cable. However, it requires significant physical effort - it is manual labor.

A bailer is a special tool invented specifically for cleaning and can be easily purchased. Although, if desired, you can make it yourself, since there are many variations of this device.

Below is one of the most entertaining and enduring examples:

  1. You need to take a piece of pipe sixty centimeters long.
  2. A disc is welded inside the pipe, not far from its end, in which there should be a hole with a diameter half as large as the diameter of the pipe itself.
  3. At this end of the pipe, teeth are cut, which will break the blockage.
  4. A metal ball with a diameter of three quarters of the diameter of the pipe is laid in the pipe.
  5. A metal mesh is welded onto the pipe from above.
  6. A handle is installed to which the cable will be attached.

After that, the bailer is fixed on the cable and lowered into the wellbore. Then comes the time of monotonous work - you need to lift and throw down the thief, periodically pulling it up and cleaning it from the dirt accumulated inside.

Cleaning takes place due to the fact that when descending, the metal ball will descend a little more slowly. Thus, dirt, along with water, will have time to penetrate into the pipe before the ball closes the hole.

Prices for work and materials

Consider the approximate cost of the materials that we need. In almost all cases, you will need a metal cable, which costs about two thousand rubles per coil:

  • A drainage pump with a lower water intake costs about sixteen thousand rubles.
  • A centrifugal pump costs about seven thousand rubles, and vibrating in the area two thousand... A barrel for water will cost from six hundred to a thousand rubles.
  • The compressor will cost no more than six thousand rubles... The pipe will cost 200-300 rubles.
  • A ready-made bailer is in the range from ten to twenty thousand rubles. Hand made, if you have tools, it will cost three thousand rubles... Or, only at the price of electricity, since there are manufacturing methods that only require a drill. Pipes, if desired, can be found and old, if only they are strong enough.

klimatlab.com

Why wells are clogged

Well cleaning is required if it is silted up. There are a number of reasons for this.

  1. It may be that the pipe was not correctly installed during drilling. The section of the pipe, where the water should enter, is outside the limits of the deep water layer.
  2. A well can become silted if a deep-water vibration pump is installed with an overhead water intake.
  3. If the pumping out of water is weak, then dirt, silt, stones accumulate in the well. Soon, all this is rammed, which significantly limits the water supply. Therefore, if you use the well frequently and consume a lot of water, the likelihood of siltation is reduced.
  4. If the pipe diameter is larger than the filter diameter, then the pump will not be able to go below a certain depth - this is about 20-25 cm above the filter.
  5. Finally, silting can be caused by a rotary pump installed at a depth of less than 10 m. This will cause various particles to settle below the filter and condense there.

Well cleaning technology

Today there are a lot of well cleaning devices. It can be a pump, an engineering pistol, special vehicles. But it is not always possible to use such devices, and not only because of the excessively high price for such services, but also due to the limited space next to the well. In this case, you have no choice but to eliminate the siltation with your own hands.

Let's take a look at the most common cleaning equipment.

  1. Bailer.
  2. Vibrating pump.
  3. A pair of pumps used at the same time.
  4. Airlift (lift).

Now, in detail about each.

Cleaning with a bailer

This is the most effective and time-consuming cleaning method. The bailer allows you to bring back to life even the most neglected wells, to clean them of silt and small stones. You can make the bailer yourself, using the materials at hand and adjusting it to the size of the well.

Making a bailer

If you intend to make your own thief, you will need a metal pipe 70 cm long and Ø5 cm. You also need to find a metal ball Ø4 cm. Make the bottom of the pipe in the form of a thick washer.

Important! Make the top of the washer in the form of a funnel, and the diameter of its seat equal to the diameter of the ball.

It is desirable that the bottom of the puck looks like a back funnel. Next, take a washer and weld it to the bottom of the pipe, and attach a metal grate on top so that the ball cannot jump out. Weld an arcuate handle above the grill, a cable will be attached to it in the future. To increase the efficiency of the thief, fix a few metal "fangs" near the washer, which will loosen the sludge.

But we did not mention one important aspect - where to find such a ball so that it fits the size of the bailer? To get a ball, you can:

  • ordering its manufacture to a professional (blacksmith or locksmith);
  • by buying it in a store;
  • do it yourself.

Let's consider the last option in more detail. To make a ball, buy a children's rubber ball that is suitable in size. You also buy hunting shot, the caliber does not matter. Cut the ball into two equal parts and fill each of them with a shot previously mixed with waterproof glue. When the halves are dry, sand them thoroughly and join with the same glue. The reliability and durability of the bailer will depend on the quality of the glue. If you have not been able to buy a shot, then you can replace it with bearing balls.

Bailer cleaning technology

Attach the thief to a metal cable and lower it into the well. Having reached the bottom, raise the thief about half a meter, then sharply lower it. The potential energy of the ball will lead to the fact that it remains in the same position, while the bottom hole will be open and dirty water and sludge will get into it. Soon, the ball will drop under its own weight and close the hole. To fill the thief by ½ repeat the procedure about four times. Then slowly pull out the bailer and empty it.

With each such lift, you will remove up to 0.5 kg of mud and silt from the well.

Cleaning with a vibration pump

Another method of cleaning a silted well is to use a vibration pump. This method has excellent performance, however, it requires significantly less effort and time than cleaning with a bailer. It is ideal for tapered wells where conventional pumps are powerless. The only drawback can be considered the fact that when using a vibration pump, you will not be able to determine the bottom of the well.

You can use for this a submersible pump of the "Kid" class, which draws in from the bottom. Before starting the procedure, put the rubber hose on the water intake, firmly fasten it with wire. You can additionally insert into the hose metal pipe- this will keep it from slipping. Attach a small weight to the bottom of the hose so that during the dive the entire structure goes under the water entirely, and the hose does not float to the surface.

Lower the "Kid" pump into the well until its lower end reaches the silt. Then lift the pump 10 cm and turn it on. When cleaning is complete, you will need to replace the piston in the pump. Usually pistons come with it.

Important! Objectively, a vibrating pump is more efficient than a bailer.

This method of cleaning is able to cope with silting of any degree of complexity, and in record time. The disadvantage is that the working valve wears out a lot, and large particles cannot be lifted from the bottom of the well with such a pump.

Cleaning with a pair of pumps

Using a pair of pumps at the same time is the simplest way to remove sludge from a well. In this case, you will be using two types of pumps.

  1. Downhole device with a bottom fence.
  2. Self-priming device required to supply water to the well.

Well cleaning technology

Place the submersible pump at the bottom of the well. It will lift the silt to the surface. A self-priming pump, working in parallel with it, will supply water to the well to further agitate the sediment. Water will be supplied from a special container with a volume of 100-200 liters, installed near the work site.

Shake the water outlet hose from time to time to improve efficiency.

Important! Make sure that the concentration of sludge in the outlet water is not too high, as this can lead to overheating of the device.

Pay particular attention to the selection of pumps. It is characteristic that vibration pumps can be used only in cases where the depth of the well exceeds 10 m.

Cleaning with an airlift (lift)

Another well cleaning method is airlifts. What is the essence of this method? In the application of Archimedes' law. After all, what, in essence, are wells? That's right, an ordinary container of water. Place a water intake pipe in the well. Compressed air will be supplied to its lower part, for which an air compressor must be used.

When you turn on the compressor, a mixture of air and foam forms in the pipe, the water column will press on the pipe from below - this is the beginning of the process. Such cleaning requires careful control, you must ensure that the water does not run out in the well.

Cleaning takes place due to the fact that the lower end of the pipe is located almost at the bottom of the well, silt and sand rise and are drawn in by the water intake pipe. Again, your only task will be to control the water level in the well.

Finally

Often, wells on suburban areas shallow, so you can clean them with a thief or a vibrating pump. If the well depth is more than 10 m, then it is better to use the two-pump method.

Video - Reasons for well contamination

Video - Cleaning a well with a bailer

kanalizaciyaseptik.ru

Well clogging features

There can be several reasons for the contamination of the hole under the well. First of all, blockages are formed due to the illiterate installation of pipes during the drilling process. The well is connected to a source with a weak watercourse, resulting in siltation.

The well can become clogged due to infrequent use. In this case, sediments appear in the pipes, which are formed from substances in the water and rust inside the pipe. They create seals around the entire diameter and gradually reduce its volume. If the water from the well is used on a regular basis, there are usually no problems with pollution. If it is not possible to consume water, it is necessary to periodically pump it out, especially in summer period... The resulting water can be used to irrigate the site or water the lawn.

The well is contaminated when using rotary pumps for pumping. They are capable of producing water intake at a depth of 8 m, therefore, a large amount of precipitation accumulates at the bottom of the depression.

Water well cleaning

Most owners suburban areas faces the problem of cleaning after significant siltation of the water well. To prevent this from happening, you must constantly monitor her condition.

Timely cleaning using modern methods, involving the use of equipment such as a pump, a special pumping machine and an injection gun, may not be affordable for everyone. In such situations, most resort to proven cleaning methods that are carried out without outside help. Below are the most effective methods for cleaning a well with your own hands.

Cleaning with a bailer

This cleaning method is a complex process, but it is the most reliable. The equipment used for cleaning can create conditions of ideal cleanliness inside the well, that is, it will take on its original appearance in the literal sense.

The bailer is such a simple mechanism that it can be created with your own hands. This approach will allow you to create a device designed specifically for your well, since its diameter and depth will be taken into account during manufacture.

To create a bailer, you will need the following accessories:

  • metal pipe with 5 cm width interior space and a total length of 60 cm;
  • metal ball with a diameter of 4 cm;
  • tight washer along the pipe diameter;
  • strong rope or metal cable.

The ball must be pushed inside the pipe and the washer must be welded tightly at its bottom. The upper part is closed with a metal stick, which also needs to be welded. It will not allow the ball to jump out and will act as a handle to which a cable or rope will be connected. It is recommended to weld several sharp metal tips on the outside at the bottom of the pipe. They are designed to loosen sediments accumulated at the bottom of the well.

In the process of creating a bailer, the main difficulties arise with the ball, since it is difficult to find a suitable diameter. If you cannot find a ball on sale, you can make it to order from any turner or make it yourself.

To do this, you need to purchase a regular rubber or plastic ball with a dense structure and lead shot, which is available commercially at a hunting store. The ball is cut into 2 even halves and filled with a mixture made from water resistant glue and lead shot. Once the halves are dry, sand them and glue them securely. For high strength it is recommended to use epoxy adhesive. Thus, it will last for a long time of use. If you cannot find lead shot, you can use regular balls from smaller bearings instead.

How to clean a well with a bailer?

A rope or cable is securely tied to the finished device. It must be lowered to the very base of the well and raised by about 0.5 m. After that, the bailer again sinks to the bottom, but this is done with a sharp movement.

When the bailer drops sharply to the bottom, the ball inside the structure comes to the top of the pipe due to its inertia, and water, saturated with such components of the blockage as clay, sand and silt, passes through the hole in the washer. When the thief stops, the ball clogs up the hole with its mass. 4-5 such cycles will fill the device by 50-60%. Carefully pulling the thief upward, you need to clean it.

For 1 descent, the device can remove up to 0.5 kg of dirt, if you do not take into account the water. This amounts to approximately 3 cm of sludge by the volume of the pipe used. During the cleaning process, you will be able to determine the total amount of sludge remaining inside the well using this indicator. It will be much easier to clean the well with your own hands using a bailer if you build a special stand in order to hang the device over the recess.

Vibration pump cleaning

The next well cleaning method is more productive. He is not so picky about physical efforts. Its only drawback is the lack of the ability to accurately identify the basis of deepening, but this factor is not always important.

This method involves the use of a vibration pump with a lower water intake. It is necessary to put on a high-quality hose without cracks and small holes, which is strengthened with a clamp.

A PVC tube is pushed into the hose or a hose of the required length is connected. In the second case, you will need to attach a sinker to the end so that the hose is always at the bottom. Further, the pump plunges down and starts.

If you clean the well in the country with this method, you will cope with all the work 10 times faster than using a bailer. Upon completion of the work, it is recommended to replace the piston inside the pump with a new one. Usually an additional piston is included with the pump, so this will not pose any problem.

Borehole cleanout using this method is preferable for depressions with a uniform diameter. Another type of wells can also be cleaned with a vibration pump, but for this you will have to choose a device with a suitable diameter. In this case, it is important that the pump is exactly vibrating, it must have a water intake from the bottom.

The simplest self-cleaning method

This method is intended for anyone who does not have available cleaning tools, with the exception of a vibration pump located at the bottom of the well. It is designed for pumping and supplying water to the top. Get ready that the upcoming work will require a lot of effort from you, but it will not drag on for a long time.

This method involves swinging water right at the base of the source. This will help to stir it up, along the way, lifting all the dirt from the bottom.

You will need to create reliable design, consisting of a rope or cable, to which an iron sinker with a sharp tip is connected. It will help loosen the bottom of the well by dipping and lifting. After that, the pump is submerged, which pumps out water until the clogging precipitation completely disappears.

This procedure should be performed in several passes, since silt and sand quickly settle in the water. The work can be accelerated by lowering the baking powder while pumping out the water, but for this it is necessary that the diameter of the well freely accommodate the pump.

This well cleaning method does not involve any costs, it is quite simple and effective. You may need to devote a certain amount of time to the cleaning process, but practice shows that it always justifies the effort.

A well with a filter is cleaned using the 2nd method, since due to its location, immersion of the thief is not possible. Such a well must be cleaned 1 time within 2 years. The cleaning process takes much longer than a well with a uniform diameter.

moyaskvazhina.ru

Why is the well clogged at all?

Any well, even a very high quality one, is gradually clogged up. There are several reasons:

  • One of them is intermittent water intake. This problem arises among summer residents who live outside the city only in the summer. During autumn and winter, sediment from particles of silt, rust from pipes, sand brought with an aquifer accumulates at the bottom of the well ... And the less water is consumed, the larger layer of debris settles on the bottom, gradually clogging the filters.
  • The second common reason- pollution from the outside, when debris, soil from collapsing edges, etc., gets through the mouth.
  • Clogging can be caused by ground movements, errors in well installation. For example, if a filter is installed with a diameter smaller than that of the pipe. In this case, the pump is obtained above the filter and does not pump out water from the bottom. There is no circulation and the filter gradually silts up.

First compressor cleaning immediately after drilling

As soon as the well is drilled, it must be cleaned immediately, because not only water will flow into the pipes from the aquifer, but also all the debris that is in it. The installed filters cannot trap the smallest particles, from which the water becomes cloudy and unsuitable for drinking. Depending on the depth of the well, the post-drilling flush process can take from 10 hours to several weeks.

If the drilling was carried out by specialists, then they flush the system using a flushing unit. If the well was drilled by ourselves, you will also have to clean it of dirt yourself. To do this, you need a compressor with a capacity of at least 12 atm and several pipes, which must be connected together and inserted into the well so that they reach the bottom. In this case, the diameter of the pipes must be smaller than the diameter of the well, so that there is an empty space between them.

Let's consider step by step how to independently clean a well using a compressor:

  1. We insert pipes into the well. It is advisable to strengthen the top with a rope, because under high water pressure, the structure can bulge upward.
  2. We put a vacuum adapter on the pipe, securing it with self-tapping screws.
  3. We pump up the compressor to the maximum pressure.
  4. We put the compressor hose on the adapter.
  5. We turn on the unit and release all the air into the well.
  6. We repeat the pumping several times.

The air under the force of pressure will push the dirty water through the annular space. Therefore, do not be surprised if everything around is covered with mud.

If you do not achieve the purity of the water using air, repeat the procedure, replacing the air purge with a water purge, using the same piping with an adapter. To do this, find a large barrel, place it next to the compressor and fill it with water.

Using a water compressor, drive this water at maximum pressure into the well. But be careful, because heaps of mud, pushed out by this water, will fly at you. Clean the well until the container is dry. Then the flushing should be repeated until dirt is no longer ejected from the annular space.

With the help of blowing and flushing, the well is cleaned from silt or sand. But salt deposits on the filter cannot be knocked out in this way.

How to pump a well with a submersible pump?

A more accurate way to clean the well is with a submersible pump. You do not have to work in mud, because all the water can be drained in a place convenient for you. For this procedure, you need a pump that is designed to pump out dirty water. It is desirable that it can suck up solids up to at least 5 mm. Then you will remove not only sand from the bottom, but also small stones.

Consider how in the country you can clean a well using submersible pump:

  • We tie the pump to a strong cable, because during operation it can be sucked into the sludge, and the cord that comes with the unit will not always pull the pump out of this trap.
  • We lower the unit a couple of times to the bottom of the well and raise it to shake up the sediment.
  • We install the pump near the bottom and turn it on.
  • If the pump is equipped with automation, then it will shut off itself as soon as it pumps out all the water. If there is no such element, it is necessary to control the process so as not to miss the moment of complete pumping. A dry motor can burn out.

If you do not have a special pump for pumping out dirty water, you can clean the well with an ordinary vibration pump, such as "Kid". The work progress is exactly the same as described above. Only periodically, this pump must be taken out of the well for flushing with clean water. Vibration units are not designed for highly polluted water, therefore, without flushing, they will not withstand such a test and will burn out. By the way, the first sign that the pump is running out of wear is the heating of the casing.

To flush the system, you need a container with clean water and an empty one. Put the hoses in the container and turn on the unit.

Chemical cleaning and cleaning with a bailer

If the methods of blowing and flushing slightly increased the flow rate of the well, it means that the filters are clogged with solid layers of iron salts and lime. It will not work to knock them out with pressure. In this case, they resort to critical measures - acids. It is necessary to fill the bottom with ordinary battery acid, which is used for vehicles, after having pumped out all the water with a pump. Acid is poured for 2 days, and the top of the well is tightly plugged with a plug.

When two days have passed, water is pumped out of the well several times. But even after that, for a month they are not used for drinking and cooking, but only for construction or household needs. The more often water is withdrawn, the faster the acids will be flushed out of the well. And yet, before drinking water, it is better to take it for analysis in a laboratory. This will give you an official confirmation of its safety.

aqua-rmnt.com

    • Submersible pump flushing

If it is necessary to obtain clean water after a long downtime of a hydraulic structure, the degree of pollution and the condition of the pipe inside the structure should be determined.

Launching a water intake: how to properly pump a well after drilling

The first rule: it doesn't matter how, but it is necessary to pump the well after drilling immediately after the end of the work. If the work is not carried out on time, there will be difficulties with cleaning: all contaminants will settle at the bottom of the casing, it will be much more difficult to lift the compacted layer of clay, silt. Correct flushing will bring the flow rate of the well to the maximum level - the layer of silt will not impede the flow of water.

The flushing procedure is not technically difficult, but it takes a lot of time. Complete cleaning of shallow wells takes 12 hours, and pumping deep wells takes up to several months.

Choosing a cleaning method: how best to clean the well

To determine how best to clean the well, you should analyze the depth and composition of the soil at the site of the arrangement:

  1. Shallow water intakes, with lowering to 2 - 3 aquifers, with a predominance of sand or clay. In this case, you can both clean the well from sand and pump the source using homemade device- a bailer, hand pump or inexpensive submersible equipment.
  1. At a depth of 15 m, the work should be entrusted to the masters. For deep wells drilled into limestone and hard rocks, powerful centrifugal pumps and special equipment will have to be used.

Features of professional pumping

Experts determine how to flush a well after drilling by analyzing the composition of contaminants that rises with the first portions of water to the surface. Depending on the depth of the barrel, hoses and pipes of sufficient length are prepared.

In order to pump the well as quickly and efficiently as possible, professional submersible centrifugal pumps are used. The equipment is lowered to a precisely marked depth and water is continuously drawn until a jet is completely cleaned of impurities.

Important! It is expensive to independently carry out work with powerful equipment purchased for organizing water supply. The pump may fail due to prolonged pumping of water with mechanical particles.

Video: rules of professional pumping

Professional advice on how to properly pump a well after drilling

https://youtu.be/QtGyrZGqBR8

How to clean a well with your own hands from silt and sand

The owners of plots without electricity will have to independently resolve the issue. Also, the owners of old water intakes that have not been used for a long time are often faced with a problem.

Sources of water, the depth of which does not exceed 15 m, can be pumped independently without unnecessary expenses. A minimum of equipment is needed, the main thing is to stock up on time and patience.

With your own hands: how to clean a well with an ordinary bailer and a hand pump

The most economical option for solving the issue of how to pump a well with your own hands is to use a conventional bailer and a hand pump to facilitate the work and speed up the process. This method is suitable for surface wells if clay or sandy soil predominates.

You can make a thief yourself: a tip with a valve cutting with a sharp edge is welded to an ordinary thick-walled pipe. A handle or hook is attached from above so that the silt-filled pipe can be lifted to the surface.

The hand pump is operated to facilitate the work. With it, you can supply water to the inside of the column and suck the contaminated silt mass to the surface through a hose. Saves time and effort: no need to manually lift several tens of kilograms to the surface. The pump can be used after removing the bulk of the dirt with the thief for final cleaning.

How to clean a well with a bailer:

  • A thief is lowered to the bottom of the well. The valve opens from the water hammer, sludge and sand enter the pipe body together with dirty water, the valve closes automatically.
  • With the help of a winch, a cable, or a manually filled device, it is raised to the surface, the contents are poured out.
  • The procedure is repeated until the contamination is completely removed.

Disadvantages of the method: laboriousness, duration of the procedure. Due to the small volume of the device, the cleaning process can take weeks.

Submersible pump flushing

How to pump a sand well with your own hands? Most quick way- submersible pump. It makes no sense to buy an expensive imported tool for dirty work. It is enough to choose a cheap model. It is better that the water intake hole in the vibration pump is located at the bottom.

For pumping you will need:

  • Hoses that significantly exceed the depth of the source bore.
  • Pump.
  • Load (metal bolt, blank with fastening).
  • Rope or rope.

A cable is attached to the pump, which must be strong enough to lift the equipment if the pump is sucked into the sand. Better to use a thin and strong steel cable. After lowering the pump, a hose is lowered in parallel, which will supply water. The pressure will wash away and raise the pollution from the bottom.

To soften, loosening the sludge, you can lower the load to the bottom of the well before the pump is submerged. During cleaning, it is necessary to periodically lift the equipment, pump clean water - the pump will not break, overheat or clog.

Note! It is very important to accurately determine the immersion depth in order to purify the water from the well as best as possible. A pump set too low can suck into the sand that has accumulated at the bottom, and too high a pump position will prevent the sludge from being removed. Optimal height- from 50 to 70 cm from the bottom of the casing.

Cleaning with two pumps: how to flush the well yourself

Express method of how to pump a well: water is continuously pumped in with a surface pump, at the same time sludge rises from the bottom, a submersible pump pumps water to the surface. This is the fastest way.

You will need:

  • Two pumps: one for supply, the other for contaminated water intake.
  • Capacity, at least 150 - 200 liters.
  • Hoses.

First, a submersible pump is connected to fill the pipe with water. Then an external one is connected, the pressure washes away the dirt. The process takes place almost automatically. It is necessary to monitor the water level in the barrel, periodically turn off the pumps to avoid overheating.

Difficulties in pumping a well

The main problems that arise when pumping are associated with an incorrect choice of method and non-compliance simple rules... If the well is old, not used, it is better to entrust the diagnostics of its condition to specialists. Too intense pressure can damage the walls: in this case, you will have to repair the equipment and clog a new pipe.

Haste is another reason why the source cannot be flushed out. In areas with alumina, the process can take months, because polluted water easily penetrates back into the aquifer. It is important to discharge the pumped-out water over a long distance, so cleaning will take less time.

Deep water intakes should only be serviced by professionals. The procedure should be carried out regularly - the source will be reliably protected from siltation.

aqua-guru.ru

How to prevent well clogging?

There are no “eternal” wells for water supply. Unfortunately, sooner or later, the owner of an individual water source will face problems. It is bad if the aquifer has dried up, you will have to drill again or deepen the existing development. It is difficult and costly.

It is a different matter if a well clogging occurs - it is easier and cheaper to prevent it than to “cure” it.

Compliance with several rules contributes to the extension of the life of the source:

  • Strictly adhere to the selected drilling technology... Carefully monitor casing tightness and filter integrity.
  • Flush the source immediately after completion of drilling until clear water appears.
  • Protect the well from penetration surface waters and pollution, having installed a caisson, a head on it. As a temporary solution, simply seal the top of the casing.
  • Before starting operation, select and install the submersible pump at the required height, necessarily taking into account the flow rate of the well.
  • It is advisable not to use a vibrating pump for water supply.... Vibrating in the casing, depending on the type of soil, it more or less provokes the penetration of sand into the well or contributes to the siltation of the adjacent soil. A cheap and simple "vibrator" can be used for a short time; a centrifugal pump is needed for constant operation.
  • The well should not be idle indiscriminately... The ideal operating mode is daily pumping out of several tens or hundreds of liters of water. It is provided if people are constantly living in the house. If this is not possible, you should regularly, at least once every 2 months, pump out at least 100 liters of water from the well.

Possible causes of clogging

It is worth mentioning the types of well clogging, this will help identify the causes of problems and determine how to properly clean the well with your own hands:

No. 1 - sand penetration into the casing

"Sanding" is a problem encountered in shallow sand wells where the aquifer is located in the sand and gravel interlayer.

In a well-designed well, sand penetrates into the casing in small quantities. If the productivity of the source decreases, and grains of sand appear in the water, one of the following happens:

  • Sand penetrates from the surface - the head is leaking, the caisson.
  • The filter is incorrectly selected, the cells are too large.
  • The integrity of the filter has been compromised.
  • The tightness between the casing sections is broken. The thread is not screwed in to the end, the welding is poorly performed, the corrosion has “eaten through” a hole in the steel casing, mechanical damage plastic.

It is not possible to eliminate leaks that appear inside the well. Fine sand constantly breaks through the filter, but it is also easier to remove it, it is partially washed out when the water rises.

Worse, if coarse sand penetrates into the well, over time the source may "float". That is why special attention should be paid to the quality of the installation of casing elements and the selection of the filter.

No. 2 - siltation of an unexploited well

Over time, the smallest particles of clay, rust, calcium deposits, and sedimentary rocks accumulate in the soil in the filter zone.

When their number becomes too large, the pores in the aquifer and the cells of the mesh (perforated, slotted) filter become clogged, it becomes more difficult for water to penetrate through the mine shaft.

The flow rate of the well drops, its "siltation" occurs until the complete disappearance of water. In a source that is used regularly, the process is slow, stretching over decades. Without regular pumping, a well can be silted up in a year or two.

If the well is cleaned of silt in a timely manner, without waiting for it to completely dry out, it is highly likely to give the source a “second life”. Water will be supplied in sufficient volume to supply water to a private house.

Self-cleaning methods for wells

How to independently clean a well in which sand or silting has occurred? There are three principles of cleaning: pump, flush with circulating liquid or blow with compressed air. There are more cleaning methods based on the above principles:

Method # 1 - pumping with a vibration pump

Not always effective, but a very simple way to restore well productivity is pumping with a vibration pump.

Mainly due to the lack of demand for water quality. It more easily transfers the contamination of the pumped liquid with sand, “swallows” even small stones.

The abrasive can quickly break down check valve, but the part is cheap and you can replace it yourself in a few minutes.

A vibrating pump costs several times less productive, but more sensitive to abrasives, a circulating pump. Even if the vibration pump "burns out" during extreme pumping, the financial damage will not be so great.

Cleaning the well by pumping with a vibration pump will not help to cope with serious silting of the soil, but it is able to remove a large amount of sand that has penetrated the casing.

True, provided that the well is shallow. With a rise above 30-50 m, the performance of the vibro pump significantly decreases depending on the model. Please note: only a pump with a lower water intake is suitable for us.

In order for the "vibrator" to actively suck in contaminants, it should be lowered practically onto sandy deposits, raised above the bottom by only a few centimeters. As the sand is removed, its level will decrease, and the pump must also be lowered.

The time of continuous operation should not exceed half an hour; periodically, the pump should be turned off for 10-15 minutes to allow it to cool.

If the sand contains pebbles larger than 3-5 mm in diameter, they will be hammered under the membrane, preventing the flow of water. The diaphragm can only be released by lifting the pump to the surface.

The vibration pump cleaning method is not always effective and is rather long. But it is simple and almost does not require the physical participation of a person.

Method # 2 - flush with a pump from the surface

It is possible to effectively remove fine sand, rust and turbidity from the casing by supplying water to the well from the surface.

In order not to turn the site into a swamp, it is better to organize flushing in a closed cycle. Especially if there is no source of clean water nearby (we do not recommend rinsing the source with water from an open reservoir).

To do this, you should stock up on containers that contain a volume of liquid equal to the full (from bottom to top) capacity of the casing.

The flushing fluid will be circulated between the well and the tank using a pump. Contaminants will accumulate at the bottom of the tank, they will have to be removed periodically. A powerful pump will be required; chemical reagents can be added to the solution.

For example, phosphoric acid, which dissolves rust and calcium deposits.

Do not forget that the acid is quenched with baking soda, and after applying chemicals, the restored well should be pumped for at least 6 hours.

Instead of a head, a nozzle should be installed at the wellhead to direct the backwash into the reservoir. It is possible to flush and not in a closed cycle, pumping water into the well from a neighboring water supply.

In this case, there is no need to "bother" with the tanks, but you should provide for a drain for dirty water and make sure that it does not fall back into the casing.

The water is supplied downward with a hose, the length of which must be sufficient so that it lies directly on the bottom. The surface flush method cleans the filter quite effectively.

Method # 3 - flushing the well with two pumps

It is problematic to flush a deep (over 50 m) well using a vibration pump or supplying water from the surface.

The power of the vibrator will not be enough, and when fed from above, a significant part of the pollution will not be able to overcome a significant water column and again sink to the bottom. It is possible to significantly increase the flushing efficiency by using two pumps for this.

The second option for cleaning involves the use of two different types of pumping units: surface and deep.

The first pump, located at the top, delivers flushing fluid to the bottom of the well, lifting contaminants. The second, submersible centrifugal, pumps water with sand and silt to the surface.

To remove contaminants, you can use the pump that is installed in the well; it does not have to be removed or even lowered below the suspension point.

The main thing is to lower the hose supplying water to the very bottom, passing it in a narrow casing next to the submersible pump. It must be understood that if there is sand and small stones in the water, the pump will be subject to increased wear.

Method # 4 - extracting sand with a bailer

The borehole sanding method is very effective for removing large amounts of sand, pebbles and compressed fines from the casing.

However, it is almost useless if you need to clean the filter and the surrounding soil from silt. A bailer is a piece of steel pipe a meter and a half long with a valve on one side and an eye lever for a cable on the other.

The valve is a heavy steel ball held by a washer that is attached to a threaded joint.

It is desirable to completely pump out water from the casing. The bailer is sharply lowered to the bottom of the well. The valve, crashing into the sand, opens and a certain amount of sand penetrates into the bailer.

The projectile is raised to the surface, the contamination is shaken out. The process is repeated several times. You can wield the bailer manually, but it's hard, even together. It is more convenient to lower and raise a weighty projectile and a steel cable using a tripod with a block or a winch.

You can buy a bailer of the required diameter from a specialized company, rent it or make it yourself. In the process of working with the projectile, care should be taken when approaching the filter: there is a possibility of damaging the fine mesh.

It is better to remove the last centimeters of dirt closer to the bottom by another method, where there are no shock effects.

Method # 5 - removal of impurities by water hammer

The water hammer method is effective in removing silt deposits from the filter and adjacent soil.

If the sand from the casing is dug out (or it was not there), and after prolonged pumping or flushing, the water does not enter the well in sufficient quantities, it is likely that the soil has become heavily silted. A muddy plug has formed.

In most cases, it is possible to clean the well with your own hands using the hydropercussion method by "swinging" the plug.

To do this, it is necessary to make a simple shell: a heavy pipe with a diameter slightly smaller than the casing, so that it fits inside with a small gap. The end of the projectile must be tightly welded, and the lugs for attaching the cable are located at the opposite end.

The well should be filled with water several meters. It makes sense to add phosphoric acid to the water: it will dissolve calcium deposits and help get rid of rust flakes. The projectile is sharply dropped down into the water. Raise, drop again.

Having equipped this for a couple of hours, the casing is filled with liquid to the top, then pumped or washed. If the desired result is not achieved, the process is repeated.

Often dozens of such cycles have to be carried out in order to sufficiently remove mud and calcium deposits.

Method # 6 - flushing with a gas-air mixture

Well cleaning is carried out using a gas-air mixture (bubbling).

Compressed air is constantly supplied to the bottom of the well through a sprayer located in the thickness of sand and silt (you need to try to literally stick it there), using a powerful compressor. Bubbles, rising to the surface, carry away dirt.

To ensure the discharge of dirty water from the well, flushing fluid has to be constantly poured into it. This can be done either with a pump or manually.

It is possible to organize the circulation of water in a closed circle between the well and a previously prepared container.

The combined rinsing method with simultaneous blowing with compressed air is not particularly efficient. Cleaning is slow, the process can take several days, or even weeks if the contamination is strong.

However, bubbling has certain advantages over alternative technologies, and in some cases is the only reliable way to clean the well and filter from sand and silt if pumping with water did not give the desired result.

Alternative, highly effective methods removal of sand by mechanical action (thief) and silt deposits by water hammer create serious vibrations that can damage the filter if it is made of a fine mesh.

The likelihood of destroying or provoking "collapse" of fragile plastic and even worn out steel casing is even higher. This can completely disable the water supply source.

At the same time, flushing-blowing with a gas-air mixture is the most gentle technology, it will not cause any damage to the well.

How to choose the right cleaning option?

It can be difficult even for a specialist to determine exactly what caused the flow rate of a well to fall. Typically, pollution is complex. If the pump "drove" the sand with water, this does not mean that the soil is not silted.

When cleaning a well with your own hands, be patient. You may have to apply several methods sequentially and try hard before a satisfactory result is obtained.

But it cannot be used for plastic casing, only steel. For polymer barrels, we use only bubbling. If there is no sand or water in the steel casing, we turn to the water hammer technology.

This is, of course, if the aquifer itself has not dried up. Renting a washing machine, of course, costs a penny, but the cleaning efficiency is noticeably higher than when using artisanal methods.

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

In conclusion - a useful video, which shows step-by-step the available technique for flushing a clogged well:

Note that sand and silt cleaning from a well can be a tricky business. And it’s not a fact that it can be done on our own. And inadvertently wielding mechanical projectiles, you can generally inflict significant damage on the water source. At the same time, there is a special technique that very effectively and largely restores the characteristics of wells.

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Well clogging occurs for various reasons, in some situations you may need to flush it yourself from silt, deposits and rust. Cleaning in progress different ways, you can do it yourself, without the help of professionals.

Well types

There are 2 types of wells:

  • with the same diameter at each depth level;
  • with a filter that is larger in diameter than the well.

The first option is easier to make and use, so it is more common. In this design, the pump is lowered directly to the source. Due to this arrangement of the device, sludge does not settle inside and does not collect. But even in this case, pollution cannot be ruled out if the pumping of water is poor.

The second option is not so common, an additional filter is used in its design, it is located at the bottom of the well and does not make it possible to lower the pump deep enough to place it directly at the source.

What are the reasons for clogging

There are many reasons for clogging a structure, the most common are:

  1. Incorrect installation. If the pipe is located incorrectly or if the technology of its installation is violated, a blockage occurs. Often the pipe is installed behind a water source, then clogging occurs. To avoid such a situation, a special filter is used to purify the incoming water.
  2. Application of a rotary pump. This is the most popular device for pumping water, but its use leads to the fact that the well is quickly filled with silt. This happens when the device is immersed to a depth of more than 10 m.
  3. Using a vibrating device. This type of device collects water from the top, and deposits of fine sand, stones and silt remain at the bottom.
  4. The well has not been used for a long time. In this case, the pump should be turned on several times a month in order to drain some of the water - this will help to avoid clogging. Alternative option there will be more frequent use of well water.

Cleaning methods

There are situations when it is impossible to do without the help of specialists, since the clogging is difficult. But most often you can clean the well on your own. To do this, you can use:

  • electric compressor;
  • bailer;
  • chemical agents;
  • one or two pumps.

Stagnation is common after drilling, so it is recommended to install a filter. If the installation of the water supply is carried out according to a correctly drawn up scheme, then problems with blockages will not arise often.

Using a filter

Such a design should have a device that helps to additionally purify water and prevent clogging. This device looks like a small hole that is located at the bottom of the water supply pipe. It allows small particles and water to pass through, but retains large debris, preventing the well from clogging up. There are filters that have 2 pipes of different diameters at once, each of them has a hole.

Using a bailer

The bailer is a steel pipe approximately 1-1.5 m long. It has a valve at one end and an eyelet lever at the other. This method is used to remove sand that has accumulated in the water supply pipe, and can also be used to remove compacted deposits and small stones left in the pipe. But the bailer is useless in the event that you need to remove the sludge accumulated in the filter.

A steel ball acts as a valve, it is held by a special washer attached to the threaded connections. It is recommended that the casing be completely pumped out for maximum results. The bailer sinks to the bottom with a sharp movement. As soon as the pipe hits the sand, the valve will open and capture some of the accumulated debris. The bailer is removed, and the sand is shaken out of it. This process is repeated several times until cleaning is complete.

To speed up the process, it is recommended to use a winch, since the pipe is quite heavy and even with two people it is inconvenient to use it. A ready-made bailer can be purchased in a special store, rented or made by hand. Use the projectile with care, as it can damage the filter mesh. When the layer of dirt does not exceed a few centimeters in thickness, it is better to remove the residues by another method, without applying impact force.

How to clean a well with a deep vibrating pump

Cleaning the well from silt and sand can be carried out using a special or simple pump. A special device designed to remove debris and sand from the water. To carry out the procedure, you need to follow the rules:

  • the hydraulic machine is lowered to the bottom of the structure, and then started;
  • as soon as the device starts working, a whirlpool will appear, into which small debris will be drawn (this option is also suitable for those who want to remove clay deposits from the well that pollute the water);
  • for the process to proceed correctly, the pump should be cleaned with clean water;
  • the pump must be switched off periodically to avoid overheating.

The Malish pump is used at a well depth of no more than 40 m.

How to clean a well with two pumps

To carry out such cleaning, you should prepare a container that can hold at least 200 liters of water. A pump is immersed in such a container, and its hose is lowered to the bottom of the well. Water is supplied from the tank, which helps to wash out the sediment at the bottom by mixing it with water.

The resulting mud mixture is removed using a vibrating pump. This method has advantages over the others, as it allows you to additionally rinse the filters due to the active supply of water under pressure. If the dirt is heavy, you will have to use more water and flush it several times. This approach allows you to completely remove sediments, sand and small debris, which will allow the well to be used for a long time.

Air Compressor Cleaning

This method is most effective for clearing silt and sand deposits from the well. To carry out cleaning, you must perform the following steps:

  • a pipe is immersed in the well, it should not reach the bottom of about 0.5 m;
  • a hose is attached to the pipe, which is attached to the compressor;
  • As soon as the compressor is turned on, a jet of air will begin to flow from the hose under pressure, thereby lifting all the sediment and pushing the water along with the silt and sand upward.

Compared to a pump, this method makes the cleaning procedure quicker and easier.

How to clean with acid

For do-it-yourself cleansing, strong chemical-based products can be used. Most often, food acids are used for cleansing: citric, sorbic and ascorbic acids have proven themselves well.

Easiest to use citric acid as it is sold in any store. For a well, about 1.5-2 kg of acid is enough. The substance is poured into the well and left to react for several days. The acid attacks the sludge and corrodes it. When the structure is cleaned, you can drink water in 2-3 hours.

We do cleaning with a lift-airlift

Another method for cleaning the well involves the use of a riser pipe. The lower part is immersed in the well, and then air is supplied from the compressor, which creates a mixture of foam and air. During the cleaning process, it is necessary to ensure that the water level is always sufficient. Contaminated water enters the pipe and rises through it.

The easiest way to clean a well

The simplest option for removing silt and sand from a well involves using only a vibration pump. This procedure is laborious and time consuming. Its principle is to lift the deposits and mix them with water, and then remove the contaminated water. To carry out cleaning in this way, you will need a cord or cable to which the pin is attached; a nut must be present on it. When going up and down, this device will loosen sand and silt, mixing them with water.

How not to damage a well during the cleaning process

To prevent the well being damaged during the cleaning process, do not use devices that can damage the walls of the casing. It is worth giving preference to such devices that are specifically designed to eliminate sediment. The pump must not be left in working order unattended and the water level must be monitored.

Self-cleaning is possible only if there is no large debris in the well or metal objects... In case of complex contamination, you should seek help from special companies.

The ingress of rock into the well is a common thing, and not only during the drilling process, when the soil crumbles. The casing pipe can be damaged, lose its tightness. You can clean the well yourself. Moreover, there are several technologies, and you can choose based on the possibilities. Professional well cleaning is a specific process that requires the participation of specialists. But if you want to take care of the family yourself, and do everything with my own hands, you need to study technological features, which has a well flushing.

We clean the well with our own hands

To choose a method of how to clean a well from sand, clay or silt, you need to familiarize yourself with all the technologies available in a domestic environment.

There are six such methods:

  1. Well cleaning with vibration-type pumping equipment.
  2. Cleaning of wells from silt and sand by flushing with a surface pumping station.
  3. Cleaning of water wells using two pumps.
  4. Cleaning water wells with a bailer when collapsing during drilling.
  5. Do-it-yourself flushing of wells using a water hammer.
  6. Well flushing after drilling using an air-gas mixture.

Each method of cleaning a well with your own hands involves the use of characteristic equipment. It all depends on the state of the source (put into operation or just being drilled).

Vibration pumping

This simplest way to flush a well is to temporarily replace the circulating submersible pump with a vibrating one. The latter can pump liquid with small solid inclusions, since its design has no mechanical components. As a result, after a natural change of water, the source is filled with fresh, clean, sand and clay free.

It is not necessary to take an expensive model. Devices of this type are cheap, but burn out with prolonged continuous operation. It's okay if you buy an inexpensive model. domestic production... The costs are reasonable, since the well will have to be cleaned out more than once if the problem has already appeared.

Flushing with a pump from the surface

The technique involves pumping clean water into the source. The surplus is brought to the surface. To prevent the site from turning into a wetland, it is better to loop the process through a reservoir. Natural bodies of water will not work. A tank of clean water is needed, from which the flushing liquid is supplied to the source.

Back, it is sent with sand and silt to the reservoir, where solid heavy particles fall to the bottom. In this case, the water intake should be in the upper layers of water, so as not to drive dirt in a circle. And the hose through which the dirt is removed is placed on the bottom so that grains of sand do not fall into the intake pipe.

Well flushing with two pumps

This method differs from previous technologies in that it allows you to clean out sources, the depth of which exceeds 50 meters. Fiddling with a deep pump and hoses is inconvenient and not always successful. To facilitate the process, you will need one pumping unit to pump the flushing fluid into the casing, and the second pumping fluid.

In this case, the supply pumping station located on the surface, pumping out - in the casing. When planning how to flush a well, one should not forget about the need to install a reservoir and fill it with clean water. If the tank is large enough, and it is possible to throw dirt outside the site, then it is not necessary to drive the water in a circle. When this does not work out, again the intake is at the top, and the ejection hose is at the bottom.

Extraction of sand with a bailer

This methodology solves the problem when there is a lot of deposits, and they have time to pack. Suspended particles are selected by the methods described earlier. The thief is a cylinder with a built-in shut-off valve. While at the bottom, the cavity is filled with dirt, which is held by a ball valve when lifted.

Do-it-yourself cleaning with a bailer is a manual process. The costs are minimal. In this case, there should be no water in the source. It is pumped out completely so that the sludge and dirt lies on the surface. If the depth of the aquifers is large, a tripod with a block and a winch will be required, since the repeated process of lowering and raising the bailer is difficult even if there is an assistant.

Removal of impurities by water hammer

The technology is used when the problem is the silting of the bottom filter, which leads to a decrease in flow rate.

Water cannot enter the casing due to compacted bottom sediments. The principle of operation consists in the "buildup" of mud masses by a piston made of a heavy pipe with a welded bottom end. The clearance between the piston and the casing is minimal.

A cable is tied, but before you clean the well with your own hands, you need to raise the water level in the source by a couple of meters. An aqueous solution of phosphoric acid is poured into the casing to soften the calcium compounds. With sharp jerks of the cable, a vacuum zone is created. Dynamic pressure drops loosen compacted deposits, which can then be pumped out using one of the previously described methods.

Flushing with a gas-air mixture

If the well is not filled, flushing can be organized using the bubbling method.

Instead of a submersible pump, a hose with a spray at the end is inserted into the casing pipe, which must be literally thrust into dense silt, clay or sand. An air compressor is installed on the surface.

Passing through the nozzle, it loosens deposits under pressure. And for greater efficiency, this technology can be combined with the method of flushing a well from sand by distillation through a settling tank. How to do it correctly is described above. It will not be possible to completely solve the problem in one day, so you need to stock up on imported drinking water.

Before preparing, you need to determine how to clean the well of sand and dirt in order to get the maximum effect. It all depends on the degree of pollution and the scale of the problem. If it is contained in the presence of suspended particles and muddy water, a vibration pump is sufficient. The more dirt, the stronger the method. Pumps are equipment that will get rid of heavy pollution.

Critical compacted sediments that block the flow of water into the well are removed with a thief, water hammer or bubbling.