You turn on the tap and nothing comes out. Or a trickle that fades to nothing. Your first instinct might be to call a well driller immediately — but before you do, check these things. Some no-water situations have simple fixes you can handle in minutes. Others need a professional right away. Here's how to tell the difference.
Step 1: Check the Breaker
Before anything else — go to your electrical panel and check the breaker for the well pump. It's often labeled "Well Pump" or "Water Pump." A tripped breaker is one of the most common causes of sudden water loss and takes thirty seconds to check.
If it's tripped: reset it once. If water comes back and stays, you're good — monitor for recurrence. If it trips again immediately or water doesn't come back, move to the next steps and call us.
Do not keep resetting a tripped breaker repeatedly. A breaker that keeps tripping is telling you something is wrong with the pump or wiring.
Step 2: Check Your Pressure Tank Gauge
Your pressure tank (the large metal tank near where the water pipe enters your home) has a gauge that shows system pressure. Normal operating pressure is typically 40–60 PSI. Check what it reads:
- 0 PSI — The system has lost all pressure. Pump isn't running, or is running but not building pressure.
- Below 20 PSI — System is near empty. Pump may be failing or the tank may be waterlogged.
- Normal pressure but no water at taps — Could be a frozen pipe (rare in SC but possible) or a valve closed somewhere in the line.
Step 3: Listen for the Pump
Go to where your pressure tank is located (usually a utility room, basement, or crawl space near where water enters the house). Open a tap to drop pressure, and listen. You should hear the pump kick on within a few seconds of pressure dropping.
- Complete silence — Pump isn't running. Check breaker again. If breaker is on and pump is silent, the pump, pressure switch, or wiring has failed.
- Humming or buzzing but no water — Motor may be trying to start but can't. This often means the pump is seized, has lost prime, or the capacitor has failed.
- Rapid clicking — Pressure switch cycling rapidly. Usually indicates a waterlogged pressure tank (the tank's air charge has been lost). This needs attention quickly as it will destroy the pump.
- Pump runs normally but no water flows — Could be a broken drop pipe in the well, a failed pump impeller, or the water level in the well has dropped below the pump.
Step 4: Check for Power Issues Beyond the Breaker
In some cases, the breaker looks fine but power isn't reaching the pump. Check:
- The disconnect switch near the pressure tank — make sure it's in the ON position
- The pump control box — some have their own fuses or reset buttons
- Whether the power outage (storm, etc.) may have tripped something upstream
When to Call Immediately
Stop troubleshooting and call a licensed well driller right away if:
- You reset the breaker and it trips again
- You hear the pump humming or buzzing but no water flows — running a pump dry destroys it
- You smell burning from the pump/pressure tank area
- Your pump is more than 15 years old (failure mode is unpredictable)
- You have livestock, a medical need, or other urgency that makes water loss a serious situation
Common Causes of Sudden Water Loss
Based on our 66 years of service calls in South Carolina, here's what we find most often:
- Failed submersible pump — The most common cause of sudden complete water loss. Pump motors fail eventually — usually at 10–20 years. Replacement is the fix.
- Tripped breaker from power surge — Storms and utility fluctuations trip breakers. Simple reset solves it if the pump is otherwise healthy.
- Failed pressure switch — The switch that tells the pump to turn on has failed. Pump replacement isn't needed — just the switch.
- Waterlogged pressure tank — The tank has lost its air charge and can no longer maintain pressure. Tank replacement or recharging resolves it.
- Well yield decline — The water level in the well has dropped, either seasonally (drought) or permanently. Requires well assessment.
- Broken drop pipe — The pipe connecting the pump to the surface has separated. Water can't get up even if the pump runs fine.
What Not to Do
- Don't repeatedly reset a tripped breaker — you're masking an electrical problem
- Don't run water extensively if the pump is making unusual sounds — you risk burning it out completely
- Don't assume the well is dry without a professional assessment — low yield is often fixable
No Water Right Now?
Call us. We diagnose the full system and tell you exactly what failed and what it will take to fix it. No guesswork, no pressure to replace things that don't need replacing.