Published on July 28, 2020In today’s era, we are living in uncertain times. The changing weather conditions are resulting in severe power outages and inadequate water supply. Alongside getting generators, people are drilling wells to combat water shortages. Wells provides a reliable and ample amount of water for home usage and irrigation. If you wanted to have a supply of fresh water free of chemicals, consider drilling a well in your lawn, even if you need to try some DIY well drilling.
In most areas, groundwater is purer than any source since it gets thoroughly filtered by earth. The water table absorbs all the rainwater, removing all the impurities and chemicals. However, the expensive drilling process is holding people back from getting a residential well. Surprisingly, you can drill one yourself with some help from any professional.
Anyone who has never been into plumbing and drilling, this idea might seem daunting, but we are here to help. Let us explain to you step by step how to drill a residential well by hand, helping you understand the best way to proceed.
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Gather Tools & Equipment
Although you are drilling a well by hand, it won’t be possible without some tools and equipment. First of all, grab a hand drill with extensions to dig deeper into the ground. Check the moisture level in the soil to see which “auger drill” would work smoothly. Next, you have to get some pipes – 4inches PVC pipes that are approximately 17 feet long. You would also need two 2inches PVC pipes 10 feet long to pull water up from the well.
Use a tarp to place the extracted soil rather than mix it up with your grass to avoid contamination. Look for adapters to connect the two pipes. Lastly, you have to invest in a hand water pump for extracting the water since using a bucket is ancient. Once you have everything in hand, start your residential water well drilling process.
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Start Drilling the Well
Inspect your lawn and pick a spot where you want to drill a well. You can call over experts to check the soil’s pH level, giving you an idea where water can get extracted quickly. Book your spot and lay the tarp beside it. Use your hand drill and start rotating it into the ground until it is full, lift it out, and empty it on the tarp. Keep repeating this procedure, and you would notice the soil turning moist as you drill deeper.
After a point, you have to use extensions on the hand auger to keep drilling. Once you are 17 feet below the ground, dig a bunch of holes in the pipe, allowing the water to seep in. Put a cap on the bottom of the tube to avoid any sediments coming up with the water. In short, it would filter the water from all the debris and dirt. Insert the pipe in the water well hole and line the surrounding area to prevent it from caving in.
You can add grout to the space between the pipes and well hole, providing a robust casing to the well. Don’t rush over the procedure as drilling takes a couple of days and even weeks until you start getting clean water.
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Give Final Touch Ups
Use your adapter to connect the two pipes and attach the water pump above it. Perform a pump test before permanent installation as clear water doesn’t come instantly. Establish an accurate flow and drawdown test. Make sure to thoroughly disinfect the well to eliminate any bacteria present in the well. You can opt for detailed water analysis to ensure you have done things right, and the water is eligible to use.
Start priming the pump and keep doing it until you see water coming out. It would take multiple tries since the water is 17 feet below the ground, but soon you would witness muddy water coming out. Feel free to build a concrete around the well to fixate the pump. You have to keep pumping for a few days to get access to clean water. Later you can connect a pipe to the water well and enjoy clean water at home.
Final Thoughts,
If you notice, you can find wells in many urban homes since people prefer non-chemicalized water. Residential water well drilling is not everyone’s cup of tea, especially if you are always short of time. It requires effort and a lot of patience because drilling and extracting water takes weeks. If you have a budget, hire professionals, or else explore this yourself. With a couple of tools, some tricks, video tutorials, and knowledge of drilling, you can smoothly create a well.
