Home / No Water From Well: Troubleshooting
Updated 2026-10-13No Water From Well: Troubleshooting
Safe checks to do before calling, and what each symptom usually means.
Check these first
- Breaker: is the well pump breaker tripped? Reset once only. If it trips again, call a pro.
- Pressure gauge: what does it read? Zero suggests pump, switch or power; low and falling suggests a tank or leak.
- Pressure switch: a stuck or burned contact is a common, cheap fix.
- Recent storm: lightning often takes out pumps and control boxes.
- Filter: a clogged sediment filter can mimic a pump failure.
Symptom guide
| Symptom | Likely cause | Published price to compare |
|---|---|---|
| No water, breaker OK | Pump, wire, control box or switch | Repair $373 to $1,624 (Angi avg $974); replacement $974 to $2,821 |
| Pump cycles on and off rapidly | Waterlogged pressure tank | Tank $300 to $700 (Angi) or $800 to $1,500 (HomeGuide) |
| Low pressure | Switch setting, clogged filter, worn pump | Pressure switch $120 to $175 (Angi) |
| Air spitting from taps | Low water level or pipe leak | Diagnosis first: house call $100 to $150 (Angi) |
| Sandy or muddy water | Pump set too low or failing screen | Diagnosis first: house call $100 to $150 (Angi) |
Safety
Well pumps run on high-voltage circuits. Do not open control boxes or switches unless you know how to work safely with live circuits.
Sources
Sources: Angi, Well Pump Repair Cost (Sep 15, 2026); Angi, Well Pump Replacement Cost (Aug 31, 2026); Angi, Pressure Tank Cost (Sep 18, 2026); HomeGuide, Pressure Tank Cost (Jul 25, 2025). Retrieved Oct 11–13, 2026.
Prices are published US ranges from the sources listed on each page; anything we calculated ourselves is labeled as an estimate. Get at least three written, itemized local quotes. Run the estimator to build your own range.