What Would You Say About This to A Client ? Keep in mind we live by referrals.........

What would you say about this inspection? How would you sum it up?
A picture is worth a thousand words, but the picture needs some context.
This picture is a well head inside of a residence. This is in a concrete block enclosed area open to the furnace room.

The well is open at the top of the well shaft allowing the well to vent into the building. Actually, it was almost amusing that there is not a cap on the well, which is a good thing because the discharge pipe leaks at the holding tank. The water running out of the pump spills out of the pipe and back down the top of the well, to be recycled and pumped back up into the tank. That way the well will not get sucked dry because of the leaking pipe. (great plan…recycle the leak instead of fixing it)

They also asked why their water pressure was so low. (ummm, water is leaking out of the pipes every time the pressure switch calls for water) Why does the pump turn on and off when they are not using water.

There is a radon system in the building (which means radon in the soil below the home). There is mold in the residence (which means excess moisture from the well). This is a geographic area with lots of gas deposits (there are wells both shallow gas and shale deposits).

There was some surprise that the radon system did not bring the radon level to passing. There was surprise that there is mold.
They did not notice that there is methane. They were surprised when I got my gas detector out and it went off when I put it over the well head. They were even more surprised when I explained that they add the odor to methane so that we can smell in in commercial natural gas, but this was raw gas from the rocks below.

What would the brain trust of all inspectors say to the client about this picture?

Remember…we all count on repeat business……..

Dan:

Wow, nice photo. I have not seen a piston pump in decades!

And man...was it working !!!!.....just pumping away day and night...water spraying everywhere.

I remember a long time ago taking them apart and replacing the seal "leathers" for the piston rod as they would leak like crazy when they got old. Those pumps work forever - as long as there is water.

Hence the water running back down the well head ....I guess it is wonderful planning