Different Types of Private Wells
There are many beautiful rural properties all over southern Maryland and as such, it is not out of the ordinary to find a home you love that uses a private well water system. It is good to know a little bit about well water systems before making that big decision to invest a large amount of money in a southern Maryland home.
The first thing to learn is the different types of well water systems and how they operate. The type of well system property has depends upon the property and how the groundwater is running beneath the surface and its location.
The Three Types of Private Well Water Systems
Bored or Dug Wells
These types of well water systems are constructed by digging out land with a backhoe. A large hole is dug into the ground to accommodate the well structure. For a smaller well a shovel may be used. Once the hole is in place it is lined with bricks, stones, or tiles to keep the hole’s structure in place.
This type of well comes with a large diameter and is closer to the surface. Most often they are only about 10 to 30 feet deep.
Driven Wells
A driven well is constructed by driving a piece of pipe into the ground. Driven wells are deeper than bored or dug wells. Most often a driven well is anywhere between 30 feet and 50 feet deep. Driven wells draw their water from aquifers that are near the surface. It is good to know that driven wells can have issues with contamination.
Drilled Wells
This type of well comes with the most labor-intense construction method. A drilled well is constructed with percussion or rotary drilling machines. A drilled well can be thousands of feet into the ground. It is the most expensive type of well to construct, but the homeowner gets what they pay for with a lower risk of contamination and a much lower possibility of running out of water supply.
Often times homes on drilled well systems will have a higher property value to reflect the more sophisticated well water system.
The importance of a Home Inspection on a Home with a Well
Purchasing a home with a well water system is different than purchasing a home with traditional plumbing lines connected to the main sewer system. It is important to make sure you have a professional home inspector that has knowledge of well systems check out the well water system to ensure it is in good condition before purchasing a home. Especially if you have never lived on a property with a private well system before.
An inspector will be able to find out the type of good system on the property, ensure that it is in top working condition, and give you best practices for living on the system in the home (maintenance/testing/daily water use in the home/etc.), and answer any of the questions you have about living in that particular home with the well water system.
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