Well Maintenance - 2 - Repairing Cracks In The Well

2024 Author: Sebastian Paterson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:47

Well repair

Alas, the well, like people, gets old over the years. He, like a man, in old age, one hurts, then another. True, there are basically two such "sores" at the well: cracks in the seams between the rings and the displacement of the rings relative to each other. But if the first trouble leads to the inevitable, already mentioned pollution of the water in the well, then the second is fraught with much more serious consequences. Often it leads to the impossibility of operating the well. Unfortunately, this also happens.

If one day you find that water is streaming along the walls of the well or you can hear an ever-increasing sonorous: "Cap, drip, drip …", then you should know that this is an SOS for your well. A signal that trouble has come to the well. Therefore, open the gate, or rather, open the door of the house and proceed to inspect the mine to determine the place or places of leaks. Most often this happens between rings 1 and 2 or 2 and 3 (counting from the top).

Even when, during the construction of the well, the rings seem to be reliably connected to each other by staples that fit tightly to the walls, and the seams are carefully sealed with waterproof materials, this does not guarantee that over time cracks and cracks will not appear in the seams.

This is due, first of all, to the fact that the soil is in continuous motion all the time, the layers that make up it are constantly shifting in different directions. And from this, the rings in the ground now and then experience tremendous pressure and tension. As a result, cracks appear in the seams (fortunately, not always). And since cold water is an extremely aggressive medium, it can penetrate the smallest and microscopic cracks.

In order to get rid of this misfortune, you must act immediately. First, try to get off with a slight fright, that is, without bothering yourself with complex repairs. To do this, choose a day when it will be dry and the flow will stop. Coat the leak with waterproof materials: glue, mastic, paste, whatever, as long as it is reliable. Unfortunately, in my opinion, there is no such tool that would simultaneously perform two functions. Firstly, it was water-tight. Secondly, it would be stretched so that it would itself close the expanding crack. Or maybe there is such a remedy, but I simply don't know it? So, as they say in Ukraine, "joke" (that is, look). What if you're lucky.

The gap formed as a result of the shift is shaded with black paint. This is actually a "black line" for you and your well.

If it was not possible to get off with a slight fright, then you will have to do a much more troublesome and serious repair.

Outside, around the rings, dig a groove wide enough for the repairman to squeeze in. Groove depth - to the damaged seam (Figure 1). Clean and inspect the seam thoroughly. Coat the crack inside and out with several coats of waterproof material. Then fill the entire groove with viscous clay. In short, build a new clay castle.

Wait a week, two, even a month (in this case, it is difficult to say something definite). And don't jump to conclusions. Because it is very possible that the seam will flow again. However, do not swear and do not rush to redo the work. It is possible that the clay in the earthen castle has not yet sufficiently compressed and that such a joyful moment may still come: the clay will block the flow.

But when your hopes, alas, did not come true, and it did not work, then, without delay, do it all over again. And so on until you fix the leak. Just always remember: it is much easier to do the job properly initially than to redo it later.

But a leak is, as they say, "flowers" in your well trouble … "Berries" are the displacement of the rings relative to each other (Figures 2 and 3). This is already the most serious trouble. It's time to shout: "Help!" The reasons for this are different … Either the staples holding the rings did not fit tightly to the walls, and because of the resulting gap they shifted (sometimes, the staples are not placed on the lower rings at all). Either you are out of luck - the well turned out to be in too mobile soil, which led to the deformation of the mine. In a word, this formidable phenomenon leads to the fact that surface water penetrates into the formed gap and often fills the well to the top. So much so that you can scoop up water simply with your hands, without a gate. He just took it, bent down, scooped it up - and that's it …

It is clear that such a well is actually out of order. since the water in it is not suitable for drinking or for cooking. It is only suitable for watering. In this case, public wells are usually abandoned. But if the well is your precious property (although it is impossible to sell it!), You naturally begin to be tormented by the question: is it possible to repair it?

I have repeatedly observed such a mournful picture, and therefore I can answer: it is possible to repair such a well, but not everyone. To do this, it is necessary to disassemble the entire head, that is, the ground part of the well - to excavate, exposing the shifted rings. In this case, you will have to actually dig a pit (Figure 3). Then, using a winch, a crane, remove and remove all rings, up to the shifted ones.

If, initially, after installing the rings, the factory transportation and technological ears (Figure 4) were not sawed off, but simply bent, you can remove the rings from the pit without any problems. However, if the ears are cut off, you will have to gouge holes in the seams, and already insert a cable or wire loops into them and lift the rings.

After all the rings before the displaced ones have been removed, install the displaced ones in the same way as originally. That is, like digging a well. And connect them securely together. To this end, put not three or four staples, as usual, but seven or eight (Figure 5). And make sure that they fit very tightly against the walls of the rings. And especially close the seams. At the same time, do the same with the rest of the rings that you will install on top. I must warn you right away: this work is very difficult, extremely time consuming. Often, moreover, with unpredictable results and consequences.

For my part, I do not agitate anyone, I do not dissuade anyone from such repairs, but I only strongly advise you to think carefully: is it necessary to take on such a tedious, dreary business? Is it worth the candle in such a situation? The answer in each case is, of course, individual.

But if you are a determined person who is not afraid of any difficulties, then take a chance! And I wish you good luck (oh, how not superfluous here!) And put an ellipsis in this place….