[Shop-talk] wells and such.

[Chris Kantarjiev]

We bought a "cabin" in the Sierra foothills about 5 years ago; it's
got a well and septic. I grew up with septic, but had never lived
with a well before. We're there about every third weekend, which
makes tending to plumbing "interesting".

The inspector checked for output over an hour (5 GPM) and 
sent off a sample to a lab to check for coliform bacteria. I think
those are probably required by the state.

We've run the well dry once, by accident - someone/something broke
off a PVC hose bib riser in the yard while we were gone, and
we arrived to find no water. The riser was broken off flush, so
we had the pump wiring apart and were preparing to pull the 
pump (300' down) when Pat noticed the puddle down the hill...
that was a cheap lesson that could have been much more 
expensive.

We've since learned about keeping the pump house from freezing, 
which filters work and which don't, diaphragm pressure tanks
and rust bacteria, pretty much on our own and with the help
of the web. 

The property consists of two buildings, which makes draining the
system in winter something of a challenge. I'm going to be installing 
some new cutoff valves soon...