Foot Valve Modification to Winterize Your Shallow Well

[@oldenoughtoknow...]

Ah. Thanks! Found the winterization video!👍

[@TigerCreekFarm]

I’ve been recommending this as a solution - kzbin.info/www/bejne/r4GkgXWHi9ugZ9U Or you can pull the pump/pipe, drain then reinstall. Prime as needed for water. Repeat.

[@ryanm1776]

I appreciate your videos and have an idea for a new one. For those of us who do not want to make the foot valve modification, can you show how you’d install a ball valve right under the pump so it’s easily accessible, but also doesn’t compromise the integrity of the water pipe (perhaps would need reinforcements)?

[@TigerCreekFarm]

That is on my list along with a modified sandpoint installation.

[@jerryf609]

Now that is a good trick. Thank you.

[@Qwickset]

What about leaving the foot valve as is and, instead, putting in a check valve about a foot below the frost line and syphoning out the water above the check valve to winterize it? You would just drop a tube of the right length in, and syphon until the water stopped. Technically you could use the syphon technique without the check valve but the check valve would 1) keep the water primed through the winter and 2) let you know when to stop syphoning without having to measure. Maybe a crazy idea or might be some flaws with it. Thoughts?

[@TigerCreekFarm]

Very good idea. Using this method you would not need a foot valve. All a foot valve is is a check valve at the very end of your pipe.

[@Qwickset]

@@TigerCreekFarm True, a check valve with an extra filter....but I was thinking the foot valve would keep the water between the top frost line check valve and the bottom of the well in place but, I think you're right, without the ability of any air to get in past the frost line check valve, the "vacuum" would still be in place to keep the water column past the check valve full which would keep the water primed at least up to the check valve. Opening the well in the spring would just entail filling the pipe above the frost line check valve with water. Feels like it works on paper at least, lol.

[@mrtinythumb5363]

hello from Norway! great videos keep em coming! :D

[@TigerCreekFarm]

MrTinyThumb thank you for stopping by and for the kind words.

[@thetruth8958]

You really do not have to do all that every time below freezing, the only thing you and other should do is : 1/remove the spring from the valve underneath the pipe you do not need it. 2/add water valve underneath the pump above the ground close the valve after you used the pump so you don't have to prime the pump every day. when you know the weather getting bad open the valve this way you empty the pipe . in my farm in North Dakota I bought a cylindrical plastic garbage can, put an insulation inside it and foam, turned the can upside down, and the water inside the pipe did not freeze. The weather was -20. Note that I forgot to turn the valve on the pipe full of water .

[@Ljblossom]

I was wondering how you keep the wooden support under the pump from rocking when you are pumping. I suppose I could drain the pipe using your fishing line trick then tie the pipe to something at the surface and put the pump away in the barn or basement. I don’t think the water freezes in the winter as it is 3’ below the surface but I can always make an insulated cover over the hole in the well cover stone. It’s a flat, thick, stone about 5’x4’ with a hole in it about 20” by 12”. The house is about 120 years old so one can only wonder how this was made. It’s a stone lined well.

[@TigerCreekFarm]

A flange sits tightly in the casing pipe and the board is screwed to it - and the pump is screwed to the board.

[@Ljblossom]

@@TigerCreekFarm i understand, since I will be trying to make this work in an open dug well I’ll have to continue to work on a design that can be stable and yet removeable in our deep winters. Meanwhile, I just bought a foot valve and I wonder if fishing line could be tied around the central post between the nut and the washer like piece above it that is concave to hold the end of the spring? I am finding the nut hard to remove.

[@TigerCreekFarm]

@@Ljblossom as long as the place you have selected to tie the line will move the valve when pulled is all that matters.

[@CanterburyTrailsFarm]

This is really useful info! Thank you so much.

[@x2malandy]

TigerCreekFarm, I had asked you a question about this and see that you have a video on it. Looks like an area of maybe South Carolina that you are at. I do not have a shallow well or need one but I sure enjoyed the great videos. Sitting here thinking, the foot valve could be only ~1 foot under the upper pump casing. With a small tube thru the side of the 4 inch pipe, a guy could put a air bleed valve. I used to prime that pump with water wetting everything. I believe I was actually pumping the air up and out before the water hit the foot valve. @ 18:00 you mention that flapper ass'y. I think that is what I lifted with a bent piece of wire to drain the prime a bit.

[@TigerCreekFarm]

I believe the valve you are talking about is a "check valve". Same concept of a foot valve just done in line. Deeper wells need this too in order to allow the hand pump to bring the water up.

[@davemi00]

or use a metal File to remove the Burr Edges, on Foot Valve. A Very Clever Design 👍👍 ** Don’t use Lead fishing clamps

[@MrCalFam]

(Good Modification) Although, you don't need to remove the pump plunger to release the seal/flapper. Just lift the handle and it will push down on the flapper weight and open the flapper to release the pressure.

[@TigerCreekFarm]

Remote Computer Repair but the foot valve prevents any water from escaping the pipe - no matter what the pump is doing.

[@MrCalFam]

@@TigerCreekFarm Yes, understood. I was referring to your solution of removing the top in order to make the process faster. There is no need to remove the top - Just lift the handle and it will push down on the flapper weight and open the flapper to release the pressure.

[@TigerCreekFarm]

Remote Computer Repair true. I misunderstood your initial point. Thanks for contributing.

[@MySliceOfHeavenoutdoors]

Very cool tip

[@TigerCreekFarm]

Thanks.

[@rfburns5601]

In my area we seldom get below freezing for a 48 hour period. When we do, we drip faucets and open lower cabinet doors. We've never had a pipe burst. Our outdoor hose bibs stay covered with snap on bib covers, and never has a hose bib burst. I'm wondering if I drilled a shallow well, if I could get by during freezes, by wrapping the pump and top pipe with insulation and covering with plastic. In your experience how long and how far below freezing, does one need to worry about the pump and pipe bursting? Your videos are great! Thanks for taking the time to put these up.

[@TigerCreekFarm]

RF Burns unless it is a hard freeze or prolonged freeze wrapping should suffice. Just use big doses of common sense and you should be fine. Thanks for stopping by.

[@BigTony2Guns]

Thank YOU !

[@manuelibrahim3543]

@TigerCreekFarm Isn't better to make 2 little holes one on the right side and one on the left side so you pull the valve on 2 sides ?

[@TigerCreekFarm]

Your idea will certainly work but all you are needing to do is break the seal.

[@casuist2]

I had the same thought, but only to create two lines in case one broke, so you wouldn't have to pull the pipe up again to attach a new line.

[@manuelibrahim3543]

@@casuist2 If you make the line from fishing wire it will never break if you take one that's stong enough to hold a big fish then it can also hold a small value 😎

[@AdjacentJason]

Where can I get the classic style hand pump at? Home Depot wouldn't sell it would they? Thanks

[@TigerCreekFarm]

AdjacentJason they might. I think it all depends on where you live. One thing to consider - don’t get a “cheap” one. The really bad ones use pot metal instead if cast iron in some areas. Plus to be safe purchase one that is certified lead free. Do a Google search and you may find something that comes up in your area. Good luck.

[@AdjacentJason]

@@TigerCreekFarm Thanks

[@Ljblossom]

Check tractor supply - they carry Parts2 O which is quite good.

[@SuperMan-mu1xi]

Idea? I suppose if you plan on not using the well for most of the freezing season, you could possibly just manually reprime the entire system with a mixture of water, sugar, and alcohol. I'm avoiding the idea of also using salt as it may cause corrosion on any metal it stays in contact with. Haven't thought this through, just a quick idea... Thoughts?

[@TigerCreekFarm]

Super Man not a good idea to add anything like that to your well as it will leach out into the ground water.

[@SuperMan-mu1xi]

That's what I was worried about as I was typing it. I'm probably just over complicating things trying to avoid putting in a little work 😅 It's cool that I stumbled onto these videos. As a kid, I thought the dowsing rod I would play with (which was a medium sized Y-shaped branch) was just a old imaginary trick people thought worked way back in the day. 👍Keep up the awesome videos!

[@winstonbelisle3560]

Before, in another film, you said you could release pressure, by lifting up the handle! I think I'd try doing that first, prior to taking off that top part.. I'd just use something, a rod, old broom handle, as tall as the handle is, 'lifted up', to keep it there, till the water line is drained! Kinda wonder, if not leaving that 'rod' there wouldn't help keep water/snow, seeping down into the pump valve, only that would go down into your water line and keep from freezing up as well!

[@TigerCreekFarm]

The foot valve prevents the water from running back down the pipe so the handle lift only works without a foot valve. But you are correct in the way that a pitcher pump works.

[@nickolasedmunds]

Is there any modifications for a ram pump?

[@TigerCreekFarm]

nick edmunds if you’re talking about the foot valve being used with a ram pump - probably not necessary since the force of the entering water overcomes the purpose of the foot valve. If you are speaking about winterizing - I’m not sure.

[@nickolasedmunds]

@@TigerCreekFarm Foot valve setup uses less water ive seen then a swing valve also less prone to stick open

[@nickolasedmunds]

Brand new one ive used has issues at 6 foot high of water pressure and a foot valve has a higher success i think of not sticking open even when primed i find that it feels that a modified foot valve would work way faster and have more performance

[@nickolasedmunds]

@@TigerCreekFarm I know im not speaking of winterizing but more or less more modification videos of foot valves would be cool if there were so much more lol

[@joekap2891]

This does not work, even with the heaviest fishing line I could find, pulling the foot valve open while the pipe is full of water just doesn’t happen. Even with steel line.

[@TigerCreekFarm]

Not sure why. Maybe the type of foot valve? Anyway, I have since been recommending this as a solution for my friends up North - kzbin.info/www/bejne/r4GkgXWHi9ugZ9U

[@joekap2891]

@@TigerCreekFarm I have exactly every thing in the video. This is pure BS. Once it was clear that no amount of fishing line will work, I went and got a thin steel cable and that too doesn’t do it. All it does is pull the pipe inside my well to one side. You can not pull up with enough force to release the pressure on the foot valve while the pipe is full of water, you just can’t. Try it with just your hand, get your well pipe full of water and pull it up out and try pushing the foot valve with your hand, it’s super difficult with all that water in the pipe.

[@greyjay9202]

Couldn't you accomplish the same goal, by pulling the pump and pipe just enough to get below the frost line, and then drill a small weep hole in the pipe, at that level? No need to pull the whole rig, or tinker with the foot valve.

[@TigerCreekFarm]

Yep. I have that very suggestion in another video.

[@AndradeLearns]

@@TigerCreekFarm what video is that? What prevents water from leaking from the weep hole and your system losing prime?

[@TigerCreekFarm]

@@AndradeLearns it needs to leak down past the point of freezing to prevent a burst pipe or burst pump casing. kzbin.info/www/bejne/r4GkgXWHi9ugZ9U