Do Home Warranties Cover Well Pump Repairs?

If your home utilizes well water, it is natural to be worried about what happens when the well pump malfunctions. While most well pumps have a manufacturer’s warranty for the first five years of use, repairing or replacing them after that period can get quite costly. Luckily, home warranties cover well pump repairs. This is why it might be in your best interest to search for the best home warranty provider in your area, allowing you to achieve peace of mind knowing that no matter what happens, you are covered. However, not every home warranty company will cover well pump repairs, and there might be other factors you might want to be aware of. In this article, we will provide you with all the information that you need to know about home warranties and well-pump repairs.

Do Home Warranties Cover Well Pump Repairs?

In general, home warranties cover well pump repairs. However, there are three factors that you will want to be aware of before you purchase a home warranty:

• Exclusions
• Coverage limits
• Pre-determined conditions

Furthermore, you will want to ensure that there are no hazardous materials present near the pump itself. Home warranties and hazardous materials usually do not mix, and the presence of the latter can compromise your entire home warranty contract. With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the most important aspects of any home warranty contract.

Exclusions

Every home warranty provider has its own set of exclusions. For example, you may be denied coverage for any above or underground piping, pressure switches not located on the pump, or booster pumps. Additionally, you can safely assume that your home warranty will not cover any redrilling of wells. One of the most common mistakes that home buyers make is to assume that their home warranty will provide coverage for any and all issues. Unfortunately, this is seldom the case, and you need to familiarize yourself with any applicable exclusions. Otherwise, you may end up paying for both the home warranty and the repairs.

Coverage limits

Home warranty coverage limits greatly differ from one provider to another. What you can rely on, is that every single plan will have a coverage limit of some sort. For example, some home warranty companies cap their coverage at $500 per appliance, making them practically useless when it comes to well-pump repairs. Other companies have a drastically increased limit, with up to $5,000 per item coverage. Needless to say, understanding the coverage limits is extremely important if you want to ensure that home warranties cover well pump repairs.

You will also want to determine whether your home warranty coverage limits are determined on an annual basis or per-item basis. Both options have their advantages and disadvantages, of course, and your choice will usually be determined by whether you can do some repairs on your own. There are a lot of home repairs that you can do yourself and not rely on home warranty coverage, allowing you to “save” it for when it matters most. If you want to achieve the best results, you will only use your home warranty coverage for important repairs/replacements, the well pump being one of them.

Pre-determined conditions

Lastly, you need to be aware that home warranty companies will usually not cover any pre-existing conditions. If your well pump has a chronic issue, for example, you can safely assume that your home warranty will not cover its repairs. However, you can talk to your home warranty provider and get to some sort of agreement, most of the time. Your coverage might be lower, but some companies will agree to include your well pump in the home warranty contract. Of course, you will need to stay ahead of your home inspection and maintenance, as that is a common prerequisite for any home warranty. If you fail to maintain your systems and appliances in a satisfactory way, the home warranty company might deny you coverage. As for what the “satisfactory way” means, every company has its own definition.

The best thing you can do is talk to your home warranty provider and make sure that you perfectly understand how they deal with pre-existing conditions.

Common Well Pump Problems (And how to fix them)

Instead of relying on your home warranty to repair/replace your well pump whenever there is a problem, you may want to know how to deal with some of the more common problems on your own. Here’s a small list of some of the most common problems you may encounter:

• Air in the water pipes
• Abnormally high electricity bills
• Well pump is pumping sand
• Inadequate water pressure

How to fix air in the water pipes

The easiest solution to this problem is to simply let all your appliances and faucets run for about 10 minutes. By doing so, you will force the water bubbles out of your water pipes. If this does not solve the problem, you may need to get in touch with your home warranty provider. Home warranties cover well pump repairs, after all, and you can have a professional in your home before you know it!

Solving abnormally high electricity bills

Most of the time, simply replacing the check valve will solve any sky-high electricity bills. However, your well pump might also be clogged or worn out. If that happens to be the case, you will either want to contact professional pump cleaners or learn how to maintain the well pump on your own.

What to do when the well pump is pumping sand

There are two possible reasons for this problem. Either the water level has dropped, or your well screen has degraded. While you can’t do much for the former, a simple 60-mesh filter screen with an automatic purge valve will resolve the problem in no time!

How to fix inadequate water pressure

If your pump is designed to operate at higher pressures, simply adjusting the pressure switch might do the trick. Otherwise, you may want to consult a professional, as there are a huge number of reasons why your water pressure might be low.

If you don’t want to have to worry about any repairs to your well pump, the best thing to do is get a home warranty contract from a reputable provider. In general, home warranties cover well pump repairs. The best way to find a quality and affordable home warranty provider is to consult the Consumer Opinion Guide. We have already compared all the popular home warranty companies, as well as their reviews, and can provide you with all the information you need to make the best choice!