
How often should I shock-chlorinate my well?
The frequency of how often you use shock chlorination for your well depends on a number of factors. Generally, it’s wise to shock your well every 3 to 5 years, after testing your water for contamination. Aside from that, you should shock-chlorinate your well in any of the following circumstances:
How often should you shock a well with iron?
Never shock a well with iron. Shocking a well is usually only a good idea to do once. Normally, it is not a good idea to shock a well on a regular basis. Especially if it has iron or manganese in the water. It is only recommended that a well be shocked one time.
How much bleach do I use to shock a well?
Once you have shocked a well, avoid bathing or doing laundry for at least 24 hours, if not longer. The amount of bleach needed to shock a well depends on the size of your well. you need to calculate how much bleach you need. The rule of thumb is to add 3 pints of bleach (3/8 gallon), plus 3 pints for every 100 gallons of water in your well.
Is shocking a well a good idea?
Shocking a well is not always a good idea. Never shock a well with iron. Shocking a well is usually only a good idea to do once. Normally, it is not a good idea to shock a well on a regular basis. Especially if it has iron or manganese in the water. It is only recommended that a well be shocked one time. Such as when it is a new well.

Is shocking a well Necessary?
Blocked Pipes Bacteria clogs pipes by building up on their sides, congregating thickly and keeping water from pushing through adequately. In order to unclog your pipes, it is necessary to remove any and all iron bacteria which may be present in your well system. This will typically require a shock chlorination.
How much does it cost to shock your well?
How much does it cost to shock a well? If you hire a company to do it, it can cost anywhere around $100 depending on where you live. Doing it yourself will only cost as much as the chlorine, 10 gallon bucket and the safety supplies to do it.
Should you shock your well every year?
Shock chlorination is recommended: upon completion of a new well or when an unused well is returned to service. if annual water test results indicate the presence of bacteria. if a well system is opened for any installation, repair or maintenance.
How long should I shock my well?
The length of time for flushing depends on the concentration of chlorine, depth of the well, formation type, the pH and the size of the distribution system. It will usually take 4 to 8 hours to flush the well after a standard well chlorination.
How long do you run water after shocking well?
Run the water out of the hose for about 10 minutes in an area away from the well, septic system, landscaping, and bodies of water. The water may be discolored.
Will shocking a well get rid of iron?
With shock chlorination, the entire system (from the water-bearing formation, through the well bore and the distribution system) is exposed to water that has a concentration of chlorine strong enough to kill iron and sulfate-reducing bacteria.
Will Shocking well damage water softener?
Shock chlorinating your water supply system can potentially damage your pressure tank, some filters and filter media, or water softener, so bypass these systems if possible.
What is a natural way to clean well water?
You can boil the well water for 5 minutes. With this, all the bacteria inside it will be eliminated. However, boiling will not be able to remove the solids and other materials inside the well water. The use of chlorine drops or iodine tablets can effectively kill the bacteria in the well water.
How much does it cost to chlorinate a well?
To disinfect your well and eliminate the bacteria, you should chlorinate the well. You can hire a company that services wells to do the chlorinating. The cost ranges from $80 - $200. You can also perform the task yourself.
Why is my water brown after shocking well?
The chlorine used to shock the well reacts with iron, manganese and reducing bacteria in the well and it is pulled into the water chlorine solution. That is the brown you see. Flushing the well by running the hoses for at least 12 hours or upto several day will clear up the problem.
Will shocking a well get rid of coliform?
When done properly, shock chlorination will kill all the bacteria existing in a well. A recent Penn State study of wells contaminated by coliform bacteria found that shock chlorination and installation of a sanitary well cap successfully removed the bacteria for one year in 15 percent of the wells.
What happens if you put too much bleach in well?
According to AskingLot, if you put too much bleach in your well, it can destroy the good bacteria found in the well, which can be a significant problem! The company also says that you should dilute the bleach with water so the pipes do not get ruined.
How long does it take to drill a 500 foot well?
*Prices are for a complete water well system. to drill. A well takes about a week to install and lasts up to 40 years with proper maintenance and care.
How much is it to drill a well in Arizona?
What is the cost of drilling a water well in Arizona? The price can vary a lot, based on some of the factors we've listed, but the overall cost is likely somewhere in the range of $27 – $58 per foot.
How much does it cost to dig a 200 ft well?
The average cost to drill a well ranges from $15 to $60 per foot, although $15 to $30 per foot is a good guideline for most projects....How Much Does It Cost to Drill a Well Per Foot?Depth (Feet)4” Diameter PVC Casing6” Diameter Steel Casing150$5,300$9,200200$7,100$12,200250$8,900$15,300300$10,700$18,4004 more rows•Jul 22, 2022
Is it legal to drill your own well in Florida?
All wells must be constructed by a licensed water well contractor. The only exception to this law is for a water well two (2) inches or less in diameter constructed by an individual for his/ her own private use on his/her owned or leased property as specified in Section 373.326(2), Florida Statutes.
How long will I have to wait before I can use my well after shock chlorination?
The exact waiting time ranges from 12 to 24 hours after you’ve added the chlorine and allowed it to circulate through your household plumbing syste...
Is it safe to shock a well?
Yes – though you should take appropriate care when handling the chlorine solution. Be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions and wear prote...
Will water filters remove bacteria?
No. You may use whole-home carbon filters to filter your well water. While carbon filters are effective at removing certain well water contaminants...
How can I be sure that shocking my well worked?
Test the water in your well for contamination after you’ve completed the shock chlorination process. A water test will let you know whether the pro...
How to shock a well with bleach?
How to shock a well. Pour two gallons of regular unscented Clorox ® bleach down into the well head. Let the chlorine sit in the well for an hour. Go to the farthest faucet from the well. And turn on both hot and cold water all the way until you either smell chlorine.
What to wear when you are shocked?
Make sure the area is well ventilated. Also, you should wear safe clothing and equipment when shocking a well. Wear goggles to avoid contact with your eyes. Wear rubber gloves to protect your hands. And rubber boots for your feet . Wear coveralls or waterproof clothing.
How long can you let chlorine sit?
Some people just wait until it has sat with chlorine overnight. And this is ok. But if you can let it sit 24 hours, that is a good idea. Remember, chlorine is very volatile. It is dangerous to work with in small or confined areas. Make sure the area is well ventilated.
How long does it take for a dishwasher to disinfect?
24 Hour Disinfection Period. After 24 hours has passed (Or at least overnight). Turn all faucets on in the house until you no longer smell chlorine. And flush all toilets. Running a full cycle in the washing machine and dishwasher while they are empty is a good idea.
Is it safe to shock a well with iron?
Shocking a well is not always a good idea. Never shock a well with iron.
Can you be shocked once in a well?
Especially if it has iron or manganese in the water. It is only recommended that a well be shocked one time. Such as when it is a new well. Or if it tested positive for coliform or ecoli bacteria. And has never been shocked before. If you have iron bacteria or sulfur odors. Or if it has been shocked before.
What happens if you don't have a well?
If you don’t keep your water clean and safe for drinking, you expose yourself to potentially harmful bacteria which can make you sick or destroy your well. While they’re not hazardous to health, perhaps the most damaging bacteria to your well are iron bacteria ...
What is shock chlorination?
To put it simply, shock chlorination is the most common and effective way to disinfect a water well. But, let’s expand on that a little. When iron bacteria and sulphate-reducing bacteria start to reproduce at rapid rates in your well system, they can cause problems for you, and also your well itself. Shock chlorination needs to be done in able to eliminate these bacteria.
How to destroy bacteria in well water?
If you want to destroy these harmful bacteria, the quickest and easiest way to do so is with a shock chlorination. Shock chlorinations should be performed regularly to ensure that your well water is always pure and safe for use.
Can you shock chlorinate yourself?
This involves distributing household bleach or chlorine into the well system so that it can slowly kill off all harmful bacteria. While it’s possible to perform shock chlorination yourself, it’s recommended that you seek the help of a professional. A professional will ensure that the chlorination is done in a safe, controlled, and effective manner.
How long does it take for water to smell after a well shock?
It's reasonable to expect to smell the chlorinated water at a faucet in a typical one family home within 4 to 10 minutes after shocking the well.
How Long Will It Take for Chlorinated Water in a Shocked Well to Reach the House?
In a well 700ft deep - how long until the chlorine smell will be get to the house? - B.S.
How long does it take for a disinfectant to work in a well?
Watch out: for inadequate well disinfection: use enough bleach to reach the necessary concentration in the well and let the disinfectant remain in the well long enough (8-24 hours) - otherwise you may fail to adequately disinfect the well.
What is shock disinfection?
The purpose of shock disinfection of a well system is to destroy bacterial contamination present in the well system at the time of disinfection and is not intended to kill bacteria that might be introduced at a later time.
How high is the column of water in a well?
If the static head in your well - the height to which water reaches when the well is at rest, fully recovered - is just 35 feet, that means that the height of the column of water in the well is just 35 feet.
How long does it take for a well pump to recover?
As long as no one makes the mistake of leaving a well pump running when it is dry of water, the system is not damaged, and the well will recover, usually in a few hours; but once discovering that your well has a poor flow rate, indeed you will want to take steps to address the problem, either by adding water storage capacity or by increasing the well yield, or in the worst case, drilling a better well.
Can you put Clorox in a well?
Pour Clorox™ Bleach (or an equivalent brand of household bleach) or hypochlorite granules down into the well. Some people use swimming pool chlorine tablets which have the advantage that they sink to and sterilize water at the well bottom, and the disadvantage that it takes longer to flush out the chlorine.
When is shock chlorination recommended?
Shock chlorination is recommended: upon completion of a new well or when an unused well is returned to service. if annual water test results indicate the presence of bacteria. if a well system is opened for any installation, repair or maintenance.
How long after shock chlorination can you drink water?
Wait one to two weeks after shock chlorinating the water supply system to retest for total coliform and E. coli bacteria. Follow sample collection instructions carefully. If the test results show the absence of coliform bacteria, the water is safe to drink.
What is Shock Chlorination?
Shock chlorination is the process by which home water systems such as wells, springs, and cisterns are disinfected using household liquid bleach (or chlorine). Shock chlorination is the most widely recommended means of treating bacterial contamination in home water systems.
What Precautions Should Be Taken Prior to Shock Chlorination?
Shock chlorination is used to remove bacterial contaminants from well water, well casings, holding tanks and the whole water supply system. A licensed well driller is trained to shock chlorinate. Should you decide to shock chlorinate your well yourself, take the following precautionary measures:
How long should you leave chlorine solution in a well?
Do not leave chlorine solutions inside well casings for longer times than prescribed (12-24 hours).
What is an improper well location?
an improper well location. absence of a well cap or an improperly placed or loose well cap. inadequate grouting or other faults during well construction. a cracked well casing. Shock chlorination is NOT a recommended method for treating recurring bacteria problems.
Why is my well water cloudy?
whenever the well is surrounded by flood waters (standing water around or covering the well casing) if well water becomes muddy or cloudy after a rain. if the well has iron bacteria or sulfur-reducing bacteria symptoms like slime (biofilm) or odor.
