The latest reports show that around 15 million households around the United States rely on their own residential wells for their home water supply. Want to know what’s more? That number is growing from one year to the next. There are plenty of advantages of having your own well, but the process can seem quite complex and overwhelming at first.

With more and more people turning to land purchases to make their home owner dreams come true, understanding the well installation process is key. I will always recommend learning more by speaking to a professional well contractor, so know this is meant to help you understand the process in general. To learn what the process of well installation actually is like, read this step by step guide to well installation by American Pump Services.

Step 1 – Picking the Spot

The first step of building a well comes with an initial consultation period. During this time, a contractor will visit your property and find the right spot to drill the hole and install the well.

Step 2 – Drilling The Well

Once the construction process actually begins, the first step is to drill down into the ground. The hole that this creates will become the actual well. Drilling contractors can make use of a variety of drilling machines to do this job. No matter what tool they use, the results are basically the same. The drill plows down into the earth, breaking through rock and dirt along the way, and all the debris is removed and placed in a pit, dumpster, or pile.

Step 3 – The Casing

Once the well has been drilled, the installation process of the well components can actually begin. The first component to go in is the well casing. The casing is a long metal or plastic tube which is inserted into the drilled hole. It usually measures at around 4-6 inches in diameter and goes from the surface down to the aquifer, which is the groundwater supply your well will be tapping into. The casing is sealed with a well cap.

Step 4 – Screens

As well as the casing, wells usually need well screens. Well screens are fitted at the base of the casing to form an extra layer of filtration. They protect the water in the well against dirt and sediment.

Step 5 – Grouting

After the casing has been inserted, there’s usually a little gap between the casing itself and the wall of the hole that has been drilled. This space can then be filled in with a kind of grout.

Step 6 – Cleaning/Developing

The process of ‘developing’ a well is basically just cleaning it up, and this is when contractors will use air/water to blast out any excess sediment that might have built up at the bottom.

Step 7 – The Final Touches

To finish off the installation of a water well, the well pump needs to be installed. The well pump is the part that actually works to suck up the water and deliver it to your home. You can also request the installation of a pressure tank. A pressure tank works to store water and control the functioning of the pump. This is also the time to do a water quality test to check the contents of well water before drinking it.