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How to make a well with your own hands

This WordPress post introduces an easy guide on how to build a well with your own hands. The post outlines the four simple steps to build a manually dug well: preparation, excavation of the well hole, the installation of a tube, and refilling the well site. It also explains how to build the wall around the well to keep water clean, and it details tips on how to keep the water inside clean. It features the advantages of the manual-building method, which is cost saving, easy to do, and has no need for electricity or running water. Building a well with your own hands is possible with the right know-how and the right tools.

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Water in the house has long been an integral part of our life. It is hard to imagine a modern house without running water and sewerage. But still, houses in the private sector, especially in small towns, are deprived of such benefits and water has to be carried manually from wells and columns. How to be in such a situation?

How to make a well with your own hands

Of course, the easiest way is to run water from the city highway, you say, and you will be right. But, unfortunately, this option, although the simplest, is not always available. The reasons may be different, but the essence is the same โ€“ there is no water.

The only way out is to build a well on your site. It will provide a permanent and independent source of water all year round. And no matter how much they say that arranging a well is a rather difficult and hard work, which can only be trusted by professionals, it is safe to say that with certain knowledge, diligence and patience, this work is within the power of each of us. Save your patience and diligence, but with knowledge we will help you.

Types of groundwater

First you need to decide what kind of water we need in the well. Groundwater is of three types:

  1. High waters. This type of water flows under the very surface of the earth and is absolutely unsuitable for drinking..
  2. Groundwater. This type flows in the uppermost aquifer and is quite drinkable, even without the installation of additional filters. The main thing is not to use water from the newly built well, letting it settle for ten days. There is no water supply pressure, so the level of such water in the well will correspond to the level of the surrounding groundwater. This is a very important point when building a well. Its depth should be several meters below the water table so that the lower rings are constantly filled with water.
  3. Artesian water. This type of water is particularly clean. The taste can be different and depends on which layers the water passes through. It is located at a very great depth, under groundwater and is supplied under pressure. To use it, it is best to drill a well, but at the same time you should be prepared for significant financial expenses, because the depth of a well can reach more than one dozen meters.

When building a well, it is most advisable to focus on the second type of water โ€“ groundwater. They are located close to the surface, they are clean and the construction of a well will not take much time and will not require large financial costs.

How to make a well with your own hands

After the well is built and the water has settled, you should take a sample of it to the SES for analysis. Depending on their result, it will be possible to attend to the purchase of the necessary filters for water purification.

After choosing a source, you should decide on the location of the future well and choose the time for work.

What to look for before digging a well

The optimal time of the year for starting work on the construction of the well is autumn. And the point here is not that it is not so hot outside and it will be easier to work. Itโ€™s just that at this time of the year, the groundwater is at its maximum depth. The summer heat is to blame. Therefore, digging a well in the fall, you can be sure that there will be water in it both in the spring (and at this time of the year the water level in the well reaches its maximum) and in the summer.

Of course, you can dig a well at other times of the year, for example, in spring, but this is fraught with some inconveniences, because due to the higher water level it is difficult to calculate the required depth of the well, and working below, in cold water, is not the most pleasant experience..

The choice of the location of the future well should be approached very carefully. In no case should it be built near sources of potential pollution, which include stockyards, latrines, cesspools, and even baths. The minimum distance to these objects must be at least 15 meters. Otherwise, there is a possibility that after some time drains and dirty water will get into the well. And itโ€™s good if after that you manage to clean the well.

How to make a well with your own hands

For a private house or a summer cottage, the best choice would be a mine well made of ready-made reinforced concrete blocks. This choice is due to the fact that water will be taken from the upper aquifers, moreover, it has a fairly simple design and does not require the use of special equipment.

Before starting work, it is worth getting to know what parts such a well consists of. It has only four elements:

  • head โ€“ the upper part protruding above the surface;
  • the shaft is the mine itself;
  • water intake โ€“ the lower part of the well, in which water is collected;
  • sump โ€“ the lower part of the well, which is designed for additional accumulation of water supply.

It is possible to build a well without a sump, simply by deepening the water intake part. The water intake depth is usually 1โ€“2 m, depending on the needs.

Shaft wells are of three types:

  • imperfect โ€“ a well in which water flows through the side walls and bottom;
  • perfect โ€“ water mainly flows through the side walls;
  • perfect with a sump โ€“ water enters through the side walls, and accumulates in a tank (sump).

To provide the house with sufficient water, you should choose the option with water flow through the bottom and side walls, the so-called imperfect well.

Digging a well and installing rings

The hardest part of the job is digging the well shaft. The diameter depends on the selected diameter of the concrete rings. It is best to choose rings with an inner diameter of 1 m. Rings with a smaller diameter are inconvenient to work with. And if you choose rings with a large diameter, then due to too much weight, it may be difficult to install them..

How to make a well with your own hands

The height of the ring can vary from 50 to 80 cm. With this height, it is quite convenient to put the rings in place and 2-3 people are enough for work. Before starting work, you should familiarize yourself with the basic safety requirements:

  1. All work should be carried out in a protective helmet.
  2. Be sure to check all ropes and ropes for strength.
  3. Use reliable nodes.
  4. If the depth of the well is more than 6 meters, the worker must use a safety rope.
  5. The entire area around the well within a radius of 3 meters must be free.

When lowering any object into the mine, be sure to warn the person below about it..

So, shovel in hand and you can start. Excavation work is best done together. One digs, and the other raises containers with earth to the surface. To speed up the process, you can use a tripod or a winch. They will not be superfluous at all when installing the rings in the mine. If it is not possible to use these devices, you can independently make a gate with a chain or strong rope..

It is worth paying attention to the fact that the diameter of the hole to be dug should be about 20 cm larger than the diameter of the rings.This will allow you to avoid collapses during installation and speed up the installation process.

How to make a well with your own hands

When the hole reaches a depth of 0.5โ€“1 m, you can start installing the first ring. Under the influence of its own weight, it will immediately begin to sink into the mine. When the ring is aligned, you can continue to work in the mine, digging into the bottom of the mine and gradually installing the rings.

In this case, excess soil can be removed in two ways. Their choice depends on the type of soil. If the ground is soft, then it should be removed, starting from the middle of the ring and only then under the ring. And if the soil is solid, then first it is removed under the ring, thus lowering it, and only then they get rid of the soil inside.

All subsequent rings, like the first ring, will sag under the influence of their weight. The main thing here is to ensure that they do not skew and do not go to the side. If necessary, you can lift the ring and align it.

The rings should be installed end-to-end and, for greater reliability, reinforced with metal brackets. As soon as all the rings are installed, this stage of work can be considered completed..

How to make a well with your own hands

The last ring should protrude 0.6โ€“0.8 m above the surface. This will prevent drains and dirty water from entering the well. This is not the only option for installing rings in a mine, but perhaps the safest..

You can use another way. First, the shaft of the well is completely dug, and then with the help of a winch all the rings are lowered inside at once. But this is a rather dangerous method, because there is a high probability of ground collapse. Donโ€™t risk it in vain.

Extraction of the first water and installation of the bottom filter

As soon as you have reached the water table, water will immediately begin to flow into the well. Initially, it will be dirty and muddy, but you should not be afraid. To clean the well and ensure the flow of clean water, a bottom filter must be installed.

To do this, it is necessary to pump out all the water from the well. You can use an electric pump for these purposes, and at the end, when there is only one slurry, lift it with buckets.

How to make a well with your own hands

After the water has been removed, the bottom should be leveled and a layer of river sand, about 25 cm thick, should be poured, on top of which a layer of fine gravel, 20 cm thick, should be poured.Pour the same layer of coarse gravel on top.

After that, you can pump out the water. For these purposes, it is better to use an electric pump, since it is not possible to take water with buckets. It is worth selecting as much as possible..

When pumping out, water will constantly flow into the well, but this is good, because the larger the volume passes through the well, the faster the water will be purified. Pump down at least once a day, several days in a row.

Over the next two weeks, until the water has settled, it can be used only for economic purposes. After the water is finally purified and settled, it is necessary to hand over its samples to the SES.

Installing a clay castle and closing the well

The final stage is a device around the well of a clay castle, which in the future will prevent water from entering the well โ€“ verkhovodka.

It is very easy to make it. To do this, a trench is dug around the well, about 2 meters deep and 20 cm wide, into which clay is laid in small layers and carefully rammed.

How to make a well with your own hands

Initially, the diameter of the hole to be dug for the well was slightly larger than the diameter of the ring, so now it is enough to expand and deepen it. A small clay mound is made on top and covered with a concrete blind area.

A sturdy cover is laid on top of the head, which is locked with a lock. The cover will protect the well from accidentally falling objects, and the lock will become reliable protection from children and pets.

Turnaround time

Summing up, we can say that, despite all the complexity, you can cope with the construction of a well on your own, without involving outside specialists. Yes, the work is difficult, hard, but the final result makes you forget about all the difficulties, and the first sip of water will surely seem the most delicious in life. The main thing is not to be afraid, and then everything will definitely work out.

As for the time, it is quite possible to complete all the work in 10 days. Digging a well shaft โ€“ 3 days, installing rings and arranging the bottom of the well โ€“ 2 days, pumping water from the well for its speedy cleaning โ€“ 3 days, a day of rest and a day to install a cover on the well.

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Comments: 2
  1. Colton Russell

    Can somebody please provide step-by-step instructions on how to build a well on my own? I would really appreciate any tips or advice on the necessary materials, tools, and techniques needed for this project. Thank you in advance for your guidance!

    Reply
    1. Emma Powell

      Building a well on your own can be a challenging but rewarding project. Here are some step-by-step instructions to help you get started:

      1. Select a suitable location for your well. Make sure it is at least 100 feet away from any potential sources of contamination, such as septic tanks or chemical storage areas.

      2. Obtain any necessary permits or permissions from your local authorities before digging.

      3. Dig a hole using a post hole digger or shovel. The hole should be wide enough to accommodate the well casing and deep enough to reach the water table.

      4. Install the well casing by lowering it into the hole. Make sure it is secure and level.

      5. Attach a well screen to the bottom of the casing to prevent debris from entering the well.

      6. Backfill the hole with gravel or sand to provide support for the casing and allow for proper drainage.

      7. Install a well cap or cover to protect the well from contamination and debris.

      8. Test the well water for quality and purity before using it for drinking or irrigation purposes.

      For this project, you will need materials such as a well casing, well screen, gravel or sand, and a well cap. Additionally, you may need tools such as a post hole digger, shovel, and level.

      It is important to follow all safety precautions and guidelines when building a well. If you are unsure about any step in the process, consider consulting a professional or hiring a contractor to assist you. Good luck with your well-building project!

      Reply
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