Realtors and Water Testing

In Idaho, most homes out in the country have a well and water system. This is the main source for drinking and irrigation water. But even homes that are close to the city may have a well. When you’re selling a home with a well, there are tests that have to be done, tests that should be done, and tests that could be done if you really want to. If you’d like us to take a look at your system, just print and fill out this form and send it to us. (You can fax it, or you can scan and email it to walkerwatersystems@gmail.com) Once we get the request, we’ll contact you to schedule an appointment. When the results come back from the lab, we’ll get them to you by email, fax, or mail – whichever works best for you.

Please note: Different samples can take different amounts of time, so please plan accordingly:

Also: we try to schedule service requests within two weeks of when we receive them. If you need service more quickly, please check the box for expedited service. Last-minute service checks and missed appointments may result in an additional fee.

Our crew is trained and experienced in laboratory procedures to eliminate sampling errors. In other words, if the test comes back clean, you know the water’s OK. But if the test comes back dirty, you can be pretty sure the problem is in the water system, and you’ll need some kind of disinfection done. (if that’s the case, we can take care of disinfecting the system too.)

Most water samples we take are checking for Bacteria or Nitrates, and occasionally Arsenic, Lead, and Copper. A nitrate sample, for instance, might show if your well water contains runoff from farm or dairy industries. The others could tell you whether your well contains levels of dissolved materials that could be harmful. We’re not limited to just these, though. We can test for pretty much anything you can think of (and can afford – these tests can get spendy).

If you can’t decide which tests to take, give us a call. We’re familiar with water quality in most areas of Southern Idaho, and we can help you get the best information for your money.

Service Check

Pump, Motor, Controls, Pressure Tank: When one of our agents performs a service check, it’s not just a visual inspection of your well and controls. We use testing equipment to check the electrical balance of the pump and the controls, evaluate the status of the control box components, and check the functionality of the pressure tank and other parts of the system.

Checking the electrical function of the pump can be done from the surface without pulling the pump, and can tell us a lot about what kind of shape it’s in. For example, if the pump is showing a higher-than-normal amperage, it might mean that the motor is wearing out. These kinds of clues can tell us more about the system. For example, we might be able to say that a pump is wearing out and will likely need to be replaced soon. Or we might find that there’s a leak in the system that needs to be repaired.

Control box components are critical to the normal operation of the pump and are usually found by the blue pressure tank. These are components like relays, capacitors, and pressure switches. Newer pumps might have a computerized drive instead. Typically, these components either work or they don’t – but a service check includes a test of these components, to make sure they are working correctly.

A pressure tank is a blue storage tank hooked to the plumbing. It might be a big one, the size of a water heater, or a small one about the size of a basketball. It has two functions. First, it provides a reservoir of water in a bladder to ease the burden on the pump. Second, it helps to pressurize the water in the system, so that you can run the dishwasher and take a shower at the same time. If the tank is waterlogged, a flow test won’t show it – but it will cause the pump to turn off and on frequently and wear out the pump. Newer systems might substitute a big tank for a small one plus a computerized drive.