“The pump on our stock well quit in January. They pulled it, showed us the burned winding and told us the price before they unloaded anything.”
Jeffrey H.Ranch near Wolf Creek
Well pumps, tanks and sump pumps near Helena
The pump kicks on every few seconds. Here is why.
Six of us and one pump truck work wells, pressure tanks, sump pumps and sewage ejectors from Helena out to the ranches. Below are the six parts between your well and your tap, and what each one does when it quits.
- Licensed and insured, numbers in the footer
- A written price before work starts
- We show you the part that failed
Pump and tank in plain words
Six parts between your well and your tap
Water takes the same trip every time. When something is wrong, it is almost always one of these six, and each fails in its own way. Find your symptom, then call us with the part's name.
- 01
Step 1: The pump, down the well
A submersible pump sits at the bottom of the well casing and pushes water up. A jet pump sits above ground, in a pump house or basement, and pulls it up.
No water at any tap, with the breaker on
Weak water while the pump never stops
Sand, air or cloudy spurts at the tap
- 02
Step 2: The wire, drop pipe and pitless adapter
The wire carries power down. The drop pipe carries water up and out through the pitless adapter, a fitting in the casing wall below the frost line.
The pump runs but nothing reaches the house
The breaker trips as the pump starts
A soft, wet patch in the yard between well and house
- 03
Step 3: The pressure switch
A small gray box beside the tank. It starts the pump when pressure drops and stops it when pressure is back up.
The pump won't start, though the box has power
The pump won't shut off
A chatter or buzz from the box at start-up
- 04
Step 4: The pressure tank
A steel tank with a rubber bladder: air on one side, water on the other. It holds a reserve so the pump does not start with every tap.
The pump kicks on and off every few seconds
Pressure swings up and down in the shower
Taps sputter, then gush air
- 05
Step 5: The gauge, filter and line to the house
The gauge shows what the switch sees. The filter and the buried line carry water from the tank to the house.
The gauge drops with every tap shut, so water is leaking somewhere
Low flow that comes back with a new filter
A damp spot over the buried line
- 06
Step 6: Taps, valves and the water heater
The end of the line. A worn tap or a half-closed valve can look like a pump problem when it isn't.
Weak flow at one tap only, so not the pump
Hot water weaker than cold
Hammering when a valve closes
Not sure which part it is? Describe the symptom when you call, or text a photo of the tank.
What we work on
Pumps, tanks and the pipe in between
Yard hydrants and stock-water lines
Frost-free hydrants and the buried lines that feed barns and tanks.
Care calendarPump houses and freeze protection
Heat tape, insulation and a heater that works before the first hard freeze.
Care calendar
Normal, or time to call?
What a healthy system sounds like
You don't need a gauge to tell. Listen to the pump and watch the taps for a day.
| Time to call | Normal | |
|---|---|---|
| How often the pump starts | Time to callEvery few seconds with every tap shut | NormalWhen you open a tap or flush, then it rests for a minute or more |
| How long it runs | Time to callRuns for an hour, or never quite shuts off | NormalA minute or two to refill the tank, longer for a garden hose |
| Pressure in the shower | Time to callSurges, sputters or fades halfway through | NormalSteady from start to finish |
| The sump pit | Time to callThe pump hums and the pit stays full | NormalWater rises, the pump hums, the pit empties, then quiet |
| The breaker | Time to callTrips when the pump starts. Stop resetting it. | NormalStays on |
Specials
Coupons from the shop
Show the coupon when you book. The end date and terms are on the coupon.
Pressure tank check Put the end date and terms here. 
Sump pump test before thaw Put the end date and terms here.
Sample offers.
Coupons can't be combined and don't apply to parts.
How pricing works
Every well is different, so we do not post a price list. Here is what moves the number, and when you get it.
What decides the price
Pump depth, pump type and horsepower, tank size, how far a trench has to be dug, and whether the part is on the truck.
What the estimate includes, and what it doesn't
The written estimate names the parts, the labor and anything we have to open or dig. It leaves out casing repair, electrical service to the pump house, and lawn or floor repair.
What happens at the visit
A visit fee covers the trip and the testing: we read the pump's amperage, the switch, the tank's air charge and the gauge. If you hire us for the repair that day, the visit fee comes off the job.
After hours
We do not run a night crew. A call left in the evening or on a Sunday is the first one we return when the shop opens. Nights and weekends do not cost more, because we are not out in them. If a basement is filling, switch off the pump's breaker, close the main valve and leave a message.
When you get the number
In writing, by text or email, before work starts. It is a flat price for the work listed, not hourly. If we find more once the pump is out, we stop and call you before we do it.
If the job changes
A cracked pitless adapter or a bad splice shows up only when the pump is out. We show you the part, give you a new written number and wait for your yes.
The written price is the price. If the work changes, we call you first.
The shop
Six of us and a pump truck
Lino Amador runs the shop out of one yard on Custer Avenue. Two techs work the pump truck, which pulls a well pump out of the casing without a drilling rig. One bench is for tanks, switches and sump pumps, and the rest of the crew digs, plumbs and answers the phone. When the part is on the truck, a dead pump is often a one-visit job.
Where the truck goes
Three counties, from the Helena Valley to the Missouri
The pump truck goes where the wells are. If your road or your town is not listed, call and ask before you assume.
Lewis and Clark County
- Helena
- East Helena
- Montana City
- Wolf Creek
- Lincoln
- Canyon Creek
Jefferson County
- Clancy
- Jefferson City
- Boulder
- Basin
Broadwater County
- Townsend
- Winston
- Toston
We don't go to Great Falls, Butte or the Bitterroot. For a well pump out there, call a pump installer near you.
ZIP codes: 59601, 59602, 59635, 59634, 59638, 59633, 59648, 59639, 59632, 59631, 59644, 59647, 59643
Sample reviews
What neighbors say about the work
“Ours was short cycling. They found the tank had lost its air, set the charge and explained why that matters. I understand my own system now.”
Misty R.East Helena
“The sump pump quit over a weekend. They called Monday when the shop opened, and the new pump and a battery backup were in by noon.”
Sofia G.Clancy
Sample reviews.
Questions we hear on the phone
My pump runs all the time. Should I turn it off?
Yes, at the breaker, if water is running where it shouldn't or if the pump has run for an hour with every tap shut. A pump that runs dry or hot can burn out. Then call us and tell us what you heard and saw.
Why does my pump turn on and off every few seconds?
That is short cycling. Usually the pressure tank has lost its air charge or its bladder has failed, so there is no reserve and the pump starts with every drop. A bad pressure switch or a leak can do the same. It wears the pump out fast, so don't wait.
How often should a pressure tank be checked?
Once a year. With the pump off and the tank drained, we check the air charge with a gauge and set it to the switch's cut-in pressure. It takes a short visit, and it is the cheapest way to protect the pump.
What does a visit cost, and what does it include?
A visit fee covers the trip and testing. If you hire us for the repair that day, it comes off the job. The whole picture, including what an estimate leaves out, is on the pricing page.
Do you charge more for nights and weekends?
No, because we don't work them. A call left in the evening or on Sunday is returned when the shop opens. If water is running where it shouldn't, switch off the pump's breaker and close the main valve while you wait.
Will I get a price before you start?
Yes, in writing, by text or email. It is a flat price for the work listed. If we find more once the pump is out of the well, we stop and call you first.
Tell us what it is doing
Describe it, and we will call you back
Say what you hear and what you see. We read every message at the start of the day and call you before we send a truck.
Phone(406) 555-0101
Hours
- Monday – FridayToday
- 7 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- SaturdayToday
- 8 a.m. – noon
- SundayToday
- Closed