Today Cribley replaces Shallow and Steel Wells with PVC Wells

By Allison Clark-Dondzila

Cribley Drilling started out constructing wells in 1946. At that time well drillers across the country used steel to construct wells. Years down the road it was found that steel wells have an average lifetime of about 30 years. A steel well will break down over time creating a hole in the casing. Mud, minerals, and sand get into the well making the water supply impossible for household use.

It wasn’t until the mid to late 80’s that well drillers had approval from the State of Michigan to use PVC plastic to construct wells. PVC wells last much longer than steel wells. PVC casings will last 100 plus years.

Some homeowners have installed “point wells” or “shallow wells” in their homes, cottages, or cabins. These wells are hand driven and have an old style “jet pump” instead of a submersible pump, which is what we use today. A submersible pump is located inside the well head, it is submersed in water. These old style wells are usually located inside the home and the jet pump would be visible. They are known to fail because they are outdated and often must be replaced with a more reliable water source. Most shallow wells are ancient and have reached their lifetime. In some counties the environmental health department requires a replacement well for point or shallow wells before home sales or deed transfers.

Overall wells are much like a car: they need regular maintenance, part replacement, and if they have reached their lifetime they need to be replaced with a new one.

Don’t hesitate to call us for a free well estimate. Thanks to the internet we are able to research wells on your road/nearby area to help us choose a probable depth to find water. We would be happy to email, fax, or mail you an estimate for what a replacement well might cost. If you think a replacement well is needed at your home please call our office, we can have someone meet you on site and get started.