Annual water tank maintenance is the single cheapest way to prevent expensive well pump failures. A 15-minute pre-charge check and system inspection costs a fraction of the $2,000–$4,000 pump replacement that a neglected tank eventually causes. Legacy Water Well provides preventive tank maintenance across North Texas — and most of the pump failures we see could have been prevented with a simple annual checkup.

Here is what happens when tank maintenance gets skipped:

• The pre-charge slowly drops — Air naturally leaks through the Schrader valve and bladder over time. As the pre-charge drops, drawdown decreases and pump cycling increases. By the time you notice the pump running more often, it has already been short-cycling for months.
• Pressure switch contacts wear — Each pump cycle arcs across the switch contacts, slowly eroding them. Corroded contacts cause erratic pressure, failed starts, and eventually a stuck switch.
• Fittings corrode silently — The tee assembly, gauge port, and drain valve at the base of the tank are exposed to water chemistry 24/7. Small leaks start as seepage and grow into problems.
• Bladder degradation goes unnoticed — A bladder does not fail all at once. It degrades gradually, and by the time you notice short-cycling, the pump has already taken damage.

Our annual tank maintenance service is thorough but efficient. Here is what we check and service on every visit:

1. Pre-charge inspection and adjustment — We shut off the pump, drain the tank, and measure the air pressure with a calibrated gauge. If the pre-charge has dropped (and it almost always has), we bring it back to spec — 2 PSI below your cut-in pressure.
2. Bladder integrity check — While checking the pre-charge, we test for water at the Schrader valve, which indicates a ruptured bladder. Catching this early means replacing the tank before it damages the pump.
3. Pressure switch inspection — We pull the cover, inspect the contacts for pitting and corrosion, check the sensing port for clogs, and verify cut-in and cut-out pressures are correct.
4. Visual tank inspection — Checking for rust, corrosion, condensation patterns, and physical damage that indicate the tank is nearing end of life.
5. Fitting and connection check — We inspect the tee assembly, gauge, drain valve, and all plumbing connections for leaks, corrosion, and wear.
6. System cycle test — We run the system through several full pressure cycles, timing drawdown and recovery to verify everything is operating within spec.
7. Pump amp check — While we are there, we measure the well pump amp draw to baseline performance and catch early signs of pump wear.

We recommend scheduling your annual tank maintenance in the spring — after the winter freezes and before the peak summer demand when your system works hardest. Spring maintenance catches any freeze damage, resets the pre-charge after winter temperature swings, and ensures your system is ready for the months when it runs the most.

Beyond the annual visit, call us immediately if you notice:

• The pump running more frequently than usual
• Pressure fluctuations at the faucets
• Any visible water or rust at the base of the tank
• A hissing sound from the top of the tank (air leak)
• The pressure gauge reading erratically

Catching these symptoms early — before the pump takes damage — is the entire point of preventive maintenance. A $150 maintenance visit now beats a $3,500 emergency pump replacement in August when the whole family is home and temperatures are hitting 105.