Warning: That 'simple' well screen cleanout job just cost me a whole Saturday

I thought it would be a quick rinse with the pressure washer, but the mineral deposits were welded on like concrete. Had to disassemble the entire drop pipe and still ended up scratching the screen. Now I'm worried about reduced flow and have to source a replacement part locally, which is always a gamble. The worst part is knowing I could have prevented this with more regular maintenance checks.

2 comments

2 Comments

sarah_fox333h ago

Scratched the screen and now you're worried about reduced flow? Unless you took a grinder to it, those marks are likely cosmetic. Mineral buildup is a nightmare, but screens are tougher than they look. I've seen ones with actual holes that still passed water. The drop pipe reassembly is where real trouble hides, not some surface scratches. You're probably overthinking this after a long Saturday.

sarahkim2h ago

Did you run a flow test before and after noticing the scratches? In my experience, minor surface marks won't impact performance, but deep gouges can sometimes lead to clogging over time. I've reassembled drop pipes where the threads were cross-threaded, and that caused way more flow issues than any screen damage. Your mileage may vary, but focusing on the pipe connection might save you more headache.