The Pros and Cons of Buying a Home with Well Water

So you’ve searched and searched and you have finally found the home that you wanted. The realtor that is working with you tells you that this home has well water. Your first thought: is this a good thing? Will it cost me more to maintain? If you find yourself in this type of situation, it’s a good idea to take a moment and really weigh the pros and cons of buying a home with well water. Below you will find answers to both sides of the debate.

The Pros

1. No public water bill

For many this is the number one reason why they like the idea of using well water. Not having to worry about a water bill is really a huge advantage in some areas. So if you are looking to cut back on your expenses then you may want to consider getting a home that offers well water.

2. Better tasting water

Many have found that the well water taste so much better when compared wit the public water supply. For one thing you don’t have to worry about getting that chlorine taste in your water, which usually happens after a storm and the water is treated.

3. Healthier

Many also feel that drinking well water is a lot healthier than public water. For years many have said that natural minerals are what keeps a person healthy. Not the processed stuff that is added to public water systems.

The Cons

1. Maintenance

There are some who may say that maintaining your well water system is not that difficult, but you do have to consider the cost. When you use public water, all of the maintenance is done for you. With private well systems you are now the one who has to make sure that all the necessary maintenance is done on the well system on a regular basis. There are several things that you will need to be concerned about such as the water pressure, which can be different from a home with public water. As well as cleaning the well, and making sure that no bacteria has contaminated your well. For more information on what is involved in maintaining your well you can go to wellowner.org .

2. Possiblity of drying up

Although this does not happen often it is a possibility that your well water may dry up, than you will be left with a home with no water. Many say that this is a very rare thing, so it may not be anything to worry about. It would however be a good idea to keep this thought in the back of your mind.

3. Town’s requirements

In some areas the township can have certain requirements for homes that have a well system. You may want to check this out or any home that you are planning to buy. This will let you know how much money, and time will be involved in the maintenance of your well system.

4. No power could mean no water

One thing that I recently learned about well’s during the past storm known as “Sandy”, is that in some homes if you don’t have power you will not be able to get your water from the well. This may be surprising to some who have never considered the fact that not only could they be without power but they could also be without water. When you have the well inspected be sure to ask about how a power outage would affect your water supply if you have well water.