A change of seasons isn’t just about moving your summer clothes to the front of the line in the closet.
The arrival of warm weather means planning for all sorts of contingencies, from getting the right sunscreen to ensuring the tent has all the pegs in the bag before you go camping.
But a change of seasons also affects your house itself in many subtle ways.

Take, for example, if your home is on well water.

Hot weather can alter how your well handles water quality because it changes many of the elements surrounding it – such as a lack of rainfall. Rainwater in large amounts can impact what goes into your well just by the sheer force of the water. When it dries up, that changes the situation and your well has to adjust.

Also, when the weather is warm and you live in a rural area, there is an increase in the use of pesticides as farmers work their fields. Leaching pesticides, depending on where you live in proximity to farms, can impact your water quality.

The good news is the overlying soil in your well acts as a filter, so groundwater is generally free of disease-causing microorganisms. However, contamination may occur following improper installation of well casings or caps, after a break in the casing or as a result of contaminated surface water entering the well. Contamination can also occur if wells are drilled in fractured bedrock without an adequate layer of protective soil and with less than the recommended minimum casing length.

This means wells have to be properly maintained and filtered.

At Lewis MacLean, we can help with both.

Our 24 hour Residential Plumbing Professionals have the expertise to put your well on a regular schedule of maintenance, inspecting to ensure all the pieces are installed correctly, and testing water regularly to ensure it is clean enough to use every day.

Water must be tested regularly for microbial contaminants, such as coliform. Well water should also be tested occasionally for possible inorganic and organic chemical contaminants. The well cap should be checked regularly to ensure that it is securely in place and watertight. Joints, cracks and connections in the well casing should be sealed. Pumps and pipes should also be checked on a regular basis, and any changes in water quality should be investigated.

Surface drainage should be directed away from the well casing, and surface water should not collect near the well. The well itself should not be located downhill from any source of pollution.

In addition to regular tests, well water should be tested immediately if there is any change in its clarity, colour, odour or taste, or if there has been a change in the surrounding land use.

According to Health Canada, your well should also have a secondary treatment system to ensure the best quality of water possible.

At Lewis MacLean, we recommend a whole-home water filtration system that ensures high-quality water for your family – not just for drinking, but for bathing in, and washing your clothes and dishes in, every day.

A whole-home system offers peace of mind to anyone who relies on well water. As we’ve shown, wells are subject to many external forces. When the weather changes, you should be thinking about whom you will be inviting to your backyard barbecue – not if your water is safe to drink.