Shallow Well Pump Loses Prime Daily: Check Valve and Pressure Switch Basics

Florida home with shallow well pump feeding two spigots and a water-cooled heat pump. Pump requires repriming daily. Suction line is 1¼″ PVC into ground. Expansion tank on suction side.

Check Valve (Foot Valve) Replacement

1. Remove pump from well casing.
2. Detach suction line from pump.
3. Pull suction line up; foot valve is at the bottom end.
4. Replace foot valve and reassemble.

Pipe is typically a single PVC drop pipe—no outer casing in most residential shallow wells.

Pump On/Off Control

A pressure switch (mounted on the discharge plumbing, with a small pressure-sensing tube and usually a gauge) turns the pump on/off. It’s pre-set (e.g., 30/50 psi) and adjustable. The expansion tank on the suction side is unusual—normally it’s on the discharge side with the switch.

Verify the discharge-side pressure switch exists and is wired correctly. If the suction-side tank is the only tank, the system may lack proper pressure control.