The pressure tank is the single most common cause of "my well pump is failing" calls that turn out not to be about the pump at all. We check it first, every time.
A bladder (captive-air) pressure tank holds a cushion of pre-charged air that lets the pump cycle on and off at set intervals — typically a 40/60 or 30/50 psi cut-in/cut-out range — instead of running every time a faucet opens. When the tank's air charge is correct, the pump runs in long, spaced-out cycles. When it's lost its charge or the bladder has failed, the tank can't hold pressure, and the pump starts cycling on and off rapidly, sometimes every few seconds.
Short-cycling is hard on a pump — the motor takes the most wear during startup, so a pump cycling every few seconds instead of every few minutes burns through its expected lifespan fast. If your pump seems to be "failing" constantly, a waterlogged or undercharged pressure tank is often the real cause, and it's a much cheaper fix than a new pump.
A tank that's lost its air charge but still holds pressure can sometimes be recharged. A tank with a ruptured bladder, a tank that's rusted through (steel tanks), or one that's simply undersized for the household's demand needs replacing. We also check the pressure switch at the same time — a worn-out switch can cause identical symptoms to a bad tank and is a much smaller fix.
Pressure tanks are sized by drawdown capacity — how many gallons the tank delivers between cut-in and cut-out — not just physical size. An undersized tank relative to household demand causes the same short-cycling problem all over again even when everything else is installed correctly. We size the replacement to your household's actual usage, not just a like-for-like swap.
Wondering if it's your tank or your pump? See our blog post Pressure Tank vs. Well Pump: How to Tell the Difference.
Get a straight answer on whether it's the tank, the switch, or the pump.
Call (000) 000-0000