This photo tells a story we see more often than you might think. A homeowner decided to pull their own well pump — and the pump slipped off its connection and dropped straight to the bottom of the well.

What Went Wrong

When a submersible pump is not properly secured to the drop pipe and pitless adapter, it can slip free during removal or installation. Once it drops, the electrical wiring bunches up and jams inside the casing, and the pump itself falls hundreds of feet down the wellbore. What started as a weekend project just became an expensive professional recovery job.

The Real Cost of DIY

Pulling a dropped pump requires specialized fishing tools, a lot of patience, and experience knowing how to work inside a well casing without making things worse. In some cases, the pump cannot be recovered at all and the well itself can be damaged. The repair bill for a dropped pump is almost always significantly more than what a professional pump pull would have cost in the first place.

Leave It to the Pros

Well pump work involves heavy equipment, electrical connections, and working inside a confined space hundreds of feet deep. It is not a DIY job. Washington State law (RCW 18.104) requires that well pump installation and removal be performed by a licensed pump installer or well driller — and this photo shows exactly why that law exists.

Need a Pump Pulled or Replaced?

If your well pump needs service, do not risk dropping it down the well. Call Pump Division at (509) 214-9355. We handle pump pulls, replacements, and installations the right way — licensed, insured, and guaranteed.