# Shallow well pump leak **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 12, 2014, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shallow-well-pump-leak/683552 "2014-03-12T18:03:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2014, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shallow-well-pump-leak/683552/1 "2014-03-12T18:03:33Z")
After being unattended during a freeze and power outage, there is a slow leak between the motor and the pump. Is it worth taking the pump apart to see if there is a ruptured gasket, or is the pump a loss? ---
**Author:** ![Khendrask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3e96dc/32.png) [@Khendrask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khendrask)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2014, 10:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shallow-well-pump-leak/683552/2 "2014-03-13T10:08:42Z")
Every shallow or convertible well pump that I know of is pretty simple to rebuild, as impeller failures are the most common fault. I always change out the gaskets when I rebuild a pump (or, just about anything with seals) as it is cheap and easy to do when you have everything apart anyway. What is the piping to and from the pump? Usually that will fail before the body of the pump does, was any of that piping damaged? If indeed the pump is leaking, a gasket or seal leak is much more likely than a crack in the housing, but they can happen. The only way to know for sure is to open it up and check. If the casting is cracked, you will either have to replace the pump end, or just get an entire new pump/motor assembly; while the castings can be patched to some degree, or even repaired, it isn’t worth it, and the patch will eventually fail. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2014, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shallow-well-pump-leak/683552/3 "2014-03-13T11:27:33Z")
The draw pipe is ABS and the other is PVC. Thanks, it will be worth taking apart then. ---
**Author:** ![Snnipe\_70E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5a626/32.png) [@Snnipe\_70E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snnipe_70E)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2014, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shallow-well-pump-leak/683552/4 "2014-03-14T01:10:45Z")
If the seal is leaking it can be difficult to change without experience.