Digging wells: little secrets

Very many owners of country houses, who are tired of the constant interruptions in water supply from the central system or are dissatisfied with the quality of water, sooner or later decide to build their own source of fresh water, which will be independent of the urban system or season.

The most modern source of drinking water today is wells, but for their drilling requires special equipment, qualified personnel and not always there is the possibility of its use. Digging wells is a less modern method.

However, it is still relevant, since it can be dug independently without the involvement of special equipment, and the price of such a source will be an order of magnitude lower than the well, although it takes more time to build.

Digging a well

Choosing a place for a well

Before starting work, it is necessary to determine the place on the well construction site..

When choosing a place you need to consider many different factors, such as:

• the level of groundwater with the required quality and quantity of water;
• the presence of various sources of pollution nearby (sewage, sewage pits, landfills);
• terrain relief;
• the presence of a particular type of vegetation;
• soil type.

Note! To start construction, you need to choose the right time of year when it is better to dig wells. Usually groundwater flow in the summer, which is most appropriate for construction. In the spring and autumn periods, the soil is saturated with temporary layers of top water that will not give you the opportunity to dig up the desired layer, and can contribute to the movement of the soil and the collapse of the walls of the well.

Types of country wells

In suburban settlements and private houses one can find two main types of wells:

• tubular;

• mine.
  

The tubular well (also called a column or a single file, see photo) is usually dug on the streets and everyone has free access to it. Such columns are usually drilled to a shallow depth using a screw.

This allows you to build a shallow well with your own hands, without resorting to the help of third-party specialists and special equipment. However, the quality of water in such wells leaves much to be desired, and during dry seasons it may not be able to get water at all due to its absence.

The technology of digging a well of a mine type requires much more time and effort, but it is worth it. Such sources are available in almost every yard, because they give the owner independence from the seasons, do not require large financial expenditures and special skills.

Once you have chosen the time when it is better to dig a well and decide on its type, you can begin to study the theory and prepare for the working process.

Mine Well Device

The design of the shaft well is extremely simple and for its self-erection is not required to carry out complex engineering calculations.

The design consists of:

• water intake;
• stem (mine);
• head (part of the mine, protruding above the ground).

Additional functional and decorative elements include:

• the roof of the well;
• device for lifting water (drum, chain, bucket or pump).

Safety before work

Before you start digging a well with your own hands, it is necessary to study the elementary safety rules, the non-observance of which can lead to sad consequences for a person working in the mine.

• digging should be provided with a protective helmet (photo), which in case of a bucket breakage or foreign objects falling into the mine can protect the head from damage;

• buckets with spent soil must be tied to ropes with multiple safety margins;
• when the depth of the mine is below six meters, the bucket is tied with an additional safety rope;
• the worker must be tied with a strong rope, the second end of which is securely fastened to the ground;
• be sure to periodically check for oxygen at the bottom of the mine.

The technology of digging wells provides for continuous ventilation of the mine, the depth of which exceeds three meters.

Note! As it deepens, emitted carbon dioxide is dug up in the mine, which can harm human health. It has no color and smell, so the usual glass jar with a lit candle inside is periodically lowered into the shaft. If the candle goes out, then there is no oxygen at the bottom and the person cannot work.

Professional workers have a special portable fan that pushes air to the bottom through the pipeline, providing ventilation, but at home it can be ventilated with a regular blanket. A blanket is tied to a rope, thrown to the bottom of the shaft, and then abruptly lifted to the surface. These actions are done until all the gas comes to the surface.

Well digging process

Once you have decided where to dig a well on the site and studied safety techniques, you can start digging a mine. In antiquity, the walls of the mine laid out of logs, today for this purpose used concrete rings, which are poured out on factories in various shapes and sizes.

Given that we are digging a well with our own hands without using technology, it is advisable to order rings of small size. The best option would be a ring with a wall height of not more than 25 centimeters and an internal diameter of at least one meter, otherwise it will be almost impossible to dig.

To lower the rings, you can build a tripod above the shaft with a ring in the center, let the cable pass through it and lower the concrete rings into the shaft with it (see photo).

Lowering rings in the mine

• for digging use a sapper shovel with a short handle;
• when deepening into the ground by 50 cm, the first ring is installed in the shaft, which will settle under its own weight;
• Then they dig another 25-30 cm and put the next ring on top of the first one.

In order for the rings not to move relative to each other, they are fastened together with metal clips. You can dig the whole mine to the full depth and only then lower the well rings into it, but this option is too dangerous for the worker, because the ground can collapse.

Construction of the bottom of the well

Having reached the required aquifer, the well begins gradually to be filled with dirty water mixed with the earth and in order for this not to happen further, it is necessary to make a bottom filter.

For the device of the well filter it is necessary:

• deflate all dirty water;
• dig another 15-20 centimeters deep;
• raise the dirt to the surface, and the bottom as much as possible to level;
• fall asleep layer of small gravel, 15-20 cm thick, level and tamp it;
• next fall asleep a small layer of large rubble in 5-10 cm.

Tip! If the soil is loose and the bottom floats when it is quickly filled with water, then you can put a few boards on the bottom to stop and cover the filtering gravel on top. Next, the dirty water is pumped out until a clear liquid appears.

Mine waterproofing

The joints between concrete rings must be carefully sealed in order to prevent surface water from entering the well. To do this, it is necessary to prepare a homogeneous mixture of cement and PVA glue. The prepared mixture is applied to the seams with a spatula, trying to fill the seam as much as possible.

For these purposes, you can use ready-made mixtures or liquid glass. It is strongly recommended not to use various mastic based on bitumen resins for puttying joints, as this will affect the taste of water.

That part of the well, which stands above the surface, can be missed with mastic from the outside. It is advisable to lay out cement monolithic formwork around the well to prevent water from entering the external walls of the well and to maximize its removal from the mine.

The cost of digging the well yourself using this manual will be minimal, you will need to buy concrete rings and a mixture for putty seams, the rest is available on the farm.

Conclusion

It is worth noting that digging wells with your own hands will require a lot of time and effort from you, as well as the need to involve one or two accomplices for safety net and work on the surface. But on the other hand, you can significantly save money without attracting professional teams and you will be sure that the well is built with high quality and will provide you with water for quite a long time.

If you decide to get down to business on your own, be sure to look at the video in this article first.