How to Prime a Well Water Pump: A Step-by-Step Guide for North Texas Homeowners

Quick answer: To prime a well water pump, shut off the breaker, close the valve to your home, remove the priming plug, fill the pump casing with water until it overflows, replace the plug, then restore power and slowly open the valve. The pump should pull water from the well within 1–2 minutes. If it doesn't, you likely have a check valve or foot valve issue that needs professional service.

If your well pump suddenly stops delivering water, runs but doesn't pressurize, or kicks on and off rapidly, it has probably lost its prime. Priming a well pump is the process of refilling the pump and intake line with water so it can create the suction needed to pull water from your well. It's one of the most common DIY-able well repairs — but it's also one where homeowners damage their pumps most often by skipping a step.

This guide walks you through priming the three most common types of well pumps in North Texas homes: shallow-well jet pumps, deep-well jet pumps, and submersible pumps. If you'd rather not handle it yourself, call Flowcore Water at (817) 480-7971 — we offer same-day service across the DFW metroplex.

What Does It Mean to Prime a Well Pump?

Priming a well pump means filling the pump casing and intake pipe with water so the pump can start moving water from your well. Most well pumps are not self-priming — they rely on a column of water already sitting in the pump and the pipe above the well. When that water drains away (because of a leaking foot valve, a long power outage, or air in the line), the pump runs dry and can't pull more water. Priming refills the system so suction can resume.

Running a well pump dry — even for a few minutes — can burn out the seals, bearings, and motor. That's why priming correctly matters: it's not just about getting water back, it's about not destroying a $400–$1,500 pump in the process.

What Should You Check Before Priming a Well Pump?

Before you grab a bucket of water, run through this checklist. Most "the pump won't prime" calls Flowcore gets in DFW turn out to be one of these:

• Power. Confirm the breaker for the pump is on and hasn't tripped. A tripped breaker is the most common cause of "no water" in North Texas homes after a thunderstorm.

• Pressure tank. If your pressure tank is waterlogged or has lost its air charge, the pump will short-cycle and behave like it's lost prime even when it hasn't.

• Foot valve / check valve. A failed foot valve at the bottom of the well lets water drain back down every time the pump shuts off. If you have to re-prime your pump every few days, this is almost always why.

• Visible leaks. Walk the line from the well head to the pump. Air leaks at fittings will prevent the pump from holding prime indefinitely.

How to Prime a Shallow-Well Jet Pump (Step-by-Step)

Shallow-well jet pumps sit above ground (often in a pump house or basement) and pull water from wells less than 25 feet deep. They have a single suction pipe and are the easiest type of pump to prime.

1. Turn off the breaker for the pump at your electrical panel. This is non-negotiable. Working on a live pump is how people get hurt.

2. Close the valve between the pump and your home's plumbing so the system you're priming is isolated.

3. Locate and remove the priming plug on top of the pump (usually a 1/4-inch threaded brass or plastic cap labeled "Prime").

4. Pour clean water into the priming port using a funnel or pitcher. Keep adding water until it overflows from the top — you want zero air in the casing. This typically takes 1–3 gallons.

5. Replace the priming plug hand-tight. Don't overtighten and crack the casing.

6. Restore power at the breaker.

7. Slowly open the valve to your home plumbing while watching the pressure gauge. The gauge should rise to 30–50 PSI within 1–2 minutes.

If the pump runs but the pressure doesn't build, shut it off immediately. Running a dry pump for more than a few minutes will burn it out. Repeat the priming process once. If it still won't prime, call a well technician — you almost certainly have a foot valve, check valve, or suction line issue. Flowcore's well pump repair team covers the entire DFW area for this exact problem.

How to Prime a Deep-Well Jet Pump

Deep-well jet pumps pull water from wells 25–110 feet deep and use two pipes — a suction line and a pressure (return) line — to create a venturi at the bottom of the well. Priming them is similar to a shallow-well jet pump, with one critical difference: both pipes need to be full of water.

1. Shut off the breaker.

2. Close the valve to the home.

3. Remove the priming plug on top of the pump.

4. Pour water into the priming port until water flows back out of the well's pressure pipe vent (this confirms both pipes are full). On a deep well this can take 5–10 gallons.

5. Replace the priming plug.

6. Restore power and slowly open the valve.

7. The pump may take 3–5 minutes to fully build pressure on a deep well. Be patient — but if pressure doesn't build at all, shut it off.

How to Prime a Submersible Well Pump

Submersible pumps live at the bottom of the well, fully underwater. By design, they're self-priming as long as the well has water in it — you don't pour water into the pump itself. If a submersible pump isn't delivering water, the issue is almost never priming. It's one of these:

• The well water level has dropped below the pump intake (low water table — common in North Texas during summer drought).

• A failed check valve or pitless adapter is letting the drop pipe drain.

• The pump motor or capacitor has failed.

• The wiring or pressure switch has failed.

If you have a submersible pump and you're losing water, don't pour anything into the well — that won't help and could contaminate the system. Call Flowcore at (817) 480-7971 and we'll diagnose it on-site. Most submersible pump issues require a pump puller service to lift the pump out of the well.

What Should You Do If the Pump Keeps Losing Prime?

If your pump primes and works for a few hours or days but then loses prime again, you have a leak somewhere in the system. The most common culprits, in order:

1. Failed foot valve at the bottom of the well (60% of cases). The foot valve is supposed to keep water from draining back down. When it fails, the column of water above it drops every time the pump shuts off, and you have to re-prime. Replacing a foot valve typically requires pulling the well, which is professional work.

2. Failed check valve at the pump (20%). Same problem, different valve. Easier to replace if it's accessible.

3. Air leak in a fitting on the suction line (15%). Hard to spot — sometimes you'll hear a faint hiss, sometimes not. Often shows up as bubbles in the pump casing during operation.

4. Cracked or damaged drop pipe (5%). Usually the result of freeze damage or shifting soil. Always requires professional repair.

If you're priming the pump more than once a week, stop. You're shortening the pump's life every time. Get a well inspection from Flowcore and we'll find the leak.

How Long Does Priming a Well Pump Take?

For a healthy shallow-well jet pump, priming takes about 5 minutes total — 2 minutes to add water and 1–2 minutes for the pump to pull water from the well. Deep-well jet pumps take longer (10–15 minutes including the 5 gallons of priming water). Submersibles, again, don't get manually primed.

If priming is taking longer than 15 minutes or you're on round 3, stop and call a professional. You're risking the pump.

When Should You Call a Professional Instead of Priming the Pump Yourself?

Call a well technician if any of these apply:

• You've tried priming twice and the pump still won't pull water.

• You have a submersible pump (priming yourself isn't possible).

• The pump has been running dry for more than 5 minutes.

• You smell burning or see smoke from the pump motor.

• You're losing prime more than once a week.

• You hear water hammering or banging in the pipes when the pump cycles.

• The pressure tank gauge bounces wildly during operation.

Flowcore's well pump repair team services the entire DFW metroplex with same-day callouts. If your pump's down and you can't shower, we can usually have a tech on-site within hours. Call (817) 480-7971 or schedule online.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my well pump keep losing prime?

The most common cause of a well pump losing prime is a failed foot valve or check valve, which lets the column of water in the drop pipe drain back into the well every time the pump cycles off. Air leaks in suction-line fittings, cracked drop pipes, and waterlogged pressure tanks can also cause repeated priming issues. If you're priming more than once a week, the pump needs a professional inspection.

Can I damage my well pump by priming it wrong?

Yes — running a well pump dry, even for a few minutes, can burn out the seals and motor. Always shut off the breaker before opening the priming plug, fill the casing completely with water, and watch the pressure gauge after restoring power. If pressure doesn't build within 1–2 minutes (shallow well) or 3–5 minutes (deep well), shut the pump off immediately rather than letting it run dry.

How much water do you need to prime a well pump?

A shallow-well jet pump typically needs 1–3 gallons of clean water to prime. A deep-well jet pump can need 5–10 gallons because both the suction pipe and pressure pipe must be full. Submersible pumps don't get manually primed — they're self-priming as long as the well has water above the pump intake.

Do you have to prime a submersible well pump?

No. Submersible pumps live underwater inside the well casing and are self-priming by design. If a submersible pump stops delivering water, the issue is something else — typically a failed check valve, low water table, motor failure, or electrical issue. Don't pour water into a submersible well; it won't help and may contaminate the system.

How long should priming a well pump take?

For a healthy shallow-well jet pump, priming takes about 5 minutes total. Deep-well jet pumps take 10–15 minutes. If priming is taking longer or you're on a third attempt, stop — you're putting the pump at risk. Call a well technician to diagnose the underlying issue, which is almost always a failed valve somewhere in the system.

Get Your Well Back Up and Running

Priming a well pump is one of the few well-repair tasks a homeowner can safely DIY — but only if the underlying system is healthy. If your pump won't prime, keeps losing prime, or you're not comfortable working on the equipment, Flowcore Water has serviced wells across the DFW metroplex for years. We're certified, licensed, and offer same-day callouts on most well pump issues.

Call Flowcore Water at (817) 480-7971 or schedule online. We serve Fort Worth, Dallas, Frisco, Denton, and the entire DFW metroplex.