Pump short-cycling every few seconds? A failing pressure tank destroys your pump motor. We diagnose and replace same-day, upfront pricing.
Serving all 13 Marion County communities
A failing pressure tank forces your pump to short-cycle, running on and off potentially hundreds of times per day instead of a few times. Left untreated, this burns out the pump motor and turns a manageable tank repair into a much larger pump-and-tank replacement job.
These checks take under 5 minutes and can confirm whether your tank is the problem, or rule it out so we know what to look for when we arrive.
Tap the bottom third of the tank with your knuckle. A healthy tank sounds hollow in the lower half. Air should be in the lower section when the system is pressurized.
Turn off power to the pump and open a faucet to release line pressure. Find the Schrader valve on top of the tank (looks like a tire valve). Press the pin inside briefly with a pen or key.
Open a faucet to a slow trickle and watch or listen for how often the pump kicks on. Count how many times it cycles per minute while the faucet runs at a slow, steady flow.
If any test shows a problem, or if you're unsure, call us at (352) 247-2220. We'll diagnose on-site before recommending any repair.
Every pump start puts electrical stress on motor windings and mechanical stress on impeller and shaft seals. Under normal operation, your pump cycles 8-12 times per day. Under short-cycling stress, that number climbs to hundreds or more, every single day.
Your pressure tank stores pressurized water between pump cycles so the pump doesn't need to run every time you open a faucet. Inside is a rubber bladder (or diaphragm) with air on one side and water on the other. As the pump fills the tank, the air compresses. When you use water, pressurized air pushes it out, without the pump running at all.
A properly functioning tank means your pump runs a few times per day. When the bladder fails, water fills the tank completely and the air cushion disappears, causing short-cycling. A failed tank also means zero reserve pressure, so any water use causes an immediate pressure drop followed by a pump restart.
The pre-charge air pressure inside the tank must be set at exactly 2 PSI below your cut-in pressure. Mismatched settings cause short-cycling even when the bladder is intact. We calibrate both on every job.
A tank replacement isn't just a swap. We inspect the full system to make sure the issue is resolved, not just the most obvious symptom.
We confirm the tank is actually the problem before touching anything. Short-cycling can also be caused by a pressure switch with a too-narrow differential or a small system leak. We identify the root cause first so you're only paying to fix what's actually broken.
We assess whether a bladder swap is viable or whether full tank replacement is the better option, based on tank design, age, and condition. If bladder replacement is the honest recommendation, that's what we'll do. We never push full replacement when it isn't warranted.
We inspect all connections, unions, and shutoff valves associated with the tank. Any worn fittings discovered during removal are replaced during the job, not noted and left for later. A new tank connected to a failing fitting means a callback in 6 months.
After installation, we set the tank's air pre-charge to exactly 2 PSI below the cut-in setting and calibrate the pressure switch cut-in and cut-out specifically for your system. A new tank with a mismatched pre-charge or uncalibrated switch will still short-cycle. This step prevents that.
We run the pump through multiple full cycles, monitoring cut-in and cut-out pressure, cycle duration, and pressure hold between draws. We verify the pump is cycling the correct number of times, pressure holds at the right level, and there's no residual short-cycling before we consider the job complete.
We diagnose, replace, calibrate, and test, all in one visit. Same-day response throughout Marion County.
We replace pressure tanks throughout all 13 Marion County communities, same-day availability, same upfront pricing, and the same full-system calibration on every job regardless of where you are in the county.
Every hour a waterlogged tank runs shortens your pump's life. Same-day response across all of Marion County.
24/7 response, all Marion County
