Huge Fire Ant Colony built under a Water Well Cover. They were in the water supply!

Link to a more in-depth video on How to Sanitize a water well using the Loop Chlorination method.
• How To Sanitize a Well...
H2o-Mechanic Online Store
www.h2o-mechanic.com
Order Direct from Us.
There's dozens of Helpful Plumbing Videos on my Well Pump Q&A Playlist, So go check it out!
Comments are Always Live!!! Here to answer any questions you may have.
Show Support by Subscribing if you Learned Something New.
Best Water Well Plumber on KZread!!!
Donations are appreciated!
Hwdracing@gmail.com. - PayPal
Philip-Hensley-3 - Venmo
❤️ Super Thanks - KZread
#waterwell #drinkingwater #sanitize #watertreatment #iron #bacteria #ecoli #construction #homeowner #diy #wellpump #plumber #homestead

Пікірлер: 61

  • @richardbuendia3609
    @richardbuendia36095 ай бұрын

    I put a bar of Irish Spring soap to keep things out for the past 3 Years and it keep them out fire ants and mice and all it cost was a bar of soap and not a new pressure switch or set of contacts for my AC unit

  • @chriscolley2229

    @chriscolley2229

    5 ай бұрын

    I have been using I. S. for years . Thos explains alot . Keeps the ladies away too .

  • @pubcollize

    @pubcollize

    5 ай бұрын

    why would you put soap in your drinking water?

  • @SOU6900

    @SOU6900

    5 ай бұрын

    ​@@pubcollize 😆 I think he means he puts a bar under the cover.

  • @pubcollize

    @pubcollize

    5 ай бұрын

    @@SOU6900That's more sensible

  • @ClearWaterPumpWell
    @ClearWaterPumpWell4 ай бұрын

    Man let me tell ya about the time we pulled a submersible pump because the people said the water smelled like musk! We started pulling the drop pipe and got about 10-20 feet out when a black runner snake went right through our hands. The snake got in through the 3/4 threaded hole on the well seal that was not plugged and made a home. They had the well covered up with the old plastic fake rock which was good at least. So yea I bet that snake let off some defensive musk every time the pump came on and shook the pipe. Another time we were pulling a pump due to bug parts getting stuck in the faucet screens. They said they looked like wings and legs of some kind of bug. We lifted the well seal and immediately dropped it and run like hell as 50 wasps chased after us. They had gotten in again from a hole not plugged on the well seal. That was a fun one and we ended up dumping soap water with a 5 gallon bucket to kill them. After that we pulled the pump and cleared out as many as we could and chlorinated the well. I saved the best for last as a no water call and the pump probably needed replacement. I started pulling the pump and under the well seal looked like dirt or something on the drop pipe. a few feet down I find a large group of slugs sticking on the drop pipe for about 20 feet down. Apparently because this well was in a field where they cut tall grass the well would get covered like hay in the summer. The grass was rotting and then rain would make the debris run down the bad seal. I guess the slugs started eating the dead grass and converting it to a slugs habitat. After pulling the pump and seeing bits and pieces of slug in the pump inlet It made me wonder. So I asked the home owner if the water smelled or tasted bad or anything..... The guys said no everything has been good for years, water is great. I said well just don't tell your wife what I found till I blow the well and chlorinate the hell out of it! Take it easy man, Casey

  • @PelicanIslandLabs
    @PelicanIslandLabs5 ай бұрын

    I get my well treated once a year with Oxalic acid to kill/mitigate iron oxidizing bacteria. Six months after treating with Oxalic acid I chlorine treat the well. So, two treatments per year. Both treatments are done with water being recirculated through the well.

  • @matthewmiller6068
    @matthewmiller60685 ай бұрын

    This is so interesting because I've never heard of sanitizing a well (or any other service for a well) before your videos...and I'm fairly certain when renting a place with a well it was never done (hell I found the "cap" over the well not all the way attached when we moved in). Wonder if something like this would have helped at my Grandparents house there was always a slight blue "film" on water that would sit for a while out of their well but supposedly tested fine when evaluated

  • @alexlaser.
    @alexlaser.4 ай бұрын

    Thank you for showing weight in grams. Really helpfull would be to fast switch to meters with the sonic measuring device! 😊

  • @tompinnef6331
    @tompinnef63315 ай бұрын

    Fire ants - had 2 runs in with them while visiting Dallas and my folks in TN. Not a fan of them for 'some' reason. Yes I did the 'fire ant dance' for a bit. Thank you for the video - hope the crew / family and you are doing well. God Bless.

  • @brentwentfishing
    @brentwentfishing5 ай бұрын

    I sanitized my well with the steps shown here about three months ago. The difference was amazing! Great video! 👍😎

  • @stlouisx50
    @stlouisx505 ай бұрын

    Oh my gosh, never knew you were supposed to treat the well once a year. Been using the well since we moved here without treating it. Had always heard you could use pool shock. Thank you thank you!

  • @RM-no3wj
    @RM-no3wj5 ай бұрын

    I wish I knew about your channel 11 years ago when I needed a new well system

  • @ruffopadilla5470
    @ruffopadilla54704 ай бұрын

    Nice junction box!👍

  • @wallacefrey6247
    @wallacefrey62475 ай бұрын

    Great instructional video. Thanks for the tips.

  • @SpaceSailor-tu3vl
    @SpaceSailor-tu3vl5 ай бұрын

    Great information,I do like the method of recirculating the water thru the system, would you recommend replacing the filter before you start the recirculating or maybe half way after starting.

  • @tamikanning
    @tamikanning5 ай бұрын

    I don’t understand how shocking the hole actually disinfects the water in the whole well. Isn’t there always new water filling the hole up from the ground? Or is it all the metal parts that start to grow bacteria? Thank you for your videos!

  • @Squat5000

    @Squat5000

    5 ай бұрын

    It's isolated to areas that get oxygen in general. The natural flow and pressure of ground water keeps it isolated to the well bore and close therein

  • @tomgroenbeck7620
    @tomgroenbeck76205 ай бұрын

    What can you use as bait to get rid of fire ants. Back in Germany our Home Depot would sell a powdery bait in quart size containers, but I haven't seen this here in the US.

  • @jake-mv5oi

    @jake-mv5oi

    5 ай бұрын

    Sounds like boric acid.

  • @Natsumidragneelkim
    @Natsumidragneelkim5 ай бұрын

    This is one of the few times a concrete pad would probably have prevented this

  • @Herk_Derp_20
    @Herk_Derp_205 ай бұрын

    Hey Phil, thank you for all your great videos. It definitely has helped me in the last few years on a new property I purchased that had an old well that needed updating How would you recommend that I treat my well that is artesian? It naturally flows out the top, but I have an overflow pipe that goes off into the drainage ditch. Could I still treat with pool shock and flush back into the well with a recirculating hose? Thanks again! Ryan

  • @thankswillie
    @thankswillie5 ай бұрын

    new well here in ct,dumped bleach in,dont remember..but probably 1 gallon...310'

  • @YosemiteSam01
    @YosemiteSam015 ай бұрын

    Thanks. Great Info.

  • @Guywithcrazyideas
    @Guywithcrazyideas5 ай бұрын

    Another quality video.

  • @David-lf2ne
    @David-lf2ne5 ай бұрын

    I live in a very rural area surrounded by active farmland. My well is 37 years old and my parents well is 51 years old. Neither have ever been sanitized. I don’t recall ever having smelly water or being sick/ill from drinking it.

  • @garysmith5110
    @garysmith51105 ай бұрын

    Thank you for the video!!

  • @StevenHess
    @StevenHess5 ай бұрын

    That situation was crazy.

  • @serengetilion
    @serengetilion5 ай бұрын

    Dang wow, that's amazing!

  • @strobelightbrian
    @strobelightbrian5 ай бұрын

    Very helpful!

  • @chriscolley2229
    @chriscolley22295 ай бұрын

    Good job dude 😊

  • @ni_wink84
    @ni_wink845 ай бұрын

    I would have sanitized those ants with some pool shock 😂

  • @rich3784
    @rich37845 ай бұрын

    Shovle and bug spray Do you put penratax in your wire nuts that are outside like that. to prevent rust in the wire nuts?

  • @scottrussell5041
    @scottrussell50415 ай бұрын

    Warm water with Dawn detergent poured n the any bed will kill all the ants.

  • @WrenchHead
    @WrenchHead5 ай бұрын

    Can treating your well negatively affect your septic? If so, any recommendations to help avoid that? Do you recommend UV systems at all?

  • @ruben_balea

    @ruben_balea

    5 ай бұрын

    I'm not an expert at all, I think it depends on how fast you send the chlorinated water down the drain, you may kill the bacteria faster than they can grow... You can get pods to "activate" or "rejuvenate" the septic tanks that contain the right kinds of bacteria and also enzymatic additives that help them break down fats and other residues like paper and in theory also help to keep the sewage pipes cleaner. More or less all brands are used in the same way, once a month you throw a pod down the toilet, wait a few minutes for it to dissolve and then flush the toilet.

  • @alp7836

    @alp7836

    5 ай бұрын

    Do you use bleach in your washing machine? It's not enough to ruin your septic system @@ruben_balea

  • @JohnnyNoBum
    @JohnnyNoBum5 ай бұрын

    Can you tell us what that well vent is? I have the one that just is a pipe with slits but I’m all for improving it if I can

  • @h2omechanic

    @h2omechanic

    5 ай бұрын

    Yours is fine. We just use these little sprinkler heads as a vent

  • @tammyc5511
    @tammyc55115 ай бұрын

    If your well water goes in to a big tank then through a booster pump to the pipes to house would you do this?

  • @h2omechanic

    @h2omechanic

    5 ай бұрын

    Yes, that way you treat the source of water & allow it to reach all parts of the system

  • @pemista
    @pemista5 ай бұрын

    Your videos are fantastique and entertaining - I love watching them. What puzzles me is that it always looks as if your truck has the steering wheel on the “wrong” = on the right side like a mail truck instead of left. You are not down under in Australia, aren’t you?

  • @buzzard777

    @buzzard777

    3 ай бұрын

    I think his camera is reversed or he is using front facing, notice the letters on the sign in the background as he drives by are backwards.

  • @keithjarrett5350
    @keithjarrett53505 ай бұрын

    How much of the powdered chlorine do you use from a bored well. 24 inch by 50 foot with about 25 foot of water? Thank you

  • @stacywaldrep1972
    @stacywaldrep19725 ай бұрын

    should the shock have algecide or clarifier in it, or should it be just chlorine?

  • @CaptainMcFartin
    @CaptainMcFartin5 ай бұрын

    Would it be better to use duct seal on the power hole? Never hardens but seales the opening.

  • @greggbala6686
    @greggbala66865 ай бұрын

    Hello, I live in SW Florida my well is 150 feet I use off the shelf bleach once a year to sanitize my well so am I better off using pool chlorine?

  • @RobertKohut
    @RobertKohut5 ай бұрын

    Any concern sanitizing if you have a septic system? More specifically, is it okay to run the bleach/water from the well into the septic tank?

  • @h2omechanic

    @h2omechanic

    5 ай бұрын

    Is best to flush the well a day later using a hose out into the yard. But the little bit won't hurt a septic (typical daily usage). Remember city water has chlorine treatment & some of those home still have a septic

  • @RobertKohut

    @RobertKohut

    5 ай бұрын

    @@h2omechanic Thanks...

  • @thankswillie

    @thankswillie

    5 ай бұрын

    that little bit aint going to hurt anything

  • @markbarone9634
    @markbarone96345 ай бұрын

    My well overflows 30 gpm year round. I'm assuming this would not work for me?

  • @kenbrown3571
    @kenbrown35715 ай бұрын

    Have fire ants shown up in Hampton Roads yet?

  • @brandonbartolone7281
    @brandonbartolone72815 ай бұрын

    Where can i buy single bags of the shock for 10 dollars? Is there any other shock products we can use?

  • @Dimka2
    @Dimka25 ай бұрын

    i had a dry well drilled to 400 ft few years ago, it was devastating, however few months after it started hissing loudly and when i dropped ice and some gravel in i heard splashes etc,, its a just a hole with about 80 ft of steel casing then it transitions to sandy rock and . maybe some shale and then its sandy clay stuff, the clay stuff collapsed after they took the drill out so its probably at 360 ft now.. is there a way to test a well to see if its producing anything worth pumping?

  • @georgeschikschneit7142
    @georgeschikschneit71425 ай бұрын

    I have a summer home can I sanitize the well ( put the chlorine in the well and leave it for a couple of weeks before flushing?)

  • @h2omechanic

    @h2omechanic

    5 ай бұрын

    The pump doesn't like sitting in chlorine water for that amount of time.

  • @georgeschikschneit7142

    @georgeschikschneit7142

    5 ай бұрын

    Thank you for the reply much appreached

  • @David-lf2ne
    @David-lf2ne5 ай бұрын

    Do you have an email address to share for questions or just ask them here in comments?

  • @kelvinboyd7459
    @kelvinboyd74595 ай бұрын

    There are 3 families on my will it don't have time to get stagnant