MG70
New Member
1970's house that's new to me. It's my first house with a well. I need to clean and disinfect the well and install a new cap since this one is chipped and doesn't seem to keep bugs out. Pump is working and it's producing water. Someone previously tightened the well cap to the point that it broke a piece off the cap and, sadly, seriously dented the other two bolt contact points on the rim of the casing. He must've used a torque gun. Casing seems to be 6 1/4" I.D,. and 6 1/2" O.D. which, from shopping online for a cap, doesn't seem a common size these days (the current cap is marked 6 5/8). I don't know what the current minimum required well head height in MD is but this one is 12" off the ground.
I was wondering the best way to straighten the lip of the casing so that I could install a new cap to keep bugs and debris from entering. Elsewhere others have suggested trying to straighten it with a crescent or pipe wrench. Previously, I was thinking of cutting a new rim with a grinder or reciprocating saw, but bending it back into shape would be much easier.
Now for the questions:
1. Has anyone here successfully corrected a similar problem described above by bending the casing lip back into shape? If not, then what would you recommend?
2. From my newbie point of view, I'm not convinced that the style of cap pictured is enough to not let insects in even if the rim was very straight? Should I look for a well cap with a rubber gasket, or cover the opening with a mesh, or perhaps apply silicone around the rim after properly disinfecting it?
If you have any suggestions for correcting the casing and/or size and style of well cap I should look for, please reply.
Thanks in advance for any help and I hope everyone has a safe weekend!
I was wondering the best way to straighten the lip of the casing so that I could install a new cap to keep bugs and debris from entering. Elsewhere others have suggested trying to straighten it with a crescent or pipe wrench. Previously, I was thinking of cutting a new rim with a grinder or reciprocating saw, but bending it back into shape would be much easier.
Now for the questions:
1. Has anyone here successfully corrected a similar problem described above by bending the casing lip back into shape? If not, then what would you recommend?
2. From my newbie point of view, I'm not convinced that the style of cap pictured is enough to not let insects in even if the rim was very straight? Should I look for a well cap with a rubber gasket, or cover the opening with a mesh, or perhaps apply silicone around the rim after properly disinfecting it?
If you have any suggestions for correcting the casing and/or size and style of well cap I should look for, please reply.
Thanks in advance for any help and I hope everyone has a safe weekend!
