Why the Well
Low pressure or a well pump that short cycles is usually the pump and tank, not a water filter.
The house coughs. The pump clicks on and off every few seconds. Showers die. That is mechanical. Buying an iron filter will not fix it.
Water quality and water quantity get sold as the same problem. They are not.
Do this first
- Listen at the pressure tank when someone opens a tap. Rapid on/off is short cycling.
- Look at the pressure gauge (if you have one). Does it swing wildly, sit at zero, or never reach the cut-out?
- Did this start after a dry spell, a new irrigation system, or a power blink? Write that down.
What it probably is
A waterlogged or failed pressure tank is the boring classic. A bad pressure switch. A well that cannot keep up (low yield), especially in late summer. A pump that is failing or has lost prime. A clogged intake. None of those are solved by a softener.
If every tap is weak and the pump runs a long time, the well may be low. If the pump slams on and off, start with the tank: a tank that is waterlogged has no air cushion. Some tanks have a Schrader valve on top like a tire. If you do not know that system, this is a well contractor or plumber, not a weekend guess with a big wrench on a live well.
What not to buy
- A whole-house filter “to help pressure.” A dirty filter can drop pressure. A new filter will not repair a dead tank.
- A bigger pump stacked on a well that is already gasping. You can wreck the well.
- Any water-treatment ad that showed up because you searched “well problems.”
No water at all, burning pump smell, or a flooded pit: shut the pump off at the breaker and call a licensed well person. Do not keep cycling it.