Written on: July 30, 2021
If you rely on a well for your water, it’s critical to use the right well pump to keep water flowing throughout your home during peak usage hours – and to maintain that pump so it does this job reliably.
In this well pump guide, we’ll answer some basic questions about how a well pump works and how you can find a well pump that best suits your needs. If you’re ready to install a well pump in the Hudson Valley, or need your well pump serviced by experienced professionals, contact Downey Energy today – we’ll help get you started!
Q. What is a well pump?
A. A well pump is an electro-mechanical piece of equipment installed after drilling or digging a well. It is designed to get water from the well into your house. An electric motor drives the pump, which pushes water from your well through a pipe.
Q. How does a well pump work?
A. The well pump pushes the water from your well into a tank, which will store it until you need it. When the motor is operating, it will draw water into the pump, which then pushes it to the surface into a pressure tank.
Pumping water into this pressure tank will raise the tank’s air pressure until it reaches a level somewhere between 40 to 60 psi. When you turn a faucet on in your house, dropping air pressure in the tank pushes water through your plumbing. Once the air pressure drops down to around 40 psi, the pump will re-engage, driving more water into the storage tank.
Q. How do I choose a well pump?
A. When choosing the right pump for your well, the single most crucial factor is your well’s depth — that is, how far the water must travel to get to the surface of the ground. To determine your well’s depth, look at the report filed by your well driller. If you don’t have a report, find a long rope, attach a fishing bobber to one end, then lower the bobber down until you feel it floating. Mark the string once you remove the slack.
Q. How do I size a well pump?
A. Well pumps come in a wide range of sizes, and the best size for your home depends on your property’s size, how much water your household uses, and how many plumbing fixtures you have in your home.
In terms of size, well pumps are rated in gallons per minute (GPM); an average home with three or four bedrooms typically needs a capacity of somewhere between eight and twelve GPM. When calculating how much water your home needs, add one gallon per minute for each of your home’s water fixtures, such as dishwashers, clothes washers, refrigerators, faucets and showers.
Keep in mind: Right-sizing is critical to the function of your well pump. Your pump needs to be large enough to meet your home’s needs, but not so large that it operates inefficiently. If you need to install a new well pump, always call a pro to assess your needs.
At Downey Energy, we’re licensed and trained well pump replacement experts! We install quality Goulds submersible well pumps – the best and most reliable well pumps in the business. Contact us to learn more about well pump installations in the Hudson Valley.
If you already have a well pump, be sure to maintain it regularly! We carry a full inventory of replacement parts in every one of our service trucks, so when you need well pump repairs, we’re ready to do the job right.
