If you are installing a water well on your property, you've probably already made a lot of decisions, including considerations about the construction of the well, the placement of the well, and more. However, there's one other decision that you'll have to make. Before the well can be finished, your plumbing contractor will need to install a pump in that well. If you're looking for a well pump, it's beneficial to understand the most important features. Here's a look at a couple of features that you need to consider.
Pump Capacity
The pump capacity refers to how much water that pump can transfer from the well to your home each minute. You'll need to talk with your plumber about the water demand in your home so that you can choose a pump with sufficient capacity to meet those needs. Your plumber will assess the water-using fixtures in your home and consider how many people are in your home to calculate the anticipated water demand.
In most cases, this is the first consideration when you're choosing a well pump. After all, if the pump meets all of your other needs but can't pump enough water to fit your household's demand, you'll still find yourself struggling with your home's water usage. Start by narrowing down your well pumps to those that meet or exceed your estimated household demand.
Vertical Suction Range
Another key factor that you need to consider when you're evaluating well pumps is the vertical suction lift of the pump. Vertical suction lift refers to the distance that the pump can be from the surface level of the water without disrupting the draw of the water when needed.
It's important that you consider the vertical suction range of the pump before you choose one. The vertical suction range will be a contributing factor to the installation location of the pump. That's because a pump that's installed further above the water surface than the suction range can handle isn't going to be able to draw water up from the well when needed.
Lift Capacity
The final factor that you'll need to think about is the lift capacity of the pump. Lift capacity refers to how far the pump can push water to reach the storage tank or the discharge line. You'll need to consider this lift capacity when you're choosing your well pump because you need to be sure that the pump you choose will be able to handle the distance from the installation location to the storage tank or plumbing line.
In most cases, you'll consider the vertical suction range and lift capacity together because the combination of the two will need to be considered when you're determining where to place the pump at the installation time. Your plumbing contractor will help you to assess what you need from the vertical suction range and lift capacity of your pumps to ensure that you get the water flow that you need.
For more help choosing a well pump, contact a local plumber.
