Determining What Size Well You Need

22 Nov Determining What Size Well You Need

Are you considering installing a new well pump on your property? Whether you are installing a whole new system or you are replacing a system that is already in place, one of the first questions you will need to ask yourself is, “What size pump do I need?” After all, you don’t want to spend more money on a pump that is unnecessarily large. At the same time, failure to purchase and install a large enough pump can lead to issues with water pressure and availability of water.

Considering Well Depth

The depth of the well will have impact on the size of the pump that you choose to purchase. If the well is less than 25 feet deep, for example, you will likely need to install a shallow well jet pump. For wells that are 25 to 110 feet deep, on the other hand, a deep well jet pump is a better choice. Anything that is 25 to 400 feet deep should generally use a submersible pump. 

Identifying Pump Size

Calculating Size

Since pumps come in different sizes, they each have an identification plate on the side that will tell you more about the horsepower of the pump. More horsepower will result in a pump that runs less often and has a longer life span. Since it is possible to have too much horsepower for a particular job, however, you will want to keep this in mind rather than automatically assuming “bigger is better”. If you are replacing an existing pump and you were generally happy with the production of the pump that you are replacing, you will likely want to purchase a replacement pump with the same horsepower. 

As a general rule of thumb, you should count the number of fixtures that depend upon your pump and multiply that by 60 to determine the size of the pump you need. If you are uncertain, however, the experts at Pump Service Idaho will help you determine the amount of horsepower that is needed for your particular setup.