Well Pump Replacement – Making Your Selection

So, you’ve finally decided to bite the bullet and get to grips with that well pump replacement you’ve been talking about for years? You may have had a quick look around but haven’t a clue where to start in terms of selection, so the following tips might be useful.

1. Forget cost – at least just for the moment. Trying to select suitable equipment based exclusively upon the lowest dollar figure you can spot is a bad start. You’ll most likely end up with something that’s cheap but totally inadequate for your particular situation.

2. Check out your existing equipment and make sure you understand what type it is. If it’s in your basement or is at floor level, the chances are it’s a jet pump. It may have one or two pipes running to your underground water source, and it may also have some sort of storage tank in order to make sure your property receives an even-pressure water distribution.

3. As a general rule, if your old pump is doing a good job but is just close to expiry due to age, then it might make sense to replace it with one of the same technical solution type. That doesn’t mean one made by the same company - just that the most cost-effective solution and the one likely to minimize knock-on plumbing change and associated cost is to try and go for a solution that’s broadly similar. 4. If your equipment is down the well itself, then it’ll be called a submersible. You’ll know which is which because typically this type will be invisible on a day-to-day basis and you’ll have a single feed pipe coming from your well into the house – probably terminating in a tank.

5. The power your equipment will need to deliver will depend upon a large number of factors. Once again, if your old one was adequate for the job then look for one of a similar size and power. Take advice if you are unsure.

6. If your installation is new, your old equipment simply wasn’t doing the job well enough, or you’d like to think about alternative solutions (for whatever reason), then you’ll need to do some research. You’ll need to find the drilling report or engineer’s commentary and discover things such as how deep your well is and how deep the water is in it. Things such as the length of pipe runs, inclines and the size of your household or commercial premises, will all affect the size and power of the equipment you need. This type of well pump replacement or new installation is something best done with the help and guidance of an expert.

Once you’ve done some of the above things, then it’s time to start looking at the dollars!Remember that well pump replacement needs to be based upon selecting the right equipment for the job and of suitable build quality, if disappointment is to be avoided.

Sarah Saadoun works for HMS Plumbing, a family-owned business in Manassas, Northern Virginia. If you need a well pump replacement, Herve and his dedicated employees at HMS are proud to be serving the plumbing needs of Northern Virginia residents and businesses. For reliable Fairfax plumbers HMS Plumbing is your first choice.

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