Pumps are the workhorse of your well, but do you know how they work? If you have a well, you’re completely dependent on your pump working flawlessly to provide ample, safe drinking water.
Not only do you have your own well and source of water, but you also have your own electromechanical system that moves that water from the well to your home. At the center of this system is the pump, likely either a jet or submersible.
The type of pump you have is dictated by the type of well you have. If you live in a region where there’s water near the ground’s surface, installing a well is a little easier — not that it’s ever easy. If this is the case for you, you have a shallow well, so getting that water to your home is a little simpler. The distance is shorter, and the pump doesn’t have to work as hard. However, if the water is deep underground, the water is going farther, so the methods for bringing it into your home change.
Are You Shallow?
Homeowners with a shallow well almost always have a jet pump. These pumps are placed higher than the well, often in the home or within the well house. Water is drawn up via suction, so the pump relies on atmospheric pressure. It’s kind of like a straw, so how high you can lift the water depends on air weight. Air pressure is different based on elevation, but generally there’s a maximum of 25 feet permitted for shallow wells, as this guarantees good water pressure.
Jet pumps create suction. They’re powered up with an electric motor, which drives an impeller pump. This pump moves the water from the well into the home — the water speed increases during this journey, kind of like the hose in your garden. This is what gives you pressure in the shower. Without a jet pump, your shallow well would technically provide water, but not at the speed you’d like.
A Deeper Solution
Sometimes jet pumps are a good option, even past the 25-foot mark, but it may be better to choose a submersible pump at this depth. It goes directly in the well casing, and at the bottom is a sealed pump motor that links with power sources above ground. The pump part of the device is a stack of impellers that are separated by a diffuser. These pumps are more efficient than their jet counterparts for water delivery, they’re reliable and they can last up to 25 years.
Ready to install a pump or want to make sure yours is in great condition? Call Mike Zimmerman for a free estimate for all your well and well pump needs.
