I'm dealing with low water pressure in my home, especially noticeable when two showers are running at the same time or when I'm doing laundry while someone else is showering. I currently have a 1/2hp shallow jet well pump, and I want to know if upgrading to a 3/4 or 1hp pump will solve these issues. I have a good supply from the well and an 86-gallon pressure tank, but I find the pump struggles to keep up. Once it kicks in, the pressure doesn't recover until someone turns off a tap. I'm looking for some advice before I spend upwards of $1000 on a new pump.
5 Answers
Pump sizing can be complicated. It's probably a good idea to get some local advice from a hardware expert or maybe even some of your friends or neighbors who have experience with wells. Generally, a 3/4hp should give you better flow than your current setup, but keep an eye on whether it can keep the well's supply solid with no dry runs.
Make sure to check how many gallons per minute your well can produce. If you're not getting enough volume, a bigger pump might not solve your issue. Just be cautious with jet pumps, since they can be tricky.
Adding a larger pressure tank might improve the situation, assuming your well can maintain that volume. Even though you just installed an 86-gallon one, it sounds like it depletes quickly under heavy use. Maybe look into a different setup or a larger tank?
We had a similar issue and upgraded from a 1/2HP jet pump to a Goulds J7S. It made a huge difference! A bigger tank would definitely help but since ours was pretty new, we are working with what we have. The upgrade was worth it for us and cost under $1000, which was great.
You might want to consider installing a holding tank to help maintain pressure. That way, you can pressurize from the tank rather than relying solely on the pump.
I hear you—it sounds like you need a bigger solution. If that tank is draining too fast, it might not be enough to handle your household's demands.