How To Increase Water Pressure On Well Pump

How Does Water Pressure Affect Your Home? 

Water pressure dictates the pressure in your shower heads and at your sinks, and it can affect your ability to enjoy hot water when showering.

Low water pressure can lead to clogged pipes and clogged shower heads, as well as build-up in your lines that can lead to discolored water.  

The flow rate of your overall water system can impact many appliances as well. Your well pump can offer up pressure at varying levels to satisfy the needs of your home. 

What Can Cause Low Water Pressure From A Well Pump System? 

There are many possible reasons why your well pump system might be providing low pressure to your home or business.  

Damaged Pressure Tank 

Well pumps are linked to a pressure tank. This pressure tank delivers the water through the pipes in your home. Your pressure tank could develop a leak, and this can significantly reduce the water pressure in your home. 

Pump Not Powerful Enough 

Pumps are rated in gallons per minute. The average 3 or 4 bedroom home will need a well pump rated for 8-12 GPM. You should always add one GPM for every fixture in your home that uses water. 

Narrow Pipes 

Your pipes in your home need to be a set diameter to flow properly. The water pressure in an average home is 50-60 PSI. Your pipes will need to accommodate the pressure, which might impact your home's overall water flow. 

Clogged Pipes 

Minerals can cause clogged pipes, as can low water flow. Sediments can also lead to clogs with hair and other items that are washed down the drains. Incorrectly installed fixtures and other piping items can also lead to clogs. 

Clogged Sediment Filter 

If your water is carrying a lot of iron or sediment and there is low pressure in your holding tank, you might get a clogged sediment filter. This can lead to having to change your sediment filter frequently and might lead to other issues in your total system. 

Pump Pressure Switch Problems 

These items are adjustable and they can cause a reduction in the amount of water that is drawn into the pressure tank. You will need to make changes to this adjustment carefully. There are live wires in these switches that can lead to issues as well. 

Wrong Pump Type 

You might have the wrong pump type installed in your system. There are different pump types for different uses and system styles. If your system was upgraded and the pump was not, you might have issues there or your pump might be bad.

How To Increase Water Pressure On Well Pump Systems  

Increasing the water pressure in a well system is not as hard as you think it will be. However, you will need to make sure that you pay attention to how your system is set up before you start making changes. 

1. Check the Air Fill Valve 

You will need to turn off the circuit that is connected to the well pump first of all. You can test the air fill valve with an air pressure gauge. You will need 40 to 60 psi for normal well water pressure. The pressure switch might need to be adjusted as well. 

2. Inspect the Pipes 

If you have tried adjusting the pressure switch and that did not change anything for you, you might have a clogged pipe. Your pipes can get congested through mineral and sediment deposits. This can lead to decreased water pressure. Cleaning your pipes can improve the pressure on your well pump system. 

3. Inspect Your Well Water 

How To Keep Water Pressure On Well Pump Constant 

Maintaining water pressure on well pumps is not as hard as your might think. You will need to make sure that your overall pump pressure is 30/50 or 40/60, depending on your system's settings.  These settings are the high and low levels of the system. 

People Also Ask (FAQs)

How long does it take a well pump to build pressure?  

In general, it takes about 45 seconds to 2 minutes to build pressure in your well pump. This can vary if your tank is very large or there is a delay between the switch sending to the tank. 

How do I increase hot water pressure in my shower? 

You should always rule out a dirty shower head or a broken shower head. You can also install a shower pump or make sure that you upgrade your water pressure system. 

Is low water pressure a sign of a leak? 

It can be. It can also be a sign of clogged pipes or issues with your water pump. You need to rule out all of the possible reasons for these issues when you are experiencing them. 

Can you increase water pressure by reducing pipe size? 

This will not work. You will just get reduced pressure at a smaller volume. You will always need to figure out why you have low pressure in your system rather than trying to solve it with reduced pipe size. 

Conclusion

Increasing the pressure on your well system can be easy if you diagnose what is wrong with your pipes and your overall water system. There are many reasons that you might be experiencing low water pressure in your home, and you need to look into all of the issues that might be the cause to solve the problem.