4 Ways to Upgrade Your Well
If you live in a house with a private well, you typically have to test your well water and have your well professionally maintained to keep it working properly. But in some cases, the well may just not be up to your standards, especially if it’s old and out of date or if it was designed for a smaller family than yours.
Fortunately, with the help of an experienced well contractor, you can upgrade your well to better provide for your family’s water needs. Here are just a few of the possibilities for upgrading your well.
1. Booster Pump
If your well isn’t powerful enough or doesn’t always have a good strong flow, you could see the results in your home as lack of constant water pressure. Water pressure problems can come from a variety of sources, but if yours comes from not having a strong enough well pump, you may want to boost the pump’s power.
You can boost the well pump’s power by adding a booster pump, also called a constant flow pump. This can help your well pump to produce a more constant stream of water for you. A booster pump can be invaluable if you have a problem such as poor water pressure on the top floor of your home.
2. Larger Well Pump
In some cases, you may wish to simply replace the well pump itself with a larger, more powerful model. This can be an especially attractive option if your well pump is reaching the end of its lifespan or is damaged. Or, if the pump is too small to serve your needs even with a booster pump, a total pump upgrade may also be in order.
One caveat is that the well pump itself isn’t the final determiner of how much water you can get out of your well; the well itself has a specific capacity too. If your well has a small capacity, simply installing an overpowered pump could cause well and pump problems, so be sure to consult with your contractor on what size pump is best for your well.
3. Larger Pressure Tank
A larger pressure tank can help your well to last longer by improving the length of time you can use your plumbing before the pump has to cycle back on again. The well pump can wear out more quickly if it has to turn on and off more frequently, which a larger tank can help it to avoid.
In some cases, upgrading to a larger pressure tank may be beneficial to your pump’s overall operation and longevity. Talk to your well contractor about whether this upgrade could help you.
4. Water Treatment System
Some parts of the country have cleaner and better-tasting groundwater than others, so you may find your well produces water with sediment or an odd taste. After checking the well for damage (which can let in contaminants), you may find that adding a filtration or treatment system can help ensure the cleanest, healthiest, and best-tasting water.
Some treatment systems for your home’s water supply include a water softener system, a reverse osmosis system, or simply a good filtration system. Your well contractor can help you decide on the best system based on the taste of your water.
And remember, if you ever have a question about your well water’s quality, don’t drink the water until after it’s been professionally tested and you know it’s safe.
All of these upgrades are related to well water systems, so you should consult a respected well installation and repair professional before you decide which upgrade to install. Bruce MacKay Pump & Well Service provides complete well services to northern Nevada and eastern California, so give us a call today if you need well help in these areas.
