Modern life is unthinkable without the usual amenities: electricity, sewage and, of course, water supply. Residents of apartment buildings, as well as owners of private houses, are equally accustomed to such facilities. However, it often turns out that the quality of water supply services is unsatisfactory. Namely, residents are not satisfied with the pressure force in the water supply system or well, if we`re talking about a private country house. Weak pressure leads to the fact that the equipment refuses to work, and sometimes water just doesn`t reach it. Therefore, many are interested in the question of how to cope with this problem independently and increase water pressure. In such a situation, the help comes from the so-called water pressure booster pump.
What is a water booster pump?
This is a special pump that increases the pressure in the water supply. The booster pump was created to increase the pressure of the fluid, mainly water, but there are also devices for gases. The choice of the necessary booster pump from a number of models requires certain knowledge of its design, principle of operation, and system requirements. And although the work on installing the pump with your own hands is not particularly difficult, for its implementation you need to familiarize yourself with some information.
1. How does the pressure booster pump work?
Let’s now see what options we have and how these pumps work. At the heart of the booster pump functioning lays centrifugal force. Inside the device, there is a so-called impeller – a rotating part with blades. Under the action of torque, it directs the fluid from the inlet nozzle and gives the required volume at the outlet, from where it is supplied to the points of water pumping. The operation of the pump motor is carried out from the mains.
2. When can the pump be useful?
So, first of all, let’s see what causes the problems and in what cases we need such a pump. The water pressure in the water supply system is measured by several quantities – bar, atmosphere, and water column (1 bar = 1,0197 atmospheres = 10.19 m water column). According to the regulatory documentation, the pressure in the water supply system in a city apartment shouldn`t exceed 6 atmospheres and be less than 2, ideally, we need 4, and 3 for the water supply system in a private house. Pressure over 6-7 atm. has a negative impact on plumbing, low pressure also causes a lot of inconveniences. Pressure may be insufficient for the following reasons:
- Very often the cause of a weak pressure is the destruction of the water supply, corrosion or severe pollution of pipes. Let’s say it right away – if the low pressure is caused by poor pipe condition or blockage, then installing a pressure booster pump will not help, the pipeline needs to be replaced;
- If you live in a multi-storey building, then water may not reach you due to the effect of gravity when under its own weight the pressure tends to fall, and the system doesn`t have enough strength to push it to your floor;
- Perhaps, problems with water supply torment not only you but also your neighbors and residents of neighboring houses. In this case, the reason is the low pressure of water in the entire water system of the village, district or city. Then deal with this problem at the administrative level;
- You need a water booster pump if your water source is at a great distance from the house or if there are a lot of different devices and systems installed in the water pipeline that take part of the flow for their needs.
3. How to choose the right option?
As we can see, not all causes of weak water pressure in the pipes are solved by a booster pump, therefore, before investing in the purchase of such a device, find out the source of the problem.
So, let`s imagine that we`ve established the cause and realized that we need a pressure booster pump. What can we choose? All pumps of this class can be divided into two large groups – these are devices with a dry and wet rotor.
Wet rotor pumps are more compact, less noisy, the pumped liquid provides lubrication of all moving parts. They are installed directly into the pipe, for example, in front of a household appliance or a tap point, and don`t require any additional fixings. Their disadvantage is low productivity.
Dry rotor pumps have their own air cooling system. Such devices usually have higher performance characteristics, and, in case of the right choice and installation, they are capable of “serving” several points at once. Pumps with a dry rotor require regular lubrication of friction units, and during operation, they can create a small, but still noticeable noise.
Water pressure booster pumps can be also distinguished as:
Constant pressure pumps that operate all day round, always pumping water. Such a pump is an affordable option. However, it affects, firstly, the increase in energy consumption and, secondly, the increase of load on the device itself, which can be damaged by overheating.
Automatic pumps that have a flow sensor that reacts to the passage of water through the pipe. When it passes through the pipe, the device automatically turns on – the pressure rises. That is, the inclusion occurs only when water is consumed – when you open the tap, start some household appliances, etc. The automatic pump is more reliable and saves energy. As a rule, the price of such a pump is higher than that of constant action. But, as practice shows, the investment is fully justified.
Choosing a pump, decide on the type that best suits you. Also, consider:
- mains voltage required for regular pump operation;
- how much water this device can pump per unit of time: liters per minute or cubic meters per hour;
- the maximum working pressure that the water pressure booster unit can provide;
- maximum and rated power – this value indicates the performance of the motor, measured in watts (W). The higher the power, the greater the maximum pressure;
- the noise level of the pump and so on.
So, we see that, unfortunately, the problem of weak water pressure in the water supply system is rather common. However, thanks to the minds of engineers and some investments, this problem is easily solved. Install a booster pump and forget about water shortage forever.
