Water Systems

Deep Well Jet Pumps

For families living in rural areas outside the service range of municipal water, the answer to supplying water needs often comes down to two choices: hauling water and storing it, or drilling a well. Although drilling a well can cost quite a bit initially, it is by far the best choice in terms of convenience and saving money over the long haul. Installing a well, or bringing an existing one up to code, requires two things: a well source, and deep well jet pumps to move large quantities of water from the well source to the home, or other locations such as barns or fields.

Jet pumps are ideal for moving water from deep wells, as they are very powerful and operate on a jet stream, which creates a vacuum that sucks water toward the surface. The advantage of deep well jet pumps, especially in cold climates, is that they are submerged in the well water itself, which is below the ground surface freezing level. This means that even when the ground freezes, the pump does not, assuring that the water supply will not be stopped by below freezing temperatures. Another advantage is that because they are submersed in water, they are much quieter than their above ground counterparts.

If you have an existing well and intent on installing a new pump yourself, youl'll need to choose the right pump. This will involve estimating how much water your household uses. Some deep well jet pumps can produce 100 gallons of water per hour, and some can product 1,000 gallons per hour, and the right one is going to depend on how much water you use and how much pressure you need. You'll also need to determine how much horsepower you need: 1/2 hp, 1/3 hp, 3/4 hp, 2 hp, etc. Do you want one with 12 volt continuous duty, or is a slow pump adequate for your needs? What size is your plumbing, 2 inch, 3 inch? If you don't know exactly what you need, or even what these things mean, then you might want to consider hiring a contractor to do the installation.

While hiring a contractor will cost quite a bit more than doing yourself, it is worth the money to assure that the installation is done correctly. However, you should still be part of the decision making process, especially when choosing the brand of pump installed. Gould, Simer, Little Giant, Flotec, and Sears all offer high quality deep well jet pumps. Before talking with a contractor, do some research on deep well jet pumps. Look for cast iron pumps that have corrosive resistant coatings, and read product reviews. You can also visit your local Home Depot and see what they have on display. By doing some background research, you'll be able to hold an educated conversation with the contractor about exactly what you need.