Ask the Experts

[Friends just call me Ross]

Some of our JWTalk members are professional trades people.

 

Right now, I need some plumbing advice and was hoping I could tap in to one or more of our members' water pump expertise .

 

We have our own well for drinking water.  This well has a submersible pump.   We have a large pressure tank that collects the well water and sends it over to our farmhouse.   

 

Under our kitchen sink, we have a reverse osmosis water filtration system to remove the iron and lime from the drinking water.  

This RO system has its own little pressure tank.   The pressure tank is not filling because we need a water pressure booster pump to get the RO system to function.  

 

We have had RO systems for decades and never had a water pressure problem.  

 

A few years back we installed a geothermal furnace that uses our well water to heat in the winter and cool in the summer.   This geothermal furnace has caused the water pressure problem we are now dealing with.

 

Can anyone on JWTalk recommend a good water pressure booster pump?  The brands of pumps I have been looking at at the online stores and on Amazon all have such hideously poor customer reviews that I am leery of purchasing ANY of them.

 

Thanks in advance.  

[Qapla]

Rosanne, I wish you had mentioned this while we were on Zoom - I work with wells and pumps. Not sure I have an answer for you but would be glad to see if I can bring any insight on the issue.

 

[Friends just call me Ross]

Thanks, John.

 

We were looking to get a water pressure booster pump just for the RO unit, but then decided we should get one that would boost water pressure to the entire house.

 

My question to you would be, if you needed a water pressure booster pump for YOUR house, which one would YOU get? 

 

 I just don't know what brands are a bunch of bunk, and which brands are reliable.  

[Qapla]

I have not had much experience with "pressure booster pumps". Here in Florida there are many areas that have significant amounts of sulfur in the water so an aerator tank is used ... similar to this:

 

 

These work by the water being sprayed into the tank with the water level being maintained by a float valve much like a toilet has.

 

A separate "jet pump" is used to move the water from the tank into the house. A 1/2 hp jet pump with a small bladder tank is used to control the pressure to the house. The pressure from the well becomes a moot point to the house with this type of setup.

 

Not sure if this will help.

 

I will look into the pressure boost pumps and see what I can find

 

 

[Qapla]

BTW - I will be hosting a Zoom Chat tonight if you want to join and we can talk about your water situation