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What Is a Booster Pump and How Does It Work?
Add a water booster pump to fix that wimpy water pressure
Photo: wera Rodsawang / Moment / Getty Images
Photo: wera Rodsawang / Moment / Getty Images
Highlights
A water booster pump is a motor-driven device that attaches to the water supply line in your home and increases water flow and pressure.
You might need a water booster pump if you have city water with low pressure or if you have well water.
With a water booster pump installed, your sinks, showers, and appliances will have better water pressure, even with multiple taps open.
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Struggling to fix low water pressure in your home? You might need a water pressure booster pump. Plumbing pros can install this type of pump on your home’s water line to increase water pressure for your sinks, showers, and appliances. Learn how a water booster pump works and how to tell if you need one.
What Is a Water Booster Pump?
A water pressure booster pump accelerates water flow and increases water pressure. It can be used on your water supply line or to pump water from a storage tank or pond that’s far away from your home. It’s often used to combat low water pressure caused by trying to transport water against gravity or across long distances.
For example, if you have weak water pressure in a second-story shower, it could be because the faucet is far from where the water enters the house. Plus, the water has to move against gravity to reach the second story. A water booster pump can counterbalance both of those factors. Booster pumps are also useful if you have city water that enters your home with low water pressure.
How Does a Booster Pump Work?
A water booster pump draws in water and uses an impeller to increase the water flow and pressure. The pressurized water then enters the plumbing to be used wherever you turn on your faucet next. With a booster pump, you can open multiple taps at once without a decrease in pressure—perfect for optimizing your chores and taking a shower while the dishwasher is running.
Parts of a Water Booster Pump
Knowing the parts of a water booster pump can help you troubleshoot when problems come down the pipeline.
Inlet: The inlet of the pump opens to suck the water in. It attaches to the water supply line or elsewhere in your existing plumbing and has a check valve to prevent water from flowing the wrong way.
Impeller: The impeller is a fan-like series of blades that are run by a motor and pump the water through.
Flow sensor: A pressure sensor or flow sensor measures the water pressure or flow to make sure it’s at the set pressure or rate.
Outlet: The outlet is where the water booster pump reattaches to your plumbing line for the pressurized water to reach the rest of the house.
Expansion tank: Some water booster pumps have expansion tanks that hold excess pressurized water, decreasing how often the pump needs to cycle on and off.
Types of Booster Pumps
There are two main types of water pressure booster pumps:
Single-stage pump: This type of pump has one impeller and is enough to improve water pressure in a single-family home.
Multi-stage pump: This pump has multiple impellers to improve water pressure for longer distances or bigger buildings, such as hotels or apartment buildings.
Variable-speed drive pump: Optimization is the name of the game with variable-speed drive pumps. They operate at different speeds to change the pressure based on the demands of your home and are great for people on well water.
Do I Need a Water Booster Pump?
Photo: Jessica Peterson / Getty Images
Water booster pumps can come in handy for many different purposes. For example, you might want a water booster pump if:
You have city water that comes into your home with low pressure.
You have a lot of people or appliances using water at the same time in your home.
You have well water with a storage tank and need to pressurize the water from the tank.
Your well pump can’t keep up with the demand in your home or you see signs of well pump failure.
The showers and faucets on upper levels of your home have poor water pressure.
You have a rain-harvesting tank or pond that you’d like to pump without depending on gravity to move it.
Water Pressure Booster Pump Cost
Water pressure booster pump costs depend on the pump’s capacity and type. A water pressure booster pump rated for 70 psi (pounds per square inch) costs between $80 and $200. A booster pump that can handle up to 3 GPM (gallons per minute) costs between $60 and $300. If you have a multi-story house, you’ll pay more for a booster pump than someone in a smaller, single-story home.
How to Choose a Water Booster Pump
The main considerations when shopping for a booster pump are:
How much water you need for your home size and water usage
Whether the water source must travel against gravity (such as uphill or up several stories)
Your current water flow rate
Your existing water pressure and desired water pressure
Contact a local plumber if you want to install a water booster pump. Experienced plumbers can help you choose the right pump for your home and install it for you, too. They can also help you replace a well pump instead if that’s the cause of your low water pressure.
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