Water pressure?

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dspahn

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I have a three-story house with a basement and a well. The pump maintains 40 psi as measured on the gauge at the pump... in the basement. I have very low water pressure starting on the second floor. What can be done to increase the pressure on the second floor? I have a washer and dryer I want to move up there but I don’t think the water pressure will adequately support the washing machine, and the pump in the basement is so loud that there is no way I can relocate it up there. Perhaps adding a pressure tank in the proposed laundry room? Any other ideas? Any idea what the costs would be if I did my own plumbing?

I appreciate any advice.
 
If you have old galvanized pipes, they could be choked with minerals and corrosion.
So the water flow upstairs gets weaker the higher you go.
 
First off, do you know if your pump is capable of delivering higher pressure by setting a higher setting on your pressure switch?
Typically it's a 20 psi differential setting, such as 40-60 or 50 to 70 psi. Where the pressure is allowed to drop to say 40 psi before pump comes on and it builds the pressure up to say 60 psi, where it would shut of.
So does you pump come on at 40 or shuts off at 40?

Then comes the question of what comes next in your piping system? Do you have any type of filter/water softener system that would cause additional pressure loss?
Checking your pressure further along down stream(in the direction of the flow) could be done easily with a hose end connection pressure gauge. That would give you a better indication of what your actually getting for pressure further along.

Checking pressure on the first and/or the second floor would be even better to help determine where losses may be occurring.
Piping size contributes to pressure loss but not as big a factor as other possibilities.

You should understand that pressure loss takes place with flow. The higher the flow the higher the pressure loss.
And then of course, as you know, pressure loss occurs based on the height it is raised above the source. Referred to as Elevation Head. One foot of elev. head = 0.433 psi or 1 psi - 2.31 feet of head.

So in the case of going from the Basement to the second floor, if it was a say 16 foot elevation change the pressure loss just from height difference would be 16 x 0.433 = about 7 psi. And that's not flowing. Once it starts flowing the additional pressure loss would be based friction loss through the pipes.

I would suggest you take it a step at a time to try to determine where the biggest losses may be occurring. We know that pipe size makes the difference but that's not where you want to start making changes, as many think.

Feel free to ask any question at all. I can help guide you through.

It wouldn't hurt to start collecting pieces of information as you go. Like size of main pipe. Where reductions in pipe size take place as you follow the piping system. Is it a single family or multiple. Number and probability of simultaneous uses is a big factor, although it may not be in your case.
 
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Looking at your brief description again and now I'm wondering what type of well pump you have.
Shallow well Centrifugal pump?
Submersible well pump?
Jet pump?
Do you have a Bladder type pressure tank with a pressure switch?
 
Why is it that whenever I read anything with “bladder” and water flow, I immediately have to take a wicked piss?

I know, it’s called getting old!
 
With 3 stories I would want at least 50/70 on the pressure switch. If there are any filters or pipe restrictions, 60/80 maybe needed. A submersible pump will probably build that much pressure. Turn the large adjustment screw to the right until it works at 50/70 or so. Just make sure it can build to 70 and shut off before you walk away. Then of course I have to tell you a constant 60 PSI would make for much stronger pressure all over the house than letting it cycle between 50 and 70 over and over.
 
Based on the OP's statement,"gauge at the pump... in the basement." It sounds like his pump may not be a submersible.

@dspahn...If you are reading this, can you get the specifications off your pump. Mfrs name and model number and anything else that may appear on the nameplate including HP and Amps.
 
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