Well Pressure Tank
A well pressure tank stores pressurized water and a cushion of air so the well pump does not have to switch on every time a faucet is opened.
On a private well, the pressure tank is the steel or composite tank that sits near the pump or in the basement. Inside, a rubber bladder separates household water from a charge of compressed air. When the pump runs, it forces water in and compresses the air; as fixtures draw water, the air pushes it back out, holding pressure steady. This buffer is what lets you draw a glass of water without the pump kicking on for every cup.
A pressure switch watches tank pressure and starts the pump when it falls to the cut-in point, usually around 40 psi, and stops it at the cut-out point, often 60 psi. When the bladder fails or the tank loses its air charge, the pump can no longer rest between draws and instead cycles rapidly on and off. This short cycling wears the pump motor out fast and is one of the most common reasons a well system fails early.
You can often catch a waterlogged tank by tapping it: the bottom sounds full while the top should sound hollow. A correctly sized and properly charged tank is the quiet partner that protects the expensive pump from itself.
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- Sump Pump : A sump pump is a pump set in a basin (the sump pit) at the low point of a basement or crawl space that automatically removes groundwater before it floods the floor.
- Sewage Ejector Pump : A sewage ejector pump lifts wastewater and solids from a below-grade bathroom or laundry up to the main sewer or septic line when gravity drainage is not possible.
- Float Switch : A float switch is the level sensor that turns a sump or ejector pump on as water rises and off as it drains, using a buoyant float that moves with the water.
- Grinder Pump : A grinder pump shreds household waste into a slurry and pumps it under pressure to a sewer or septic line, used where the distance or uphill run is too much for a standard ejector pump.