The right size of the pump is crucial if you want your household water needs to run effectively. To determine the appropriate pump for your household, two factors must be considered:
- Pump Flow Rate needed
- Pressure required.
Flow rate
It is essential to know the flow rate of your system. Flow rate is how much liquid you can transport within a given time.
Knowing your pump flow rate will help you determine two things:
i. How efficient an existing system and whether or not it is performing at optimal levels.
ii. It will help you determine the exact set-up you will need to transport at the volume you require.
Calculating how much Water is Required
Different taps have different flow rates. The standard rates include 6 L/min per toilet, 10 L/min per shower, 15 L/min per kitchen tap, etc. Next, work out the number of taps or outlets (inside and outside) that are likely to be on simultaneously.
If a shower and a kitchen tap will be in use at the same time, then you will need a household pump with a max flow rate of 25LPM (the shower rated at 10LPM and the tap at 15 LPM, giving a total of 25LPM).
For small to average homes, up to 3 taps may be in use (toilet, shower, and, say, kitchen tap). A recommended household pump with a max flow rate of around 35LPM (the bathroom rated at 6LPM, the shower at 10LPM and the tap at 15 LPM) will be perfect for household pump needs.
Average sized homes with modern appliances would allow for up to 4 different tap combinations to recommend a 50LPM household pump.
Larger homes with more than one bathroom should allow for up to 6 different tap combinations, so a household pump rated up to 70LPM would be suitable.
Large homes and families that need up to 7 taps and the chance of outside watering/irrigation should look to a household pump that is rated around the 90 LPM and upwards.
After working out the required flow rate, the next item on the list would be the pressure needed.
Calculating how much Pressure is Required
At Pumphouse, we recommend 300kpa or 42 psi working pressure. Here, your pressure will be in tandem with the required flow. Generally, always follow the rule of thumb to add 10% to the needed pressure. If, however, you have smaller pipes or your tank is a long way off from the house, you will need more pressure.
Typically, a household pump providing up to 300kpa will be adequate for most single-storey buildings. However, for multi-storey buildings and longer pipes, pressure requirements might be up to 500 kpas.
Different Types OF Household Pumps
At Pumphouse, we have different choices of Grundfos household pumps you can choose from. Below we have listed the most popular with a brief description to help you choose the right one for your current pump needs.
1. Jet Household Pumps
- Self-priming
- Ideal for long and complex suction applications
- Handle air better than other household pump types.
The downside to the jet household pump is the low efficiency.
- Provides excellent pressure and flow for a household application
- Quite efficient.
- Ideal for medium to large homes and long runs of piping.
3. Variable Speed Pumps
- Latest technology
- Variable speed motor.
- Most efficient and energy-saving pump
- It runs only at the required speed, saving electricity costs.
4. Submersible Household Pumps
Submersible household pumps can be either down a bore or in the tank. They are good at providing pressure to pump straight before pumping around the house.
Household Pump Controller
For controlling your household pump, we recommend an automatic pressure controller to provide constant pressure and run-dry protection. This automatic function helps reduce energy costs and also the half-life of the controller.
Alternatively, you can go with the pressure switch and tank combination, which always work together to provide the automatic pressure system. However, the pump won’t turn on frequently with the tank fitted on the pump or beside it until the water has drained from the pressure tank. So with a pressure tank installed, the water from the pressure tank is used up first before starting the pump to refill.
Where to Buy Household Pumps
If you are looking for a good quality household pump, our personal preference is GRUNDFOS. However, we have reasons why you should go the way of GRUNDFOS when choosing household pumps:
1. Track record of a high-quality product.
2. The modern Grundfos philosophy is to look at the Life Cycle cost. So they look at making a pump that will last a long time, be cheaper to operate and produce with materials that consume less energy. The result is simply a more affordable Life cycle cost.
If you buy a GRUNDFOS pump on the high-end at first, you will, in the long run, save more money over time when compared to even the cheaply made or low-end pumps.
Click here to view our full range of GRUNDFOS Household Pumps. For further information, contact us, and we can recommend the most suitable pump for your application.
