Having a constant supply of water is a necessity for all households. Whether running a bath or flushing the toilet, you’ll always need instant access to water throughout your day.
Most homes have wells with pumps that push water through pipelines. However, these require you to manually switch the pump on and off, which can be quite a hassle. Luckily, a well-pressure tank will solve all your water-related problems, giving you instant access to water!
Choosing the best well-pressure tank for your household can be quite perplexing. But fear not! Below, we have outlined some of our top picks and a buying guide to help you make a sounder decision.
Things to Consider Before Buying the Best Well Pressure Tank
Before putting your hard-earned money into buying anything, it’s always a good idea to do a little research about the product. Otherwise, you might just end up with a poor performing good that barely meets your preferences.
When it comes to buying the best water pressure tank, you must look into your requirements as well as the features that come with the tank. We have listed a few pointers that will aid your decision-making process.
Brand Reputation
The rule of thumb when purchasing something is to look into the brand name, which plays a vital role in determining the value of the product. It is no different when you’re choosing the best pressure tank either!
We would advise you to refrain from purchasing local tanks. Well, reputed brands have a strong sense of the customer’s needs as their reputation is a reflection of their product quality.
Tank Capacity
This should be one of your top priorities when making your decision. The more water you need for your household, the larger the tank needs to be. Investing in a small tank already limits your instant access to well water and also puts pressure on your well pump, as it will be running in smaller intervals.
Keep in mind, we’re talking about water, so it’s always a safe bet to invest in a large tank. This will not only save electricity by avoiding the frequent use of the pump but also satisfy all your watery needs!
Compatibility
There’s no point in investing in a well pressure tank if it doesn’t fit the space you’ve allocated. This is why you need to pay close attention to the tank’s design along with its size.
Installing the tank shouldn’t be an issue as you are already aware of the setup of your housing pipelines. You can choose to bear the additional cost of hiring a professional to mount and fix the pipes, but if you’re up for a challenge, you can try to install it on your own at ease.
Tank Construction
The construction of a pressure tank is mainly focused on the outer casing, which in most cases, will be made from stainless steel.
Stainless steel acts as armor to the tank and protects it from fall damage or dents. However, this also means the tank will be susceptible to rusting if it comes in contact with certain elements.
Alternatively, pressure tanks made of fiberglass are highly durable and have zero chances of rusting. What’s more, they do not carry as much weight as its stainless steel counterpart.
Information about Well Pressure Tank
Here we’ll give you some important info regarding well pressure tanks.
What Is a Water Pressure Tank?
As the name suggests, a water pressure tank is responsible for maintaining water pressure throughout the house. What’s more, having a well water pressure tank increases the longevity of your well pump.
When you flush the toilet or run a bath, you require a steady flow of water from your water well. Without a pressure tank, you would have to wait for the well pump to turn on and flow water through your pipelines.
requently switching on the well pump can cause it to lose some good years and fail early.
Essentially, a pressure tank stores a separate quantity of water, which is exhausted before triggering the well pump. This way, the pressure tank also maintains a steady flow of water around the house rather than having short sprays while waiting for your well pump.
How Does a Well Pressure Tank Work?
The pressure tank acts as a reservoir of water from which water is sent to all the required zones in the house. It uses compressed air to create pressure within the tank, which shoots the water out and into the pipelines of your house.
Each tank has a set pressure limit (measured in pounds per square inch or PSI), which decides when the well pump turns on. When the water level inside the pressure tank goes below a certain level, it causes the overall pressure of the water to go down.
This, in turn, will trigger the pump to be switched on using a pressure switch. And so, the tank replenishes its water supply while providing you with a steady flow.
Why Use a Well Pressure Tank?
Imagine if you had to go through the trouble of turning on the well pump every time you needed water, not the ideal situation to be in, right? That’s where pressure tanks for water wells come to play!
These tanks give you instant access to well water. Moreover, it cancels out the need for manually switching on the pump. As a result, the on and off cycles of the water pump are delayed, increasing its life span.
Types of Well Pressure Tank
Generally, the pressure tanks are distinguished by their mechanism and how they compress air to pump water.
Let’s look at the three different types of pressure tanks:
Air over Water Pressure Tank
What sets this tank apart from the others is that it contains air and water in one single chamber. The air pushes on the water to send it flowing through the pipelines.
Diaphragm Pressure Tanks
This tank comes with two chambers: one for water and the other for air. Using a rubber diaphragm, the air and water are kept separate from one another. When the pump fills the tank with water, the diaphragm is stretched upwards, which compresses the air.
Bladder Pressure Tank
Like the diaphragm pressure tank, this one also has two separate chambers for air and water. However, the water holding tank is a balloon-like chamber called the bladder. Pumping water into the tank expands the bladder, which, in turn, compresses the air.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Well Pressure Tanks
Here we have the most commonly asked queries regarding the best well pressure tanks:
How far can the pressure switch be from the tank?
It’s always a good idea to keep the pressure switch as close to the tank as possible. Try to avoid placing the switch on a different floor as the elevation can cause problems.
Where should the pressure tank be located?
It is always an ideal situation to place your pressure tank downstream from the well pump. This ensures the proper flow of water into the pipelines.
How much does a new well pressure tank cost?
The cost of a new well pressure tank depends on a variety of factors, starting from the tank capacity to the features and construction. Installing a new tank can cost you as low as $200 to as high as $2000.
How do I drain my pressure tank?
Firstly, you must ensure that the pressure tank is off. You will then want to make sure that you have a pipe/hose connected to the drain valve to channel out the water.
Next, you will need to open the drain valve to allow the water to leave the tank. You are required to open a nearby faucet or any plumbing fixture in order to let air into the pipelines. This will cause the water to be pushed out of the tank.
Now you just have to wait till all the water has left the tank. Try rocking the tank gently to get a better feel of the water level inside it.
Fiberglass vs. steel pressure tank?
Steel pressure tanks are considerably less expensive than fiberglass constructed tanks. Also, the stainless steel shell aids the tank’s durability and sturdiness. One of the drawbacks is the weight that comes with the strong stainless steel body, which can make it hard to install.
Fiberglass tanks also provide a strong outer shell and are long-lasting. One of the upper hands this has over the stainless steel tanks is that it does not rust. Hence, it doesn’t need to be maintained and looked after as frequently.
But you must know, these tanks are not cheap, so consider all your preferences before you make your decision.
Final Words
A well pressure tank is, without a doubt, a vital component of water supply systems at home.
And so, it is important that you take into account your own preferences and cross-match them with the features each tank provides. Hopefully, the points mentioned above will help you choose the best well pressure tank for your needs.
Good luck!
