Answering Questions About Pressure Tanks for Well Pumps

Water pumps are commonly found in homes that are located in rural areas. If you have recently purchased a home that utilizes these systems, you might benefit from adding a pressure tank to your system.

Why Would Your Well Pump Need a Pressure Tank?

Depending on the location of the well pump, you may have to force the water through a long series of pipes before it reaches your home. This can lead to a substantial decrease in your home's plumbing system's performance. In particular, it can be common for the water pressure to experience a sharp decline.

You can help to remedy this problem through the addition of a pressure tank. These tanks will greatly increase the pressure of the water as it flows through the pipes, and that can offset problems with low water pressure.

What Problems Will Your Pressure Tank Be Likely to Encounter?

If you have worries about the reliability of water-pressure tanks, it can be tempting to avoid making this upgrade. Yet, a pressure tank is designed to be a remarkably efficient and durable device. When these systems are installed, you will rarely need to perform any maintenance on them.

When these systems experience a problem, it will often be due to compromised seals, a faulty bladder, or mechanical issues with the pressure pump. Fortunately, it is often possible to reduce the odds of these problems arising through regular service visits. When a pressure tank is serviced, a comprehensive visual assessment will be performed so that any obvious leaks are identified. Corrosion can be another potential problem for these tanks, as they are usually outside. When corrosion forms, the tank may be saved if it is repaired fairly soon; this is another benefit of having these inspections done each year.

Can You Use a Water-Softening System with a Pressure Tank?

Depending on the quality and condition of the water source for your well, you may benefit from installing a water-softening system. These systems remove the excessive minerals from the water, but you might think that you can not use a water softener if you have a pressure tank. However, there is no reason why you cannot utilize both of these devices. Depending on the configuration of your well-pump system, it will be possible to install the water softener so that the water is processed before it enters the pressure tank. This can be the ideal configuration for minimizing hard-water contamination, as it will prevent minerals from getting into the pressure tank. 

Talk to a company such as Valley Drilling Corp to learn more.