50 PSI is usually plenty for a single story house. However, with a well pump operating at 40 to 60, 50 PSI is only the average. The pressure will be at 40 or so for quite a bit of time before the pump comes on. Many times simply adding a Cycle Stop Valve to hold the pressure CONSTANT at 50 PSI makes so much difference people think the pressure has increased. When a well pump is cycling on/off between 40 and 60 over and over it can make the pressure seem dismal. With a CSV holding 50 PSI constant, people tell me they no longer even need soap in the shower the pressure is so good.
No you shouldn't need a booster pump. No you shouldn't need to buy a new pressure switch. If you want more than 40/60 that particular switch can turn up as high as 55/75 buy just tightening the large adjustment nut. You can try turning the pressure up to 50/70 and see how they like it. If they like that better then adding a CSV to hold the pressure at a strong constant 60 PSI will make even more difference.
Ok, I thought I’d update with some additional information and add a question.
I was asked, by a friend, to diagnose an issue with a Grundfos booster pump short cycling.
The system consists of, in order of installation, the following components:
-residential/domestic well
-submersible pump
-pressure tank
-filtration/water softener system
-above ground reservoir/storage tank
-booster pump
There is an inline check valve in between the outlet of the storage tank and the inlet of the booster pump, the booster may also have an integral check valve.
The pressure tank & pressure switch are working properly.
Easy diagnosis, isolate the booster outlet supply pressure to the house. Short cycling stops. So, obviously with the pump/supply on, pressure is building and leaking out somewhere often enough to cycle the booster on about twice per minute.
After inspecting each fixture in the house, the homeowners water quality was SO bad that they installed those reverse osmosis kits under the kitchen sink on the main floor and another on the kitchen sink in the basement. The basement RO kit wasn’t shutting off it’s supply pressure after the reservoir/pressure tank filled, sending continuous flow right down the saddle fitting on the drain tailpiece.
In order to be thorough, I also found a water closet fill valve that was suspect, and possibly contributing slightly to the short cycling of the booster.
Also, the water heater is downstream from the booster and isn’t equipped with a thermal expansion tank. I inspected the temperature & pressure discharge pipe and it trickles/drips regularly.
My only question is, aside from the obvious code requirements, since the water heater is downstream from the inline check valve & booster pump, is it still ideal to install a thermal expansion tank? My intuition says yes.
