Water Pressure Booster Pump?

[kingtut68]

I just bought my first house back in May. I immediately had issues with the water and water pressure. The water is acidic (pH = 6.2) and I have copper pipes plus the pressure is ridiculously low (haven't tested the psi just yet). Anyways, I've already purchased an acid neutralizer for the pH (not yet installed) and now I'm considering a water pressure booster pump. This would not be DIY job for me. I'd more than likely get a family friend to do it since I have no plumbing experience. Here are my questions:

A.) Where would this booster pump be installed? I don't know where my water main is. The water meter is out by the road. I don't have a basement. Not sure where water enters the house. My hot water heater is in the laundry room but it's small and there really aren't any other pipes and valves and such. I do have a crawlspace on the back side of the house.

B.) Assuming the water enters the house near that crawlspace... Can a water pressure booster pump be installed outside? Or are they indoor only?

C.) How noisy are they? I don't want to trade one problem for another.

D.) Any tips or suggestions before purchasing one? I have no experience with these things or plumbing in general. Making an effort to do my research now.

Thanks everyone!

EDIT:

E.) How do you power these things, especially if it's outdoors (if that's even an option)?

 

[Reach4]

City water? If so, I would have a chat with the water department to see what they intend to do about corrosion and pH.

Well? Tell us about your well and well pump.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[kingtut68]

City water? If so, I would have a chat with the water department to see what they intend to do about corrosion and pH.

Well? Tell us about your well and well pump.

It's city water but in an extremely rural area. I've already had a chat with them. They gave me a water quality report and said everything was within normal limits. But their minimum pH is only 6.5 and I was consistently getting around 6.2 on multiple meters. I ended up just buying the acid neutralizer and I plan on installing it soon. But anyways, I suppose I shouldn't have even mentioned that stuff. My only concern now is this water pressure booster pump. I'm lost.

 

[Reach4]

Starting with the most complex and effective, you would have the city water fill a tank. The fill would be controlled by a float valve or an electrically-operated valve controlled by a float switch. The tank could be inside or out. Protect it from sun. Measure free chlorine to see if you need to add a little chlorine. Protect from sun to inhibit algae.

If the tank is big enough, this could also offer a big supply for a fire truck to draw from.

From there, you could use a jet pump to provide pressure to the house, or you could put a submersible pump in the tank (quietest).

If the city provides enough flow, and you just want more pressure, there could be a booster that does not have a tank open to the atmosphere. I have not seen a consensus solution to this method. This method should eliminate the need for adding chlorine after perhaps an initial sanitizing.

Each of these would probably need a pressure tank.

How much water flow will you need? If you backwash the calcite under control of a controller, that will take a fairly high flow... probably 6 to 10 gpm.

I am not a pro. This should help get you started in thinking about what you would want.

 

[hj]

A Y Mc Donald makes an inline booster package.

 

[Valveman]

Usually the water comes in and tees off to the water heater, then continues on with the cold water line to the house. If you cut the line that feeds the water heater and add the booster there it should work. I would still crawl under and make sure that is the inlet water line. Yes the pump will make some noise. Less than a vacuum cleaner but more than clothes dryer. You can put it outside as long as the water lines and power work out and it won't freeze. Can be powered on 115V with a small booster. Lots of options with "tankless this and thats", Variable Speed or VFD type pumps, large pressure tanks with a booster pump sitting on top, cheap booster pump systems with little pressure tanks that cycles on/off rapidly, and many more ways to get your money. My way would be to use a regular and long lasting jet pump like a Goulds J5S and a small tank, controlled with a Cycle Stop Valve (PK1A kit) to make it last even longer and deliver constant pressure to the house.
https://www.lockewell.com/index.php...vD_BwE&zenid=9f30d0b505336820ca245d07c151fc27

https://cyclestopvalves.com/collections/frontpage/products/custom-pk1a-pside-kick-kit

 

[Jadnashua]

If there's not a problem with sucking water from the supply, This olde House had a program where they installed a pressure booster pump and tank that you can view. Essentially, you install a pump with a small pressure tank on the inlet water pipe. The small tank prevents the pump from having to run for a small water draw. Go to their website and you can find the video to see how it was done. It's pretty simple. Just needs access to a plug so you can power the pump. You cut the inlet pipe, insert the tank and pump assembly, and attach the outlet of that to the house. The pump runs...pressurizes the tank and when the pressure drops, the pump turns on again similar to what happens with a well system.