Whenever you’ve got water you need to shift, whether at home or at your worksite, it’s vital to get the right pump for the job. Pumps come in a variety of sizes, measured by the inlet hose diameter, which determine how much water they can pump at a time. Each type of pump also has a minimum depth of water that it can handle, and you need to take this into account when selecting your pump.
There’s no simple, one-size-fits-all solution and each job requires careful consideration to ensure you’ve got the right pump for your needs. Here are a few things you should take into account before hiring a pump.
How Much Water Do You Need To Remove?
As you might expect, the more water you need to move, the more powerful the pump you need.
When it comes to draining swimming pools or sites which are flooded, it’s best to use submersible pumps. The smallest of these, affectionately called puddle suckers, are good for pumping very shallow water. They’re ideal for small household floods, can fit into a car boot and can be run using the household electricity supply. Puddle sucker pumps can operate in as little as three millilitres of water. They are great for draining the last bits of water from flat surfaces but can only be used for pumping clean water.
Commercial pumps remove water from dams, public swimming pools, and excavated pits on construction sites. They are much larger and may be towable or truck-mounted with inlets between 15 to 30 cm wide for moving bigger volumes of water.
How Fast Do You Need To Get The Job Done?
During construction projects, time is of the essence, so it’s important to check the pump’s flow rate to figure out how long it will take to remove a particular volume of water. You can work out a rough estimate of the volume of water to be moved using the formula: Volume = length x breadth x depth.
Is The Water Clean Or Muddy And Filled With Debris Or Sewage?
Removing dirty, debris-filled water requires a different type of pump than it does to remove clean water from a pool. Specialist pumps are required for dealing with sewage water.
Pumps designed to handle dirty water are known as trash pumps and they come in a variety of types for different applications, from pumping silt and debris laden water to pumping water with large pieces of rubble in it. Trash pumps typically have more rigid internal components and a larger opening to allow the dirty water to pass through more easily. Different trash pumps will deliver different volumes of water per hour.
Does The Site Have Electricity Available To Power The Pump?
If your site does not have any power, you will need to hire a diesel or petrol-driven pump. Such pumps must be run in well-ventilated spaces.
How High Do You Need To Pump The Water?
Pumping water to a discharge point that is significantly higher than the site will require a more powerful pump, especially if the difference in height between inlet and outlet is more than 6 metres.
Where Will You Pump The Water?
This will depend on the type of water as well as the location of your worksite. Uncontaminated water (e.g., from your pool) can be pumped into your garden or down a stormwater drain. However, if the water you’re pumping contains chemicals, oils, or it is contaminated by raw sewage, you’ll need a professional such as a plumber to dispose of it for you.
Hire The Right Pump For Your Next Job
Whether you’ve got a messy debris-laden puddle, a dam full of light slurry, or a large body of clean water to shift, we’ve got the right pumps to suit your needs. Talk to our friendly team today.