When you need to purchase a pressure pump for your home or garden, then there are at least three things which you must consider before making your choice. If you don't answer these questions and plan properly, it's quite possible that the pump you purchase may not be able to work in the way you expect and you will need to replace it. The three issues which you must consider are the following:

• How much water pressure you need
• The distance the water must cover between the water tank and your property
• The amount of noise generated by the pump

How high must the water pressure be?

The amount of water pressure you need is directly related to the way you will be using the water. If your intended use for the water is to fill something that can fill up slowly over time, such as a washing machine or a toilet cistern, then low water pressure will not cause you any problems. If you want to use the collected water for a home shower, then much higher water pressure will be needed and you must choose one of the water tank pumps capable of producing that level of pressure. A further consideration is the number of taps that you will want to run at the same time. You will need to work out your desired water pressure for each tap and then add them together to produce your total required flow rate.

How far away is your water tank?

The greater the distance between your home and your rainwater collection tank, the more powerful your pump will need to be to enable the water to cover the distance. More powerful water tank pumps will also be needed if you want to pump water up to higher floors in your property. Moving water against gravity will require a head pressure of around 40-50 metres to move the water where it needs to go.

How noisy is your pump?

Depending on your location, this may not be a significant concern for you but few people like spending all day in close proximity to a noisy water pump. If your pump is regularly active and pump noise is a problem, then you could opt for fitting a cover over the pump to quieten it or perhaps purchasing one of the submersible water tank pumps and fitting it under the water to subdue the noise in that way.