You will also need to determine the best pump size, depending on your water home needs. Pumps are rated in GPM (gallons per minute). A typical 3- to 4-bedroom home requires 8-12 GPM. When determining your home water needs, add one GPM for every water fixture in your home. Such fixtures include clothes washers, dishwashers, faucets, refrigerators, showers and outdoor water spigots.
Although you’ll need a large enough pump to meet your home water needs, an oversized pump will create energy inefficiencies and reduced performance. When replacing a pump, you should choose a unit with the same horsepower. However, additional horsepower maybe necessary if you are adding new appliances or family members. The longer the distance to transport water, the more horsepower will be needed.
If replacing a pump, you can check the identification plate on your pump to determine the horsepower. Keep in mind that submersible pumps may require either three wires or two wires, so you’ll to determine how many wires your replacement pump will need.