Rain Water Pump vs. Pressurized Tank

If you plan to start collecting rainwater, then you should have a rainwater collection system. This system is ensures that you can collect water from the rains in your neighborhood. There are many ways to collect rainwater. You could let water drop from the heavens and into a basin. That is a normal method. However, if the rainwater in the basin method is not working for you, do not worry. Why? Because there are other methods that involve using the right machinery. These machines are made for that process. They are made to ensure that collecting rainwater is efficient and effective. What are these devices? Well you can look at pressurized tanks and rain water pumps. Both are effective in monitoring and collecting rainwater. But what are their differences? Below is a rundown of the pros and cons of having either a rain water pump or a pressurized tank to help you in gathering rainwater.

Pressurized tanks are common technology. The process mimics pressure tanks used by factories and other industrial structures. This however is fit on a smaller scale. The typical pressurized tank holds about 35 gallons of filtered water. It is a closed steel tank with a plastic bladder inside to provide water pressure. The pump turns on to refill the bladder once the pressure declines. Buying a pump that shuts off when a specific pressure is reached is necessary with this type of system. Residential installations sometimes use a small pressure tank to lessen pump cycling. This reduces the life of a pump. Pump cycling happens when there is a drip in irrigation. And that happens when there is a leak in the system or the use of flow. So if you own a pressurized tank, you must always have that checked.

Here are the pros and cons of owning a pressurized tank:

Pros:

Tested technology

Can be used alongside lower powered pumps or low flow rate pumps

Easy to use

Available everywhere

Cons:

Requires maintenance

Needs separate enclosure

Rain water pumps are add ons. These pumps can be screwed directly onto an existing pump or water line. Like pressurized tanks, rain water pumps detect pressure changes. That is why a rain water pump automatically turns on when it detects a variation in pressure. The pumps also detect the quality of the tank. It can detect if the tank is out of water condition. When alerted, the pump turns off so that it does not burn out.

Here are the pros and cons of owning a rain water pump:

Pros:

Can be added to existing system

Requires little maintenance

Can be used to almost any pump

Less expensive than pressurized tanks

Cons

Separate unit with separate guidelines

Another unit to maintain

What are the Main Uses of Pressurized Tanks?

Pressurized tanks are enclosed vessels that hold liquid or gas substances at a higher pressure than air pressure. There are different types of pressurized tanks. These are water pressure tanks, gas high pressure tanks and air pressure tanks. Various industries and communities use pressurized tanks for a variety of uses.

Water pressure tanks are used in homes and neighborhoods as a storage for cleaning or drinking water. These pumps are connected to well systems to supply water to various homes in a community. The pump is electric, it automatically pumps water of the ground until the water level inside the tank reaches a certain height. That is when the pump will stop. When a faucet connected to the tank is turned on, the tank will release water. The water enters pipes leading to the faucet. When the pump senses that the water level decreased, the tank will automatically refill itself until it reaches normal levels. When it does, the pump will turn off. This process ensures that the pressurized tank will always have a water reserve.

Water pressure tanks have two type. The first is a traditional pressure tank that holds water at a certain level leaving space for air at the top. The second type of water pressure tank includes a bladder made out of rubber that is located inside the tank. This bladder holds the water and is placed inside the tank to create pressure.

The water pressure tank has the tendency to overrun the pump, especially when the pump turns on and off after running for a limited amount of time. The same incident occurs in a traditional pressure tank when the air space in the tank decreases and water space increases. Air can be added to the tank to fix this problem. 

Air pressure tanks are used for industrial purposes, mainly to clean tools. This type of tank is most commonly used in loosening and tightening lug nuts on a tire that is about to be changed.

Water pressure tanks and air pressure tanks have limited uses. Unlike the two, a gas high pressure tanks have many uses. It can also hold different types of gases. Propane and natural gas are used for household heating. Carbon dioxide, oxygen, nitrogen and hydrogen gases are used in welding. Helium is for blowing up balloons. Pressurized oxygen is used for medical purposes.

A reminder: Contents leak out if pressure tanks become unstable. A water pressure tanks and an air pressure tank ideally do not pose any type of danger. However, a gas tank would pose a great threat once this happens. All types of pressure tanks have a safety mechanism to prevent any form of leaking.

A pressurized tank is useful in keeping liquid or gas substances inside a vessel for future use. Of the three, the gas high pressure tank is the most dangerous to keep. Be cautious when handling these tanks.