DIY Pump House

A pump house can be large enough to stand up in or just big enough to cover the well equipment.

A pump house is essential for well or borehole owners who live in cold climates. While well equipment exposed to the elements can be kept in working condition by simply lagging the pipes in Florida, a well in a northern U.S. state or other cold climates may not fare so well. Additional benefits of having a pump house include protection from large livestock that can break the pipes and contaminate the well, energy preservation, and increased life span of the pump equipment.

Things You'll Need

• Post hole digger
• Tape measure
• Treated 4-inch by 4-inch posts
• Plumb line
• Scrap wood
• Galvanized nails and nail gun
• Ready mix concrete
• Wheelbarrow
• Shovel
• Saw
• Treated 2-inch by 4-inch framing lumber
• Metal roofing sheets
• Tin snips
• Insulation material
• Staple gun and staples
• Door hinges
• Door latch

Instructions

1. Plan the pump house. Find out if you need a permit from your local housing authority before starting. Decide on the dimensions. Ask yourself if you want a building that you can stand up in or if you're simply trying to protect the equipment from the weather with the minimum cost.

2. Dig four post holes with a post hole digger. They should be deeper than your freeze layer and can be up to 24 inches deep. Insert the posts in the holes and make them exactly vertical with a plumb line. Brace with scrap wood hammered onto the posts and wedged into the ground at an angle.

3. Mix ready mix concrete in a wheelbarrow with water using a shovel. Fill the holes with the concrete and leave to dry for 48 hours before removing the braces. Saw off the tops of the two rear posts to allow the roof to slope and rain and snow to drain off it.

4. Make a top, bottom and center framework with the 2-inch by 4-inch lumber, starting by nailing it across the top of the posts for the roof support. Hammer the roofing sheets on with a nail gun and galvanized roofing nails. Don't fasten too securely--you may have to remove the roof if the well needs repairs or if your submersible pump needs to be replaced.

5. Nail the roofing material as siding around three sides of the well house, leaving the front open for the door. Cut the sheeting to size with tin snips. Apply insulation to the insides of the siding and roof and fasten to the wooden frame with staples and a staple gun. Choose the appropriate "R" number for your climate--the higher the "R" value, the greater the protection.

6. Make a door. Build a frame to fit the doorway and nail the roofing material to it. Attach it to the doorway with strong hinges and line it with insulation. Make a latch with a piece of wood or use a hasp and staple if you want to lock it.

Tips & Warnings

• Run electrical cable and install a light fitting with a high watt lightbulb to keep your pump working in extra cold weather.

References

• MWPS-74001: Iowa State University: Insulated Pump House Plan
• Mac Slab: Well House