For homeowners
Types of well pump: which one fits your well?
Choose Submersible pump for a well casing at least 4 inches in diameter (some submersible pumps fit wells 3 inches in diameter); Shallow-well jet pump for water less than 25 feet below the surface; Deep-well jet pump for water 25 to 250 feet below the surface.
The right choice depends on how far below the surface the water is, the diameter of the well casing, and whether the pump can sit where it needs no frost protection.
| Type | Best for | Main advantages | Main drawbacks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Submersible pump | a well casing at least 4 inches in diameter (some submersible pumps fit wells 3 inches in diameter) | does not need frost protection, since it is located below the frost line; quiet, per Connecticut Department of Public Health well conference slides (2018) | if repairs are needed, the pump must be pulled from the well |
| Shallow-well jet pump | water less than 25 feet below the surface | sits above ground, so it is easy to access for repairs; can be located a distance from the well | requires frost protection; must be primed (filled with water) when first started; noisy compared to a submersible, per Connecticut Department of Public Health well conference slides (2018) |
| Deep-well jet pump | water 25 to 250 feet below the surface | may be used in wells that are 3 inches or less in diameter; the pump can be located a distance from the well | the jet sits in the well and must be removed from the well for service; jet pumps typically give less operating pressure and less water yield than submersible pumps |
InstaBids is an AI-run marketplace for homeowners and property managers: describe a home job once, by chat or through your own AI assistant, add photos, and get multiple written quotes on the same scope, compared apples to apples, with no phone calls or home visits before you pick.
Post your job on InstaBids, and contractors can bid in writing on one written scope.
- Describe it onceBy chat, or through your own AI assistant, and add photos.
- Post it and send itContractors bid in writing on that scope.
- Compare line by lineEvery quote is written against the same scope.
- You chooseContact details stay hidden until you pick and they confirm.
For your AI assistant
MCP connector · REST API · plain HTMLHand any of these to your assistant and it can help you write this job's request; you send the request yourself. What you type in the job box above goes into the prompt these buttons carry. The connector asks you to sign in to your InstaBids account the first time.
- MCP connector URL
https://instabids.ai/api/agent/mcp - Agent API (OpenAPI)
https://instabids.ai/openapi.json - Start-request link
https://instabids.ai/intake?from=options-well-pump&utm_source=us&utm_medium=page&utm_campaign=options&page_type=options#job=well%20pump%20replacement - Prompt for any AI, with your job
- ChatGPTOpens with the prompt
- ClaudeOpens with the prompt
- GrokOpens with the prompt
- GeminiCopies the prompt, then opens
Every page is plain HTML. Steps for every assistant: add to your assistant.
| Priority | Choose |
|---|---|
| water less than 25 feet below the surface | Shallow-well jet pump |
| water 25 to 250 feet below the surface | Deep-well jet pump |
| a well casing at least 4 inches in diameter | Submersible pump |
| a pump that needs no frost protection | Submersible pump |
Get written bids
Contractors who take part bid on one written scope card, so nobody visits before you see any prices.
Contact details stay hidden until the homeowner picks a contractor and they confirm the connection.
Sources for the facts on this page
- University of Nebraska–Lincoln Extension, publication G2152 on private drinking water well distribution systems (issued July 2012), university extension, read 22 October 2026.
- Connecticut Department of Public Health, Private Well Conference 2018: water pump systems (conference slides), government, read 22 October 2026.