Low water pressure from well

Rze

My in laws house has well water. There is a pump that pulls from the well and sends water to a "holding tank". The pressure in the house is low. Which would be a better option....
1) replace the existing pump with a more powerful pump, thereby increasing pressure from the well side of the tank?....or
2) install a second pump on the house side of the tank? (will this put an undue stress on the fixtures?)

Also which is better? A 10, 20 or 30PSI pump. The house is a 3 story single family house, approx 25 to 30 years old.

Thanks in advance!

Rze

USP45

Pump does not determine the pressure. That falls on the ballast tank. If you have a jet pump it uses a 20/40 switch which means that it cuts on when the pressure drops in the ballast tank to 20 lbs and cuts off when the pressure in the ballast tank reaches 40 pounds. If you have a submersible pump then it cuts on at 30 pounds and cuts off at 50 pounds. If the pressure is low in the house, this can be due to many factors:
Improper air pressure in ballast tank
No air in ballast tank
Line to house cloged with rust or calcium deposits
Improper swithch for the pump (Using a 30/50 on a jet pump)
Someone tampered with the switch settings
Jet pump may have bad jet valve
jet pump jet valve may have just one grain of dirt in it which will stop it from building pressure
Line from pump line to pressure switch is kinked or cloged
Faucet areators stopped up

The list goes on and on. If you have a submersable, the switch should be a 30/50, try shaking the ballast tank to see if it is heavy. If it is then the tank has a ruptured bladder, replace it. If it is not full to the top with water then drain the water out, check air pressure, should be 28 pounds with NO WATER PRESSURE on it at all. Install new guage. Does the pressure come on at 30 pounds and cut off at 50?? if so then I would say the line to the house, especially if it is galvanized.

Jet pump:
Switch should be a 20/40, again check tank for broken bladder and proper air pressure. The air pressure in the tank again with NO WATER PRESSURE at all is 18 pounds. Does it come on at 20 pounds and cut off at 40 pounds?

Do not ever listen to people who say the more air pressure in the tank means more pressure at the house, UNTRUE, and all it will do is put un necisary strain on the pump and possibly blow out your old plumbing pipes if they are already weak

G3Aloha

That is exactly the info RZE and I were looking for. You saved me countless hours of head scratching and who knows how much cash I would have wasted trying pump after pump... Thanks again.

USP45

No problem, glad to help. Any more problems, just post, we'll answer