Pool Pump Head Feet: What It Is and Why It Matters

What head feet means in a pool pump listing

Head is a pressure term expressed in feet. In a pool pump listing, the head figure describes how much vertical lift the pump can produce against water, before the plumbing is attached. A pump that states a higher head figure can push water through a system with more resistance, such as long pipe runs, narrow pipes, valves, and a filter.

This site compares stated details from each listing. The head figure is one of those details, along with horsepower, flow rate, and voltage. The figures described here are the seller's stated numbers, not a score the site gives to any pump, and they do not describe the performance of a pump in a particular pool unless the system is sized around them.

Total dynamic head: the resistance your system adds

Total dynamic head is the sum of every resistance the pump must overcome. It includes the vertical lift from the water level to the equipment pad, friction from the pipe walls, resistance from bends and fittings, and the pressure drop across the filter, heater, and other components.

You will not find a single total dynamic head figure in a pump listing, because it depends on each pool's plumbing. Makers publish sizing pages and calculators for this. As examples, Hayward offers a total dynamic head calculator, and the Pentair product page lists pool calculators. The maker's sizing page and a licensed installer will tell you the figure for your pool.

This article does not calculate total dynamic head for a pool. Matching a pump to a pool's plumbing is sizing work, and the maker's sizing page and a licensed installer are the places to have it done.

Why the head figure decides if a pump can push water

A pump's ability to move water falls as the head it works against rises. At very low head, the pump can move more water per minute; at very high head, the flow drops toward zero. If the total dynamic head of your system is higher than the pump's capability, the pump will push little or no water through the filter.

When you read a pump listing, look for a stated maximum head or a performance curve that shows flow at different head figures. A pump with a higher stated head can work in a system with more resistance. A pump with a lower stated head may suit a short and simple plumbing run.

The site does not match a head figure to a pool size or plumbing length. The maker's sizing page and the installer will tell you whether a particular pump's head capability fits your system.

Head, horsepower, and flow rate are different figures

A listing may state horsepower, flow rate, and head. Each describes a different feature. Horsepower is the motor's output rating. Flow rate is the volume of water the pump moves per minute at a stated condition. Head is the pressure capability, expressed in feet.

A pump can have a large flow figure at low head and a much smaller flow figure at high head. That is why a head figure alone does not tell you how much water a pump moves; it tells you how much resistance the pump can overcome. For more on the relationship, see flow rate versus pressure and horsepower versus head.

How to use the head figure when you shop

When you compare pumps, note the head figure each listing states, along with the flow figure at that head. A listing that states its flow at a specific head is more informative than one that gives a single number. Some listings show a performance curve in the image set.

An inground system often includes longer pipe runs, more fittings, and a filter or heater that adds resistance. An above ground system has a shorter run and lower vertical lift. The best inground pool pumps guide and the best above ground pool pumps guide read listings this way. For pumps that change speed, see the best variable speed pool pumps guide.

What this article does not cover

This article explains head feet as a listing term. It does not size a pump, calculate a performance curve for a pool, or promise that a particular pump will push water through a particular system. Those decisions belong to the maker's sizing page and the installer.

The site has no data on how fast a pump moves water in a specific installation, how much pressure it produces at the filter gauge, or how quickly it circulates a pool. You will find no such figures in the guides or the learn articles.

What to pick for your situation

Questions

What does head feet mean in a pool pump listing?

Head is a pressure term expressed in feet. It describes how high the pump can lift water against gravity. The higher the stated head, the more resistance the pump can overcome in a plumbing system.

Is more head always better?

Not necessarily. A pump with a high head figure may produce a low flow at that high head. The right pump has a head capability that matches the total dynamic head of your plumbing. The maker's sizing page and installer decide the match.

What is total dynamic head?

Total dynamic head is the combined resistance of the vertical lift, pipe friction, fittings, valves, filter, heater, and other components. It is not stated in a pump listing; it depends on each pool's plumbing. Makers publish sizing calculators, and a licensed installer can determine it.

Do you need to calculate total dynamic head yourself?

No. The maker's sizing page and a licensed installer handle the calculation. This site does not provide sizing math.

Where can you find the head figure for a pump you am considering?

Read the listing for a stated maximum head or a performance curve in the image set. Some makers publish the curve in the product manual. Compare the stated head and the flow at that head across the pumps you are considering.

Does head matter more than horsepower?

They describe different features. Horsepower is the motor output; head is the pressure capability. A pump can have high horsepower and low flow in a high-head system. Compare both figures, and use the maker's sizing page to decide.