Blog | Safe-T-Cover

Everything You Need To Know About Irrigation Pump Covers

Written by Chris Nickoloff | February 1, 2020

Irrigation pump covers can be a common application, suitable for various types of pumps including jet pumps. Safe-T-Cover sees requests for custom enclosures for booster pumps, glycol pumps, air conditioning pump systems and many others. Recently, we completed a custom project for a nationally known dairy company that needed two irrigation pump covers. These covers are made of heavy-duty material, ensuring they are rugged, comprised of thick durable plastic that is capable of withstanding harsh environmental conditions and being impact resistant, offering unparalleled durability and protection for your pumps.

Why Would You Need To Cover A Pump?

The main reason our customers have told us they need an irrigation cover for their pumps is protection. In some instances, moving the pumps outside saves valuable space inside the facility for production. Once outside, the pump needs protection from rain, flying debris, vandalism, and freezing temperature conditions. When the system goes outside, a pump cover easily provides the needed protection. In addition, they would also prefer to accomplish a couple of additional goals when covering their pumps. 

Irrigation Pump Covers Offer Maximum Protection

The main reason our customers have told us they need irrigation pump covers is for protection. In some instances, moving the pumps outside saves valuable space inside the facility for production. Once outside, the pump needs protection from rain, flying debris, vandalism, and freezing temperature conditions. When the system goes outside,  irrigation pump covers easily provide the needed protection.

Irrigation Pumps Covers Provide Easy Access

Our aluminum irrigation pump covers are constructed from individual insulated panels that are quickly assembled on-site and can be easily disassembled if needed. Lockable access panels and doors make it easy to get to your equipment for testing or maintenance. Newer designs also come with hinged (or removable) roofs to make it easy to take your pump out (if necessary). You can’t do that with a pump house.

Regulate Temperatures Inside Irrigation Pump Covers

Our irrigation pump covers can be fitted with exhaust fans and louvers to keep your equipment cool in the summer. Heaters will evenly distribute heat to protect against freezing and keep more viscous fluids moving all winter long.

On-site Piping Penetrations

Safe-T-Cover recommends making piping penetrations on all pump covers and pump enclosures on-site by the installing contractor for more flexibility for those situations where measurements are a little off.

Noise Reduction

We use materials that absorb roughly 85 percent of the noise generated by your equipment. Our aluminum irrigation pump covers are also corrosion resistant, which makes them a great option for protecting pumps.

Designing Irrigation Pump Covers

Recently, we worked on irrigation pump covers for multiple large irrigation booster pumps at a dairy company. The system consisted of two large centrifugal pumps located outside. The customer challenged us with providing them an aluminum enclosure that covered both pumps, allowed for the supply and return piping to pass through the enclosure, provided ventilation to allow heat generated by the pumps to escape, and kept everything warm during the winter months. In addition, the customer needed removable access panels in specific locations to allow for routine maintenance and repair. The good news for the dairy company is our enclosures are capable of meeting all of those needs

After a few back-and-forth emails and calls, we were able to customize the irrigation pump cover that could meet all of the requirements. From the picture, you can see the installed louver on either side of the enclosure to vent the heat from the pumps. We designed the enclosure to have three access panels to provide easy access to the pumps for maintenance.  Each panel has a built-in pad lockable folding T-handles to prevent unwanted entry. The customer field cut the penetrations for the insulated supply and return piping. Field penetrations are simple for the contractor to perform and do not void the Safe-T-Cover warranty. At least one major enclosure manufacturer will not honor the warranty if penetrations are cut in the field. The enclosure itself is anchored to the concrete pad on the inside of the enclosure using mounting brackets and concrete anchor bolts provided in the hardware kit that comes with the enclosure. All of our aluminum enclosures include 1 ½” thick insulation panels on the sides and 3 inches of insulation on the roof. The enclosure is also equipped with one of our 1000 watt patented slab heaters that are rated to keep the inside air temperature of 40°F while the outside temperature is as low as -30°F and are designed to operate even when sprayed by water.

Another Satisfied Irrigation Pump Cover Customer

Our first communication with the customer was mid-November 2017. We received the purchase order for the irrigation pump cover a few weeks later in the middle of December. The enclosure was manufactured and left our shop on January 17, 2018, which is about two months after our first conversation with the customer. Prompt service is typical of the Safe-T-Cover staff as we are usually able to provide a custom enclosure quote within a day and ship most custom projects within four weeks of receiving the order. We are proud to have accomplished our client’s needs and are looking forward to seeing how the second custom enclosure they purchased turns out once they install it.