Pump head is the total resistance a pump has to overcome, measured in metres. It is not just how high the water is lifted. It is that lift plus the friction losses in the pipe and fittings, plus any pressure needed at the outlet. Get the head right and you can size a pump properly; underestimate it and the pump will disappoint.
Static head: the lift
Static head is the straightforward part: the vertical height from the water surface up to the discharge point. Pump water 5 metres up and you have 5 metres of static head before anything else is counted.
Friction head: the hidden part
Friction head is the resistance the water meets travelling through the pipe or hose, and it is the part people forget. Long runs, narrow bores, bends, valves and the wrong hose all add head that the pump must overcome. A long, thin or kinked hose can rob a pump of a surprising amount of performance, which is why hose length and diameter affect pump performance so much, and why the choice between layflat and suction and delivery hose matters.
Total head is what counts
Add the static lift and the friction losses (and any outlet pressure) together and you get total head, sometimes called total dynamic head. That is the figure you read the pump's flow against on its curve, at its operating point, not the pump's headline maximum, as explained in how to read a pump curve. As a rough guide, 10 metres of head is about 1 bar. Understanding both numbers together is covered in pump curves explained: flow rate and head.
Working out your total head
Measuring the lift is easy; estimating friction is where most people struggle. Our performance calculator does the friction calculation for your hose length and diameter, adds it to your lift, and then checks a pump delivers the flow you need at that total head, showing the result green, amber or red. That takes the guesswork out and stops you buying a pump that looks right on paper but underperforms in the pipe.
