People often look at renting versus buying in the sense of how much it will cost. If it is a long-term project, it is possible and probable that rental fees will surpass the price of buying the pump. However, there are other factors to consider. Before making the decision to buy instead of rent, consider the following.

In the real world, projects seldom remain the same. Flow rates change due to rain. What others do on the project may impact the operation. The pump may not be large enough to handle increased demands. In the opposite situation, the flow can drop. A large pump would waste fuel, run inefficiently and cause damage to the impeller, wear plates and volute. In both scenarios, incorrectly sized rental pumps could easily be switched out for correctly sized pumps.

If a purchased pump quits, it has to be troubleshooted and repaired. A pump may have to be rented while the purchased pump is down. Rental pumps, on the other hand, do not have repair bills.

When purchasing, question whether another piece of rolling stock and mounted equipment is needed. Will it be ready to use the next time it is needed? Are the trailer tags current? Have the tires gone flat? Is it really the best fit for the job or will it be used since you own it? Does the appearance of the equipment hurt or help the company image? Rusty equipment looks bad on any job location even if it runs fine.

For many jobs, renting may be an economical option. The right piece of equipment-sized to the job and ready to operate-can help a company's image. When the job is done, the equipment can just be sent back.