Uma uqalisa iphampu, uzofuna ukwenza isiqiniseko sokuthi indawo yokugcina amanzi kanye nesekhethi ihlanzekile futhi ayinakho ukungcola nemfucumfucu ngaphambi kokuyigcwalisa ngoketshezi olunamanzi. Gcwalisa i-reservoir ngamafutha ahlungiwe ufike ezingeni elanele ukuvimbela ukuvuvuka ekuxhumekeni kokudonsa endaweni yokupompa. Kungumkhuba omuhle ukuhlanza isistimu ngokuyishayela nokuhlunga usebenzisa iphampu yesigqila yangaphandle. Ngaphambi kokuqala iphampu, gcwalisa ngoketshezi kwelinye lamachweba. Lokhu kubaluleke kakhulu uma iphampu ingaphezu kwezinga loketshezi lwe-reservoir. Lapho uqala iphampu, susa wonke umoya ovaleleke ohlelweni. Lokhu kungenziwa ngokukhulula izixhumi zokuphuma kwepompo noma ukuxhumana ngaphambi kokuqala iphampu, noma ngokusebenzisa i-valve yokopha komoya. Konke ukuxhumana kwe-inlet kufanele kuqine ukuvimbela ukuvuza komoya. Uma iphampu isiqalile, kufanele iqale phakathi nemizuzwana embalwa. Uma iphampu ingaqali, hlola ukuze uqiniseke ukuthi akukho ukuvuza komoya emugqeni wokungena nokuxhuma. Futhi hlola ukuze uqinisekise ukuthi umoya ovaleleke ungaphuma endaweni yepompo. Ngemva kokuba iphampu isiqalisiwe, qinisa ukuxhuma kwe-outlet okuxekethile, bese usebenza imizuzu emihlanu kuya kweyishumi (eyehlisiwe) ukuze ususe wonke umoya ovaleleke kumjikelezo. Uma i-reservoir inegeji yokubona, qiniseka ukuthi uketshezi lucacile, alunabisi. Engeza uketshezi ku-reservoir phezulu ezingeni elifanele lokugcwalisa.