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Air in water lines

jpr62902

Jeanclaude Spam Banhammer
SUPER Site Supporter
How does it get in there? I just had to bleed a cold water supply line to release an airlock in the vanity valve. Any ideas as to why this is happening?
 

Doc

Bottoms Up
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
Did the water dept recently do any water line repairs or upgrades?
 

zekeusa

Bronze Member
SUPER Site Supporter
The rubber bladder leaking on the expansion tank? Just a thought. I'm not a plumber....
 

jpr62902

Jeanclaude Spam Banhammer
SUPER Site Supporter
City water, 100 year old house, copper supply lines, no expansion tank. Looks like my pressure regulator valve has a small leak. Could that be the culprit?
 

FrancSevin

Proudly Deplorable
GOLD Site Supporter
If that is the culprit then you also have a small leak elsewhere. The only way for air to enter the pressurized system is for it to leak backwards behind a closed valve via the force of gravity.

You may have a small faucet leak that allows a back flow upstairs when you turn something on downstairs. Perhaps a toilet valve, or a damper tube ( prevents water hammer) in the walls of your 100 year old house that has a small corrosion leak.

A leaking pressure valve alone will be unlikely to create the condition all by itself. There has to be a backflow. Meaning the system is open elsewhere.

Is it hot or cold water? Sometimes the hot water heater will create steam in the line. Doesn't happen with an expansion Tank/valve.
 

jpr62902

Jeanclaude Spam Banhammer
SUPER Site Supporter
It's in the cold water line. Other symptoms I'm noticing include water hammer when the washer stops drawing cold water, and more pronounced sputtering on the second floor fixtures after the laundry has run (washer is in the basement).

Laundry equipment is brand spanking new, and the upstairs sputtering happened with the old washer too.
 

Doc

Bottoms Up
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
Air bubbles do work their way up, as they are lighter than water. They easily get trapped in bends and can be tricky to get rid of.
I once read, never tried, that low pressure allows them in. Unhooking your washer and hooking a short hose from the hot to the cold and turning both on, then turning on water at the furthest spicket from the washer might force the 'bubble' out.
 

FrancSevin

Proudly Deplorable
GOLD Site Supporter
It's in the cold water line. Other symptoms I'm noticing include water hammer when the washer stops drawing cold water, and more pronounced sputtering on the second floor fixtures after the laundry has run (washer is in the basement).

Laundry equipment is brand spanking new, and the upstairs sputtering happened with the old washer too.

Water hammer is a sure sign the dampers are failing. If they leak air(it's how they work) they will fill with water and no longer cushion the sudden shut off of a washer solenoid valve.

This is all theory as I am not a plumber. Just a hack carpenter who has flipped a few houses. Old plumbing is a bane.
 

jpr62902

Jeanclaude Spam Banhammer
SUPER Site Supporter
Water hammer is a sure sign the dampers are failing. If they leak air(it's how they work) they will fill with water and no longer cushion the sudden shut off of a washer solenoid valve.

This is all theory as I am not a plumber. Just a hack carpenter who has flipped a few houses. Old plumbing is a bane.

Thanks for the input, Franc. What's a damper?
 

jpr62902

Jeanclaude Spam Banhammer
SUPER Site Supporter
Air bubbles do work their way up, as they are lighter than water. They easily get trapped in bends and can be tricky to get rid of.
I once read, never tried, that low pressure allows them in. Unhooking your washer and hooking a short hose from the hot to the cold and turning both on, then turning on water at the furthest spicket from the washer might force the 'bubble' out.

Thanks, Doc. I just loosen the supply hose to an upstairs vanity faucet until all the air is forced out. Works every time.
 

FrancSevin

Proudly Deplorable
GOLD Site Supporter
Thanks for the input, Franc. What's a damper?


Just inside the wall behind the shutoff valve is a 8" pipe going vertical. It is full of air and acts as a sort of spring to absorb hydraulic pressure when the faucet is closed.
 
my sister had the same problem in their house.water hammer and other strange noises along with relief valve on water heater leaking.i installed a thermal expansion tank for them and all the troubles went away.
 

jpr62902

Jeanclaude Spam Banhammer
SUPER Site Supporter
The problem was my pressure regulator. Had 150 PSI at the fixtures. Yowza!!

Got a new one installed using teflon tape with Rectorseal as well as a Sharkbite fitting (those things are amazing!). Had it done in less than 90 minutes (including taking out the old crapped up valve and unsoldering one fitting). Now I'm down to 48 PSI. :clap:

Before and after pics:
 

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zekeusa

Bronze Member
SUPER Site Supporter
150psi! That would get your attention in the shower! I have the identical valve. There's a screen with a spring and check ball in there I guess your supposed to clean once and a while. Mine was really crapped up with sand and rust. You must have a high pressure well pump!
 

jpr62902

Jeanclaude Spam Banhammer
SUPER Site Supporter
150psi! That would get your attention in the shower! I have the identical valve. There's a screen with a spring and check ball in there I guess your supposed to clean once and a while. Mine was really crapped up with sand and rust. You must have a high pressure well pump!

Yes, the shower was more like pressure washer. :w00t2:

No pump. We're on city water. :ermm:
 
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