Some home repairs for air trapped in plumbing require basic plumbing skills.
Air trapped in your home's water pipes can cause loud and bothersome noises like machine gun fire, rapid rattling or squeals when you use the water. Trapped air may also stop the flow from one or both of the hot and cold water lines. Clearing these bubbles from your home's water system can be difficult and may require multiple tries before any method works. Does this Spark an idea?
Use a Hose
Running the full pressure of the water main connection through the home's pipes should disperse any accumulated air, according to the DIY Doctor website. Kitchen faucets often have the appropriate pressure, but most modern kitchen sinks feature one mixed tap instead of separate hot and cold taps. Using the two taps that feed water into your washing machine is a good choice for this project. By removing the washing machine connections and attaching a length of hose between the hot and cold water taps, you can force a higher amount of water pressure through the whole system. Turn the cold water on and let it flow into the hot water tap. If you have no separate taps in your home, blocking a mixed-temperature tap and turning on the cold water should accomplish the same goal.
Drain the System
Draining all of the water out of your home's water system may remove the air trapped within as well. The connection to the water supply, whether your home has its own well or is connected to a municipal line, must be shut off first, according to Home Living. Then the water is released by opening all of the faucets and fixtures in the house until water stops flowing. Closing them up again will allow the pipes to re-pressurize, which should cause the very last of the water and trapped air to be released when they are reopened again slowly. This is a good step to take if forcing water through the system fails to work.
Install a Valve
If the air is trapped at the highest point in your water pipes, flushing or draining the system may not remove it. In these cases, installing a small section of pipe topped with a valve in your home's highest pipe may allow it to escape, according to Irrigation Tutorials. This requires cutting into the existing water pipe and inserting a new section, so the pipes must be drained and the homeowner must have some basic knowledge of plumbing first. Plugging the valve after the air is released will prevent water from flooding the attic or roof of the home. Homes where air accumulates in the pipes regularly due to air entering with fresh incoming water may require the installation of an air-relief valve that can be opened regularly.
Tags: your home, cold water, home water, your home water, home water system
