If you notice sputtering water and irregular flow from your faucets and water appliances, you might have air in your pipe system. The high points of your system are especially vulnerable for trapping air, which is why you might hear certain noises when passing through top floor rooms. If you aren’t particularly familiar with plumbing, here are a few ways to resolve this issue safely.
Turn off the main water supply
You can’t start pipe repairs if the pipes are still in function. With flowing water in the system, you run the risk of causing a leak whenever you decide to make adjustments to the piping. This is why it needs to be turned off before you proceed.
Make sure the main water supply valve is completely turned off before starting repairs. Where this valve is placed depends on the climate. In colder areas, it’s normally located on the inside of the home. In hotter climates, you can find it on the outside. Once off, you’re able to begin removing air from the pipes.
Open faucets
To check if air has been cleared, you’ll need to turn the faucets in your home back on. This means turning the main water supply valve on once again and enabling the flow of water. Once the water is back in the system, starting turning on the faucets in a specific order.
First, open the faucet that is located at the highest elevation. Starting from the top, move on to faucets that are located lower and lower until you reach the lowest faucet. Don’t open the faucets at full force, though. Only open them enough for a little bit of water to leak through. Normally, this should clear the air and allow the flow of water to continue unobstructed.
Use water appliances
Now would be a great time to start up all the appliances that utilize water in your home. Flush the toilets in every bathroom and let water flow through showers and bidets. Anything that has a water connection should be used until you’re sure that enough water has passed so that air can be flushed out.
You should also pour a cup of water from your fridge if it has a water dispenser to see if it’s working. Don’t neglect your dishwashers and washing machines either. Run them through a rinse cycle so that only water is used.
Consult professionals
Even if you’ve done everything correctly, a bit of air can still remain in your piping system. This can be detrimental to your water flow and piping integrity, which is why it’s imperative that you resolve the issue in other ways.
Contacting professionals would be your best bet. At some point, only emergency plumbing services can help clear out the air in your pipes. A plumber can better determine where the air is trapped and how to take care of the problem. They should be able to take care of it with minimal issues.
Recognize different problems
Sometimes, your methods might not take care of the problem simply because it’s not the problem you think it is. Trapped air in the pipes makes a distinct noise that is easily recognizable by professionals, while other problems manifest themselves in other ways.
Hearing prolonged noises and vibration is common for air that is trapped within pipes, while thumps and bumps can be attributed to water hammers. If you only hear the latter, chances are that it’s not an air problem. Diagnose the issue or let a professional take over if you aren’t certain.
Conclusion
While having air in your piping isn’t a major issue, it’s still something that needs to be resolved. If your appliances and faucets are showing signs of this issue, you should try to resolve it as quickly as possible. If you aren’t able to diagnose or solve the problem, find a plumber that will come and do it for you.
Author bio:
Ayla Anderson is an avid reader and an enthusiastic blogger who writes articles on home improvement, business, Family and beauty. She is also an MBA student who spends much of her time giving advice to newly small businesses on how to grow their businesses. You can follow me on https://twitter.com/Ayla55489508
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