Dodgy water pressure, and spitting faucets

Users who are viewing this thread

St3lla2012

New Member
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Location
Georgia
Hi everyone, I wondered if someone could shed some light on the possible cause of this issue.

The Symptoms:

I turn on the faucet - the pressure is fine. Within 10-15 seconds of running the water, the pressure declines dramatically and it starts spitting and spitting. I took a quick video of the spitting in my kitchen faucet.

The History:

I’m in Georgia, and it’s a 3 story house. The shutoff and water pressure regulator is in the basement. I had some plumbing work done because a pipe to the outside from the basement was literally running hot water. Adjusting the water pressure regulator didn’t solve it.

A plumber diagnosed the hot water release as a failing water pressure regulator, high pressure, a dripping pressure relief valve on one of the water heaters (both connected, and side by side in the basement), and said he needed to install expansion tanks on each.

The work the plumber did:

Added a second WPG - left the first one in place. Water now comes in from the street, to the original WPG, the shutoff, then the new WPG. he used pushfit to install the WPG.

He installed an expansion tank to each water heater - side installation.

He replaced the PRV on the water heater where it was leaking.

He then refused to come out and fix it. That’s another story - I’ll be handling that.

What could be the problem? Any guidance would be much appreciated!! Thank you!

(I tried to upload the video but the files too big)
 

Reach4

Well-Known Member
Messages
38,796
Reaction score
4,413
Points
113
Location
IL
  1. confirm you are on city water. With PRVs, I expect so, but might as well be sure.
  2. A faucet spitting usually means air and water coming out mixed in spurts. Is that what you mean?
 

St3lla2012

New Member
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Location
Georgia
Hello, yes, I’m on city water. The water heaters are gas. Yes, the spitting is like that, but it’s not violent or knocking - it’s enough to know that it’s spitting, and it’s from every faucet I’ve tried - on all 3 levels.
 

Reach4

Well-Known Member
Messages
38,796
Reaction score
4,413
Points
113
Location
IL
Let the faucet spit for a good while, and see if the air goes away. It will.

I am not a plumber.
 

Jadnashua

Retired Defense Industry Engineer xxx
Messages
32,771
Reaction score
1,191
Points
113
Location
New England
FWIW, in a system, you should only need one expansion tank unless he used two to provide greater volume and didn't have space to install one larger one.

Whats' on the WH is not a PRV, it's a T&P valve...two very different devices that have different purposes.

Any air in the system from draining and working on the pipes will quickly get released when repressurized and a valve is opened. Might have some in a branch, but once it's gone, should not happen again.

In rare occasions, there can be a reaction with the water chemistry and the anode rod in the WH that releases (usually) hydrogen gas, and that could show up as a spurt of what you deem to be air. A call to your local water supplier might tell you if their water chemistry is subject to that with some anode rods.

Other than that, it's not common to have air in the lines...maybe if you have your own well, but not in a municipal system. If you draw a glass of water, does it look cloudy then clears up? That could indicate dissolved air. Once that either bubbles out or gets reabsorbed into the water, it becomes clear.

Does the spitting happen more or only with hot, or does it happen with both hot and cold equally?

If one of the new ETs has a slow leak, the precharged air could be slowly leaking into the supply water. Over probably a few days to a week, you'd notice that tank sounding different if you knocked on it. It should sound and feel relatively hollow and ring. If it ends up full of water, it will make a thud sound. The T&P valve won't open if one of the ETs is still working as long as it is not severely undersized.
 

St3lla2012

New Member
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Location
Georgia
Thank you. What could cause the rapidly diminishing water pressure after 15 seconds on every faucet, shower, etc? It’s been like this for 5 days now.

Turn the faucet on, pressure is good, but 10 seconds later... slowing slowing, then spitting. Turn it off, leave it for 10 minutes, pressure is good, but then slowing and spitting.

I have two water heaters - he put an expansion tank on each. Space is an issue, and he had to install them both sideways.

If the water chemistry changed, it changed at the exact moment that dude finished the plumbing work. Although it’s a possibility - and I can check with the water company - it would be such a coincidence.

When the rest of the house is awake I’ll check the following:

- whether the spitting occurs with both hot and cold. I seem to remember it was, but will confirm.
- if water is cloudy and then turns clear
- It’s been several days now, so I’ll go a-tappin’ on the expansion tanks and report back.

The lowerd pressure occurs equally both with hot and cold.

For the tank you mention sounding fill - do you mean the expansion tanks? It’s been several days now, so I’ll go a-tappin’ and report back.


Thank you so much!
 
Last edited:

Reach4

Well-Known Member
Messages
38,796
Reaction score
4,413
Points
113
Location
IL
Thank you. What could cause the rapidly diminishing water pressure after 15 seconds on every faucet, shower, etc? It’s been like this for 5 days now.
Maybe a restriction, such as the supply valve partially closed. Perhaps the curb stop valve outside. Perhaps the main water valve coming into the house. Perhaps a clogged filter.

Your symptoms do seem pretty weird. A PRV for the just water heater does seem weird to me.

So how do you have something retaining 1/2 gallon or so of water to supply your first few seconds? You may have too low of air precharge in your expansion tanks. You want that pressure to normally be a little above the water pressure, or at the peak water pressure-- typically about 4 am. The tanks should not contain water normally, but stand ready to accept water if the water pressure rises due to thermal expansion.
 
Last edited:

hj

Master Plumber
Messages
33,600
Reaction score
1,037
Points
113
Location
Cave Creek, Arizona
Website
www.terrylove.com
If the original PRV was bad, i.e. cause low or irregular pressure, then the second one will just duplicate its actions. Leaving the first one in place would only be acceptable if it had failed and did NOT reduce or affect the pressure in any way.
 

Jadnashua

Retired Defense Industry Engineer xxx
Messages
32,771
Reaction score
1,191
Points
113
Location
New England
A failed PRV could restrict the flow. Some of them have inlet filters...the filter could be partially clogged, restricting the flow. Probably the more common failure of a prv is that the pressure can't be regulated, and it creeps up. But, it's possible that they can become a big restriction if all of the parts can't move freely or there's a restriction prior to it.

Are there any galvanized pipes in your system?

What kind of pipe comes in from the street?

Has anyone driven over your supply line? Normally, it's buried deep enough that that isn't a problem, but if it was a big, heavy truck, it might have kinked it.
 
Top
Hey, wait a minute.

This is awkward, but...

It looks like you're using an ad blocker. We get it, but (1) terrylove.com can't live without ads, and (2) ad blockers can cause issues with videos and comments. If you'd like to support the site, please allow ads.

If any particular ad is your REASON for blocking ads, please let us know. We might be able to do something about it. Thanks.
I've Disabled AdBlock    No Thanks