Entrained Air in Water supply

cswartz

My home has has entrained air in the water supply for several months. Sputters, burbs and spits regularly. and continuously. A glass/bucket/tub etc has milky appearance till the air dissipates (usually less than 15 seconds) whether hot or cold, toilet tank, faucet, or hose bib etc.
Neighbors having no problem. I've no sign of leak or malfunctioning equipment/fixture. Public water supply. No renovations or changes in many years.
Any experience with finding cause and resolving something similiar would be appreciated.

Mike Swearingen

I'm not a pro plumber, but my best guess is that you're getting air into your supply lines from a failing air bladder on a water heater expansion tank or a water pressure booster pump tank, if you have either of those.
If you do, it would be faster and simpler just to replace the bladder tank to solve your problem.
Good Luck!
Mike

cswartz

Thanks, Mike. Regrettably neither of those devices are in the sytem. I almost wish there was a primary suspect - but this is a simple small residence - faucets, tub, toilets, a shower, standard 30 gal water heater, a washing machine. Really has me stumped. Thanks again. Charlie Swartz

AllanJ

Had the same problem but only on or after days I used the washing machine. Washing machine inlet valves are constructed differently from faucets and air could be sucked in and then the air bubbles rise and migrate elsewhere in the plumbing system.

Or another faucet somewhere wasn't really tight and air got sucked in from there. (It's not a good idea to really crank down faucets tight as that shortens the life of the faucet washer.)

The whole problem might not be worth worrying about but if you really want to, try turning off the shutoff valves under the sink or whatever for one particular faucet or shower or toilet for several days (don't use that fixture) and see if the problem goes away. This could help narrow down on the source of a problem.

__________________
The average homeowner who lost his house in the Oklahoma tornadoes should move for good and not rebuild. Too much complexity watchdogging the contractor. Too much a chance to be defrauded.

Mike Swearingen

Another cause might be if the public water people were working on a line or a hook-up in your vicinity and a large air bubble got past your meter into your home. About the only thing that you can do then is just to "bleed" the air out by running the water lines.
Good Luck!
Mike