What is causing air in house water lines?

[Egon]

As has been stated you may have a gas in your water. Check the faucet with a match.

 

[jyoutz]

Have the same problem. Turns out we have gas in the water. Most noticeable in the hot water because it is contained and the gas is able to dissipate but is captured in the water heater then pushed unto the waterlines. Harmless but a PITA. Well is 25 years old problem popped up in just the last 2 or 3 years.

Are you talking about natural gas? That doesn’t seem like a harmless thing to have in drinking water.

 

[HammerGrips]

Have you tried lighting it? We had some natural gas in our water and if you had a lighter close to the aerator when you turned on the faucet, it would flare up.

 

[woody]

We had air at one faucet, the one in the kitchen and I finally found where it was leaking in the very back of the cabnet after the water was turned off it would leak down and draw air in the faucet so when we turned the water on we would get a burst of air. I replaced the faucet and all is good.

 

[TheGoose]

Your tank is air logged. Since you have a hydro-pneumatic tank (air over water), you have to keep an air space up in the tank. For your system, it is accomplished by using a bleeder system.

A bleeder system usually has 4 parts. The bleeder in the well, which is usually just a rubber flapper that closes when pressure is applied, and relaxes when the pump shuts off. It opens when the pump is off and drains the water, usually placed at the first coupling 20 ft down into the well. It can also be a brass bleeder with a ball check, or simply a drilled hole that always leaks a little.

There is a check valve between the well and the tank, and then a snifter valve to let air in. And finally an air control on the tank (air release).

When the pump is running the bleeder is held shut by pressure. When the pump shuts off, the bleeder relaxes and the water can drain out. The check valve keeps the water in the tank from back-feeding into the well, and the snifter valve releases the vacuum and lets air into the line as it's draining. The snifter valve can be on the check valve body, which is called a "tapped" check valve. When the pump next starts this section of piping is filled with air. The air gets forced to the tank, where it goes to the top to keep the air head maintained. The air release on the side of the tank has a little float, when too much air gets into the tank the float drops and lets the excess air out.

Sounds like your air release (avc) is not working right.

Very common system here (SE Texas).

 

[part-time-Farmer-NC]

I agree with "The Goose". On the holding tank there is a tire pressure looking stem. If you depress that and water comes out the bladder is ruptured and time for a new tank.

I had heard it referred to as water logged, same principle I guess as the air logged description.

 

[steve tym]

Your tank is air logged. Since you have a hydro-pneumatic tank (air over water), you have to keep an air space up in the tank. For your system, it is accomplished by using a bleeder system.

A bleeder system usually has 4 parts. The bleeder in the well, which is usually just a rubber flapper that closes when pressure is applied, and relaxes when the pump shuts off. It opens when the pump is off and drains the water, usually placed at the first coupling 20 ft down into the well. It can also be a brass bleeder with a ball check, or simply a drilled hole that always leaks a little.

There is a check valve between the well and the tank, and then a snifter valve to let air in. And finally an air control on the tank (air release).

When the pump is running the bleeder is held shut by pressure. When the pump shuts off, the bleeder relaxes and the water can drain out. The check valve keeps the water in the tank from back-feeding into the well, and the snifter valve releases the vacuum and lets air into the line as it's draining. The snifter valve can be on the check valve body, which is called a "tapped" check valve. When the pump next starts this section of piping is filled with air. The air gets forced to the tank, where it goes to the top to keep the air head maintained. The air release on the side of the tank has a little float, when too much air gets into the tank the float drops and lets the excess air out.

Sounds like your air release (avc) is not working right.

Very common system here (SE Texas).

Well worded and probably correct. In the Northeast, we've been captive air tanks for a long time, but when I was a kid, we still had galvanized tanks and air releases.

 

[Valveman]

No matter how the air or gas gets into a regular hydro type tank, a good AVC will let out the excess.

 

[KUBOTA OWNER]

Do you have a electric water heater. I replaced my electric water heater that was leaking with a Richmond unit from Menards. For about 6 or 8 months had lots and lots of air in the system. But only in the hot water. I even called Richmond. I was sure that the heating element was causing it to cavate and produce air. You could even hear it when the system would be heating. Richmond blew me off and said it was my hard water!! I have a water softener too.
But the one thing the Richmond rep. told me is that they started using stainless heating elements. So people would not burn them out on a "dry fire" I really think it took a while for the element to build up a little calcium and not work as efficiently. and then the noise and air went away but not until about 6-8 months later.

 

[ponytug]

Do you have a electric water heater. I replaced my electric water heater that was leaking with a Richmond unit from Menards. For about 6 or 8 months had lots and lots of air in the system. But only in the hot water. I even called Richmond. I was sure that the heating element was causing it to cavate and produce air. You could even hear it when the system would be heating. Richmond blew me off and said it was my hard water!! I have a water softener too.
But the one thing the Richmond rep. told me is that they started using stainless heating elements. So people would not burn them out on a "dry fire" I really think it took a while for the element to build up a little calcium and not work as efficiently. and then the noise and air went away but not until about 6-8 months later.

You might actually have been generating hydrogen from the anode. When was the last time that you pulled your anode to check if it was clean and still had material on it?

Personally, I only use powered anodes as pulling anodes is just an awkward job for a part that needs to be checked, if not replaced annually. Your water heater will last a lot longer if the anode is in good shape as it mostly or completely stops the corrosion of the tank.

All the best,

Peter

 

[steve tym]

You might actually have been generating hydrogen from the anode. When was the last time that you pulled your anode to check if it was clean and still had material on it?

Personally, I only use powered anodes as pulling anodes is just an awkward job for a part that needs to be checked, if not replaced annually. Your water heater will last a lot longer if the anode is in good shape as it mostly or completely stops the corrosion of the tank.

All the best,

Peter

Thank you, haven't thought of my anode rod in years.

 

[TheGoose]

I agree with "The Goose". On the holding tank there is a tire pressure looking stem. If you depress that and water comes out the bladder is ruptured and time for a new tank.

I had heard it referred to as water logged, same principle I guess as the air logged description.

Not correct. Big misconception. Hydropneumatic tanks do not have a bladder. It's literally air over water.

 

[part-time-Farmer-NC]

Interesting. I think Water Worker the maker of my pressure tank didn't get that memo. I thought I remembered reading it in their literature when I installed mine a couple of years ago.

 

[steve tym]

There are captive air tanks and hydropneumatic tanks. The OP stated he had a hydropneumatic.

 

[part-time-Farmer-NC]

There are captive air tanks and hydropneumatic tanks. The OP stated he had a hydropneumatic.

Ah... Didn't catch that. didn't even know there was such a thing.

Thanks for the correction.

 

[steve tym]

Old school. That's what my grandfather used to do in the winter, run around and "balance" (add air to) peoples tanks

 

[TheGoose]

Interesting. I think Water Worker the maker of my pressure tank didn't get that memo. I thought I remembered reading it in their literature when I installed mine a couple of years ago.

Yours is not a hydropneumatic tank, as pointed out. It's a bladder tank, sometimes called captive air tank or diaphragm tank. We use hydropneumatic here for several reasons, one of which is that sometimes the water can smell, and the air-over-water will help dissipate the smell.

 

[part-time-Farmer-NC]

I had to google them. As far as I know its not a common practice around these parts to use that type. See there is more than one way to skin a rabbit/cat/deer....

 

[Valveman]

Like was said, hydro tanks are "old school" these days. But there are places that have Iron or Sulfur and the old hydro tanks are still the norm in those areas.

 

[TheGoose]

Well, did you figure it out?