Air getting in from mains, or somewhere

[Gert]

I think air is getting into the house water from the mains.

At irregular times the taps spit and gurgle. Today I re-pressurised the boiler, as soon as i opened the valved I could hear the crackling of air going in.

This has been going on for about 3 months. Lived in the house 9+years. Kinetico water softener fitted 8+ years. New condensing boiler fitted 4+ years.

If the air is not coming in through the mains how does it get in?

Any help gratefully accepted

Greg

 

[josh]

another problem quite hard to trace, does it do it at your kitchen sink tap (the cold) as this should be non softened water and will give a slightly better indication. All i can think is water could be drawn away from your property (if bad pressure/flow rate/something that draws a lot of water) and when you go to run your tap it takes a second to get the water back, this would be on your kitchen tap and before your main stopcock, if so the water would run ok for a sec then gurgle (if you have a meter fitted/they have a check valve in them)

interested to know what other plumbers think.

 

[Gert]

Hello josh.

The softener serves the whole house except the outside tap. The upstairs taps spit more than the downstairs ones, also the toilet flushes as they fill miss a beat. whatever tap the air come out of it is only for a very short time and not every time they are turned on. Had no air for the past week or more, before then every tap had air for a day or so. The air has been intermittent for the past 3 months.

Pressure here is good, I have no means of testing but to give you an idea I can make a jet of hose water shoot about 60 foot

 

[Gert]

Update:

Yesterday the softener finished its regeneration. Shortly after I turned on the kitchen cold tap and air came out. It would seem the softener is sucking air. The question is where. Anyone know of typical areas I can investigate?

Thanks Greg

 

[josh]

I don't know where air would get in through a softner, when it regenerates it is only cleansing the resin, the salt itself doesnt go into your water supply nor the water it sits in, that tops itself up as neccisary with a diaphragm type valve. If it is apparent that when it does regenerate air does get into the water supply then get a man who specialises in softners to come and give it a service and look over.

could prove it is the softner if you isolated it for a few days but you say the problem is intermittant or when it has just regenerated try the outside tap first as this is before the softner and should have a check valve on the inlet of it, no air in the water could get back to it then try another tap that has had air in it and see.

 

[Gert]

Thanks josh

I will give a call to the softener fitter. He supplies the salt and has done s few other plumbing jobs for me, so should be OK to look at it.

Regards Greg

 

[pimp]

Check with your local water company and see if they have been doing water main renewals or burst main repairs in your area. Have come across this in the past. Ask your neighbours if they have suffered from the same thing too.