I have just moved into a 100yr old farmhouse. I recently changed the cold water and header tanks as they had not been covered and gunge had got into them and was coming out of the taps. Every morning when I turn on the cold tap in the kitchen it sputters like mad with air and will clear if left running for a couple of minutes. The cold water tank will then make a noise when filling. The problem does not occur later in the day. This problem was there before I changed the tanks. I also have 3 outside mains fed taps spread over about 1 acre of land. I have tried connecting a hose pipe to the nearest outside tap and to the kitchen cold tap and turning them on to no avail. I have heard of air locks in the hot tap and this method should work, but not from a mains fed tap. Could it be air in the pipes to the outside taps which is coming into the houuse tap? Thanks

Raymondo

OK Ray,
Time to tell us ,in detail, exactly what your pump set up is. What type of pump system do you have. Shallow or deep well? What are "header tanks"? Galvanized pressure tanks? Storage tanks? Why more the one tank? Hot water heater and cold water pressure tank? Don't make us have to guess. Regards, Tom

Thanks for replying Tom... I must first apologise... I am living in Ireland, having just moved from the UK, so my water system and the terminology will be totally different to what you are used to. The system I have is known as an indirect water system consisting of 2 tanks, the smaller one is known as a 'header' tank, or feed and expansion tank, which keeps the primary circuit topped up. The larger tank is the cold water system. All hot taps are supplied from a hot water storage cylinder. This all probably sounds like the middle- ages to you. I'm afraid I don't know what a deep or shallow well is. Regards Ray

Air enters your system through the suction line. This may be caused by a water table that's drawn down below the well point making the pump cavatate. It could also inject air into the line if there was a leak in the suction line that pulls air into it. I'd say you need a pump man to check it out. Good luck, Tom

Thanks anyway Tom, but I don't know what a suction line is. My water enters the house on mains pressure. We don't have a well, we are part of a group water scheme where the water is pumped from an external source some distance away, the only pump for water is on the boiler which works the central heating and hot water system. I think I will have to rig up a very long hose between the outside taps and see if air is in the pipework outside. Thanks

My fault. I assumed that you were on a pump system. As a Florida plumber I am not familiar with combi boiler systems so I'm going to move this over to a heating expert that may be able to help. You have my apologies for not understanding your problem. Good luck, Tom

Thanks Tom your'e a good fella