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-   -   Small rocks in my water line (https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/showthread.php?t=200146)

  • Mar 29, 2008, 09:52 PM
    angelznmyhart
    Small rocks in my water line
    I have small rocks in my water line. Does anyone know how to flush them out. I don't know what's going on. I have to clean out my washer line filter at least twice a week, and I have to take apart my kitchen faucet almost everyday to clean it out. And now I have no cold water pressure. The hot water pressure works fine. Im so frustrated, can anyone help me.
  • Mar 29, 2008, 11:08 PM
    Flying Blue Eagle
    Angelznmyhart - Tell me what are you on ? (A WELL OR CITY, COUNTY WATER)?? IF you are on city or county water , have they been doing any work on the water lines? IF they have I do believe that you can have things made right.. :: NOW IF YOU ARE ON A WELL < then either you have the bottom of the pump or if it's a on top pump then the drop pipe going down in the well is to close to the BOTTOM OF THE WELL< AND WILL HAVE TO BE RAISED UP ABOUT 10' off the bottom or you will cont. to have sand mud gravel ( SMALL) in the water lines, :: OK I hope you are on a conventional floor and not on a concrete slab , IF you have an outside water hydrant ,open it wide open for a while and flush the lines out the best way you can like this then if that don't work get under house and cut the cold water lines near each riser going threw the floor , if you have a air compressor or a air tank take and blow the lines out from the faucet spicket ( TURN THE COLD WATER FAUCET HANDLE ON AND BLOW THE LINE OUT, DO this at every cold water faucetm (NOTE - MAKE SURE YOUR WATER IS TURNED OFF Before YOU START<:: THis should clear the lines out , The lines under the house will have to be blowed out also , see if you can hook up a pipe to the pipe comeing to the house and bring it out from under the house ,turn the water on at the well and flush out the kine comeing to under the house, :: I would take a bucket or something else to catch some water in directory from the well, let set for about an hour and check to see if you have little rocks ,sand still in the water.:: Good Luck & GOD BLESS ::: F.B.E.
  • Mar 30, 2008, 10:52 AM
    smearcase
    I don't know what size rocks you are talking about but we had deposits (small rust colored granules) in the toilets and faucet filters that turned out to be from the water softener. If you have a softener try bypassing it and see if there is any change.
  • Mar 30, 2008, 10:53 PM
    angelznmyhart
    We have a mobile home which makes it easier to access our lines. We are on city water and they have been working on water lines to make the new city pool. There is also an Enrichment Facility being built outside of town. We did call the Water Dept. today on a Sunday and he checked the meter, but he claimed the pressure on their side was fine and that it is our problem. He went on to say we have metal pipes. When we know we have Black Poly Line and PVC under the house and underground. So anyway, we spent all day blowing out lines under the house... but it didn't work. We tried blowing the lines inside the house too.. still nothing. We did however get a collection of scale (which looks like small thin rocks and the texture of egg shells). We will take them to the Water Dept. tomorrow to see what the manager has to say. It interfers with our lives literally, I have 3 children who have to shower for school. In order to do so I have to fill the tub with HOT water and wait for it to cool or put a lot of ice cubes in to cool it off. It even takes forever to fill the tank in the toilet to flush it. My husband will have to take off work tomorrow to see what more we can do to get it fixed. Frustrating!! I really hope the City will take responsibility for this. Thank You for your answers. I hope these pictures can help out with more answers. I will let you know what the City had to say.

    http://i27.tinypic.com/2w4i2rt.jpg

    http://i26.tinypic.com/2rpxsli.jpg
  • Mar 30, 2008, 11:51 PM
    Flying Blue Eagle
    Angelinheart - Looking at the pictures , I do believe that this is brought in through the city water system that is usely caused from thir work on the water lines. I have seen this several times while I was working ,before retireing . The most recent was where I live ( Well Im 2 miles out side city limits and not on city water ) Well they had been doing a lot of work on water lines (THE CITY ) and had gotten a lot of dirt and mud in the water lines . People were doing a lot of complaing about it but the city saying it was not their fauld , clothes were getting disclolored from when washed . Several people got togreather and told the water dept . That they were going to get a lawyer and sue the city and their denial of responsiblty was no good , they did admit then that they were at fault and would start to flush all water lines and clean them , They are not going to admit fault unless you force them to because that costs them, but don't give up because they are responsible for what ever they damage , even to peoples homes. The best one I ever Seen was _ When the city sewer dept was using the pressure truck to unstop a stopped up sewer main out in the middle of the street. In 6 houes they blew back into the houses on the sewer line . Oh boy what a mess , like in the bath rooms , stuff I won't say was all over the ceilings walls floor, Any way the city had to pay all expenses for the repairs of all damages . This is a true story!! Good Luck & GOD BLESS ::: F.B.E.
  • Mar 31, 2008, 06:32 AM
    massplumber2008
    Hi Angel:

    Wow... that pic. Really shows what a mess you have on your hands.

    Well... should be one of two things:

    1) city water system messed up like FBE suggested, or

    2) water heater sediment got disturbed and distributed (unlikely).

    If city issue, and cold water is clogging up... the water heater is also filling up with this junk and will need to be purged of all debris/sediment.

    If hot water heater issue, then the water heater will need to be purged of all debris/sediment anyway.

    First, though, I would disconnect my water meter and I would run water from the meter into a bucket and see if anything shows up in the bucket..if so..call them out immediately and show them what you pulled out from their water system.

    If water runs clear from meter, then issue may have passed by this time... but sediment still screwing with your system... and for that you want to POWER FLUSH THE hot water heater and clear all screens/parts, etc. related to all faucets/toilets.

    To clear water heater, leave water on at the water heater, hook hose onto the drain at the water heater and flush the water heater by opening drain and allowing garbage to flush out of heater for a good 5-10 minutes... Again, whether hot water issue this needs to be done as sediment has definitely settled to bottom of tank and needs to be cleared out!

    This is a confusing one... messy stuff there!

    Try what I said, talk to your water department... show them what you showed us... see what they say??

    Keep us posted... got me real curious here... Mark

    .
  • Apr 8, 2008, 08:20 PM
    angelznmyhart
    Sorry I haven't informed anyone about my situation. So I have a plumber come out and he determined it was hard water build up in my water heater.:eek: They blew out my lines and it cost me $400 to that. They advised that I get a new water heater. I did and it cost me another $257.:mad: It's been almost a week and I have not had to clean out my washer yet:) I have had to clean out my faucet once or twice. Hopefully it was the water heater cause that was expensive. Thank you for the advise and if I have any another problems I will defently be asking you guys. You are great.:D

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