I have a 2yr old, 2 story home. I returned from Iraq about 6 months ago and noticed that at times the water will pulsate as it comes out of any fixture. I don't remember this problem existing before I deployed but it certainly exists now. It does not occur all the time and at times it is more pronounced then others. Lastly at times I can hear the pulsating in the pipes even if none of the water fixtures are currently turned on. I'm at my wits end and would appreciate any good ideas.

Are you on a pump or city water? If on a pump what type? How old and what does the gauge read? Regards, tom

I am on city water. I believe the only meter I would have would be the one in the ground in the my front yard. If there is something I should look at with that let me know and I'll attempt to figure it out.

OK,

I assume there's nothing you haven't disclosed like a sprinkler system tied into the house. Is there a check valve or a backflow preventer installed? And if there is do you have a expansion tank installed on the cold water supply as it enters the house? Let me know, tom

I do have an inground sprinkler system but I have heard/felt the vibration at times when the sprinkler system isn't on. As for a backflow preventer installed. I'm not sure; I had the sprinkler system professionally installed, so if that is part of a standard installation I would imagine that there is a backflow preventer installed. Expansion tank? I guess I really have no idea about that. My water heater is in the garage and unfortunately I'm not much smarter about the rest of the plumbing in the house.

A few more questions. Do you have a pressure regulator installed where the water enters your home? If you have a backflow preventer installed then you would see two copper pipes sticking up near the water meter a with a brass valve body between them. Do you have that? A expansion tank is installed on the cold water supply to the heater or on the house main when it enters the house. I need to know exactly hat you have before I can help. Regards, tom

I know that the inground sprinkler system, when it was installed, was connected at the same location where the main to the house is, but I'm unsure about a backflow preventer or pressure regulator. I don't remember anything other then two levers to shut water flow off so I will have to check on that when I get home from work and then respond. As for the expansion tank: I know that there isn't any sort of tank connected to the cold water supply of the heater and unless there is a tank buried underground where the main enters the house there isn't a tank there either.
I will get back with you on the backflow preventer. Thanks in advance; I appreciate your help.

Ok I've looked at the front of the house where the main water line is. I think I see what you described in your reply... and that is "copper pipes sticking up near the water meter a with a brass valve body between them". There is a brass valve with 150psi stamped on it. I thought this was for the inground sprinkler system but maybe I'm wrong. Other than that I didn't see anything else.