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Thartge · Mar 25, 2008, 06:26 AM

Hello

My wife and I purchased our house 4 years ago and have always had really good water pressure, up till about a month ago when it started to gradually decrease. This past weekend, I spoke with my dad about it and he said that the pressure tank could be water logged (I have well water). Yesterday I drained the tank as he suggested and now the water pressure is even worse. My dad came over and checked the tank pressure with a gauge (my tank does not appear to have one attached to it) and it read 50. Then last night, the hot water ran out a rusty orange, but I checked it a little later and it gradually cleared for the most part.

This morning when my wife showered, I noticed that the pressure started less than decent and quickly came to little more than a trickle. When the pressure tank kicked on, the pressure slightly increased. After the tank kicked off the pressure quickly declined and then I could here a banging/knocking sounds in the basement (I'm assuming the water lines). This was a continual cycle during her shower.

I read several previous questions on the website about low water pressure and some seemed to possibly lead from the water softener. For several months we went without salt in the softener due to some unforeseen financial issues, but approximately a month ago, we got some salt (about the same time the pressure issues started). Some suggestions on the website said to bypass the water softener to check the pressure. I did that and it seemed to help the ever so slightest, but not even close to what pressure we used to have.

It sound like a may have several issues here, but I can't really afford a plumber and, as you can tell, have very little plumbing knowledge, so any information would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Thartge :(

jlisenbe · Mar 25, 2008, 06:41 PM

1. First of all, spend five bucks and put a pressure gauge on your tank. That is a basic essential. However, if your dad's reading was correct, then it sounds like you do have sufficient pressure at the tank, at least as much as can be told from one reading with tire gauge.
2. Most water softeners have a bypass valve. If yours has one, then turn it to bypass. That will take the softener out of the loop and let you decide if the problem is there or not.
3. Do you have good pressure at outside faucets? I imagine you sent a few tons (exagerration) of crud down your pipes when you drained your tank. This tends not to affect garden faucets as much as indoor plumbing. If your outdoor faucets are running fine, then that gives you some clues.
4. I notice you have learned one important lesson. Always check the ole water pressure by observing your wife in the shower!!

Stay with us. There are people on this board who can give you pretty good advice.

hkstroud · Mar 25, 2008, 08:07 PM

Is pressure the same for hot and cold. Is it the same pressure at all faucets? Have you cleaned you aerators since the rusty orange came out? How long since draining and flushing water heater?

Thartge · Mar 26, 2008, 06:02 AM

Originally Posted by jlisenbe

1. First of all, spend five bucks and put a pressure gauge on your tank. That is a basic esential. However, if your dad's reading was correct, then it sounds like you do have sufficient pressure at the tank, at least as much as can be told from one reading with tire gauge.
2. Most water softeners have a bypass valve. If yours has one, then turn it to bypass. That will take the softener out of the loop and let you decide if the problem is there or not.
3. Do you have good pressure at outside faucets? I imagine you sent a few tons (exagerration) of crud down your pipes when you drained your tank. This tends not to affect garden faucets as much as indoor plumbing. If your outdoor faucets are running fine, then that gives you some clues.

1. Actually, the tank does have a pressure gauge. I noticed last night that it did, but the face looks pretty rusty and can't rally read it so I'll probably have to buy one anyway.
2. I tried the bypass on the water softener and it seemed to help very little.
3. I seemed to have decent water pressure in my outside faucet, but still not as much as usual.

Thanks for any input!

Thartge · Mar 26, 2008, 06:09 AM

Originally Posted by hkstroud

Is pressure the same for hot and cold. Is it the same pressure at all faucets? Have you cleaned you aerators since the rusty orange came out? How long since draining and flushing water heater?

Low Pressure is same for hot and cold. Same pressure all faucets, shower, and toilet. I have not cleaned aerators yet, but that is a good suggestion. How long since I drained and flushed my water heater... well, I've lived in our house for nearly four years... uuummm... never. Doesn't sound too promising.

Any other input would be greatly appreciated!

jlisenbe · Mar 26, 2008, 05:00 PM

If you have good pressure at the tank, then you know the problem is "upstream" of the tank. That's where you need a good pressure gauge. Your pump should be cutting in at probably 30# or so and cutting off at 50#, though those numbers could vary depending on the switch setting. If that is OK, then you look at the water filter. That seems to check out all right, so now you look farther up. The outside faucet should be able to deliver six or seven gallons per minute. Check that. If it can, then you keep on going to your house. As HK said, check your aerators on the faucets. Pull off the shower head and see if there is any obstruction there. If you have good pressure at the tank, then the problem will generally be due to mineral deposits (also known as "crud") in pipes, aerators, etc. If your tank has been there a long time, you might want to check the inlet/outlet connections on the tank as well.

Thartge · Mar 27, 2008, 06:30 AM

My dad came over yesterday to help me check out some things. After doing several things, the pressure is still pretty bad. A guy I work with (he's a licensed plumber) told me to drain the pressure tank and then drain water lines to check pressure in the tank. We did that and the initial reading on the tank was practically 0. My dad used his air compressor to refill the pressure tank. We filled it to approximately 40psi (found out it is a 40/60). It seemed to hold pressure after checking it several times during the day. We checked water pressure coming into the water softener and then coming out of the softener and both seem pretty good. Outside faucet has good water pressure. I've checked all aerators and shower head and little to no blockage. I believe a forgot to mention that I have low pressure at the tub faucet also.

My dad believes the next step is replacing all the plumbing. It is copper but we can see several spots that appear to getting ready to rust through, but I just have a nagging feeling that it also has to do with the pressure tank because of one of my concerns that nobody has addressed. There's is a knocking in my pipes after the pressure tank kicks back off. Any ideas what this could be?

Once again, thanks for any input.

jlisenbe · Mar 27, 2008, 06:14 PM

If I am understanding you, you filled the tank to 40# with compressed air and it held at 40# throughout the day. You say the switch is set to 40/60. Then why didn't the pump cut on and take the pressure to 60#. Did the pump ever cut in?

Thartge · Mar 28, 2008, 05:04 AM

Yes the tank did kick on and as far as I can tell, it did go up to 60#. We were using a tire gauge that only shows up to 50# and it clearly maxed it out. I took the pressure several times that day and it always maxed out the pressure gauge.

jlisenbe · Mar 28, 2008, 09:16 PM

You seem to have eliminated two problems:

1. You have pressure at the tank.
2. The water filter does not seem to be a problem.

Beyond that, I would think it would have to be obstructions in the pipes. Since you have copper, you might want to cut out a section of the main water line and see if there seems to be significant buildup in the pipe. It's easy enough to repair the section of copper you cut out. I have replaced quite a bit of copper in my house and have only noticed a buildup of "crud" on one occasion. Copper does not seem to be nearly as susceptible to that as galvanized does, at least in my experience. At any rate, I just wouldn't think you are looking at replacing everything. Since the entire house seems to be affected, the main line would be the first place I would look.

Hopefully, others on this board will have something to add.

Thartge · Mar 31, 2008, 06:25 AM

Thanks for your continued input, jlisenbe, I do appreciate it. I believe my dad is going to be over within the next few days to check the main line. Hopefully, he, and you, will be correct in thinking that it's the main line.

Yes, it would be nice to have others give there input as wel, but, once, again, thanks for all YOUR input and. I'll keep you posted.

jlisenbe · Mar 31, 2008, 04:18 PM

Hope it goes well. Please do let us know how it all works out.

hkstroud · Mar 31, 2008, 04:33 PM

If you have an obstruction, and it certainly sounds like you do, it will be at a valve. You said that you have pressure at the outside faucet. The valve that has the obstruction will be between that faucet and the rest of the house. The only other possibility is an enormous build up of mineral deposits which I can't can't quite conceive.

jlisenbe · Mar 31, 2008, 06:23 PM

Good point. A valve would be the first place to look. Is there a cutoff between the outside faucet and the house?

Unregistered · Apr 1, 2008, 06:22 AM

I'm not sure why, but the water line to the outside faucet connects directly into the water supply before any shutoff valve. The shutoff for the main water supply is right after the outside faucet connection, but before the water meter and water softener. The water meter is between the shutoff and water softener. As mentioned earlier, there is good water pressure into and out of the water softener. As far as I can tell, there is no shutoff after the initial shutoff valve and there is definitely no shutoff between the outside faucet and where it connects into the water supply.

Thartge · Apr 1, 2008, 06:24 AM

The last response was by me, I neglected to lof in first.

hkstroud · Apr 1, 2008, 06:37 AM

Just about to ask about that. That valve will be where the problem is. You have some kind of obstruction in that main shut off valve. Could be solder or could be a loose washer, could be something else. On some of these valves the stem can be remove and the washer replaced, if not on yours, you will have to cut out the valve and replace. There appears to be a contradiction here. Earlier you indicated that you are on a well system, now you mentioned a water meter. Could you explain?

hkstroud · Apr 1, 2008, 06:50 AM

Just realized that the water meter is probably for determining the use of the water softener. Problem could be in valve or meter. Can you remove water meter to check flow? Problem is probably in valve and is probably a loose washer.

Thartge · Apr 1, 2008, 06:57 AM

Yes, I am on a well, but I am tied into the city sewer system. The main shutoff sounds logical, but this shutoff is before the water softener. There seems to be good water pressure coming into and out of the softener.

Thanks for the feedback.

hkstroud · Apr 1, 2008, 07:04 AM

Originally Posted by Thartge

Some suggestions on the website said to bypass the water softener to check the pressure. I did that and it seemed to help the ever so slightest, but not even close to what pressure we used to have.
Thartge :(

When you did that did you by pass the meter also? I understood that to mean that you did not have goood flow at the softner.