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slickoze · Dec 4, 2009, 11:38 AM

I have no water to all hose bibs and sprinkler system outside of home. Water on the inside is working perfectly. Checked water meter and it is NOT running... so no obvious leak through meter... help??

Stratmando · Dec 4, 2009, 11:49 AM

Sounds like a Valve is shut off?

cyberheater · Dec 5, 2009, 08:28 AM

There should be shut off valves just before the faucets outside.

If you have a sprinkler system, there may be a valve inside someplace that will also control that.

Maitenance before cold weather is to shut off and drain outside sprinkler systems, and faucets.

speedball1 · Dec 5, 2009, 09:08 AM

Hey Slick, What's the weather like in your area? Hard freeze perhaps? Let me know. Tom

slickoze · Dec 5, 2009, 11:25 AM

Originally Posted by speedball1

Hey Slick, What's the weather like in your area? Hard freeze perhaps? Let me know. Tom

I live in Central Florida... weather is very mild... nothing that should create this problem>>>??

Originally Posted by cyberheater

There should be shut off valves just before the faucets outside.

if you have a sprinkler system, there may be a valve inside someplace that will also control that.

Maitenance before cold weather is to shut off and drain outside sprinkler systems, and faucets.

The house is old... built in 1924, the only valve is at the meter itself that supplies all the house water... interior and exterior. I went out and turned all water off at meter... waited a few minutes... then back on... no change... still no exterior water to any hose bibs or sprinkler system??

Originally Posted by speedball1

Hey Slick, What's the weather like in your area? Hard freeze perhaps? Let me know. Tom

Hey Tom... Central Florida... no weather problems... I had the Director of Water Facilities for the Town come out yesterday... he said he has never in 25 years run into a problem like this..?

Originally Posted by slickoze

The house is old...built in 1924, the only valve is at the meter itself that supplies all the house water...interior and exterior. I went out and turned all water off at meter....waited a few minutes...then back on....no change...still no exterior water to any hose bibs or sprinkler system?????

Cyber... also I tried to turn the sprinklers on manually at the exterior valves... if there was water pressure at all they would come on then... very strange problem??

Originally Posted by slickoze

I live in Central Florida...weather is very mild ...nothing that should create this problem>>>??????

Hey Speed... I heard someplace that there could be a vapor lock in the line... but if that were the case wouldn't that effect the interior house water as well??

cyberheater · Dec 5, 2009, 12:01 PM

Have they worked before, or is this a new residence for you?

You should have something either in the garage, or inside where the water comes into the house where they may be another shut off.

If they worked before, and then suddenly they don't - post.

Stratmando · Dec 5, 2009, 12:15 PM

Even though you didn't turn anything off, a neighbor seeing a leak, might.
If you have a neighbors faucet and their permission nearby, you could hook a hose on one of the hose bibs and to theirs, open both valves and see you have clear passage between the bibs and sprinkler. Then maybe turn off your water supply to your house, then open an inside faucet, maybe something in the pipe acting as a check valve?
I would verify code or a plumber here may say not to contaminate your system?
Many houses are equipped with backflow preventers to stop this?

slickoze · Dec 5, 2009, 12:40 PM

Originally Posted by cyberheater

Have they worked before, or is this a new residence for you?

You should have something either in the garage, or inside where the water comes into the house where they may be another shut off.

If they worked before, and then suddenly they don't - post.

Hey Cyber... not a new house... been here 10 years and have worked around the foundation of the house completely for that period doing renovation, etc... since the house was built in 1924 I believe the only shutoff is at the existing meter. Have never seen another shut off anywhere... garage is separate to the house and there is nothing remotely close to it in reference to water.

cyberheater · Dec 5, 2009, 01:31 PM

You said you had a sprinkler system - did you prime that system?

Wait, tell us about your sprinkler system... You said this is not working either. What type of system do you have.

speedball1 · Dec 5, 2009, 01:32 PM

You have to isolate the problem.
You have a supply feeding the hose bibs and sprinkler system. Start tracking some of the hose bibs back to the source. I would first shut the water off and remove a hose bib. Then I'd turn the water back on to see if the problem was in the hose bibs or sprinkler heads. If you get a stream out of the open pipe then your fittings are blocked with trash that's entered your system. Let me know what you find. Tom

slickoze · Dec 6, 2009, 09:34 AM

Originally Posted by cyberheater

You said you had a sprinkler system - did you prime that system?

Wait, tell us about your sprinkler system....You said this is not working either. What type of system do you have.

System was in the ground when I bought residence 10 years ago. Has always worked properly in that period... I'm not sure how to prime the system. I would think it should be under constant pressure from the main?. btw... thanks for your replies...

slickoze · Dec 6, 2009, 09:38 AM

Originally Posted by speedball1

You have to isolate the problem.
You have a supply feeding the hose bibs and sprinkler system. Start tracking some of the hose bibs back to the source. I would first shut the water off and remove a hose bib. Then I'd turn the water back on to see if the problem was in the hose bibs or sprinkler heads. If you get a stream outta the open pipe then your fittings are blocked with trash that's entered your system. Let me know what you find., Tom

...

.. thanks Tom. I will try that. My guess is that something is causing the problem in the line before it gets to the bibs or sprinkler system... since not just one bib has no water but all bibs do not... too much coincidence for all bibs to be clogged at the same time.. . thanks again

Stratmando · Dec 6, 2009, 10:00 AM

Tom, do you think backfeeding may dislodge any blockage?

speedball1 · Dec 6, 2009, 01:32 PM

Tom, do you think backfeeding may dislodge any blockage?

I would much rather blow the trash out the terminal end then back where it came from but back flushing's a option. Cheers, Tom

KISS · Dec 6, 2009, 02:06 PM

Some construction people can play tricks on each other. I know a "prank" that can cause this, but I won't post it.

There probably is a fitting common to all these branches.

I would cut out a section of the line just prior to that point. Have someone open the main and flush the system to that point.

Then I would install a hose bib and a female to female union if they exist. Then I would reverse flush it from the furthest hose bib.

Suspect a specific piece of debris, possibly intentional.