I installed a water heater for a customer 4 weeks ago and they still have sputtering in their hot water line and not in the cold line. I have made 3 call backs and I am at my wits end. I opened up all the hot water lines and ran them for about 5 minutes. I opened the relief valve to make sure the water was to the top of the tank. The only thing that I changed in the entire system, besides the water heater, is that I installed a new valve to an outdoor (cold) spigot (sharkbite.) I have been installing siding in a foot of snow and dealing with call back . I am about put a bullet in my head. thanks dave
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Replies
City water or well?
Did you check the aerators to see if there was crud in them? Crud might have been shook loose by water hammer when air was initially bled from the new heater.
It's vaguely possible that one of the heater elements is cracked and what you're getting is electrolysis. This would be tested for by disconnection both wires from the element (test each element separately) and then checking resistance between one of the element terminals and ground -- should read pretty much infinite resistance.
If there is crud in the aerators, do one more thing: Clean out the fill valves in the toilets.
I had a house where every time I changed the whole house filter I managed to shake loose a gravel pit in the copper pipe. It gunked up sinks, but really played havoc with the delicate toilet fill assemblies.
Did you witness the sputtering?
If so, is it major or minor?
In other words, does it appear like major quantities of gas are being introduced to the system or just bits of crud like Dan refers to?
Hang in there.
Ooops... sorry bad pun... hanging siding in a foot of snow. ;-)