*
we live in a log cabin that was built about 40 years ago – the plumbing is kooky because the house was built by the owner who was neither a plumber or a builder – all kinds of fun things with this place – anyway – since it started getting cold – (below freezing) – the cold water keeps acting up – it will be fine for say half of a bath or shower – then it will start spitting & choking – then it will be fine again – when it does this some grit gets coughed up with it – it happens with all faucets & with the toilet tank – it is getting to be more frequent – happening several times a day – any ideas?
Discussion Forum
Discussion Forum
Up Next
Video Shorts
Featured Story
There's a constant source of clean water for you to use, and all you have to do is collect it.
Featured Video
How to Install Cable Rail Around Wood-Post CornersHighlights
"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.
Replies
*
puddins - do you have a well? Could be a well pump problem?
Jeff
*yes - we are on a well - that's what my hub is thinking too - since we are in a drought up here you keep hearing about wells drying up - wondering if our water level has dropped - need some ideas before we call out a "professional" - we are just renting & our landlord gives new meaning to the word tight!
*Well, I WAS going to suggest that you get a holding tank. At least a thousand gallons. But that comment about the cheap landlord put the kibosh on that...
*You may be dewatering the water. A temporary fix would be to have a smaller pump that would not out-pump the well. The cheap way to do that would be to throttle the existing pump down. The better fix is a deeper well. Or a good rain dance.Your pump may pump 8 gpm for 3 minutes, be off for 10 minutes, then on again for 3, etc - while you are drawing water. A pump that pumped a continous 4 gpm would keep up with a single indoor fixture and would kick up less gunk from the well. A large holding tank (as Luka suggests) would allow even a low flow pump to be used with a sprinkler in summer.In some jurisdictions, if your landlord isn't providing essential services (leak-free roof, heat, water), you don't have to pay. Or you can put the rent in an escrow account until the problem is remedied. Check locally on your rights.The less water you use, the less the well will get stressed in this way. As they say in Berkeley, reduce, reuse, recycle. -David
*Regardless of how tight he is, he has a duty to provide you with a liveable house since that is what you are paying for.The concept of "implied warrantee" covers this. If he is renting a barn, it is implied that it is fit to store things or raise animals in. If he is selling you a drinking cup, it is implied that it will hold fluids. Since he is renting you a home, it is implied that human beings can live in it unless he specifically made you aware of its shortcomings prior to letting it to you.You might try to find and speak with prior tenants for enlightenment.Hope the hubby is doing well in his new job and that you all are otherwise happy!
*Hey Puddinsmama,We've been missing you in Georgia !!It sounds as though your water storage tank may be "waterlogged". I don't know what the explantaion for this problem is, but if you walk out to the pumpand can hear it cycling on and off, running for just15 to 30 seconds at a time, you need to drain about 2/3 of the water from the tank.You need to shut off the power to the pump, and remove a plug or open a faucet near the tank. You may have to crack a valve up high on the tank to let some air in. After it drains, the pump will run longer, pressure will be better, and you will not have sputtering pipes. I hope this is all it takes.Greg.
*Sounds like pressure tank is waterlogged and you are working on pump pressure. If so fix it fast or you'll burn out the pump.
*That could be it and the reasonning is that air will compress volume drasticly more than water so your pressure tank needs to be no mor than half full of water with the rest of the volume in air. Over time the air will disolve into the water so that it is almost all water. Newer tanks with bladders don't have the problem but older plain galvanized tanks need to be drained about every six months.Turn the pump off or kill the valve leading into the tank. Then open the drain valve at the base and let it gurgle 'till empty. Reverse valves and go to the showers.But I'm not sure that the symptoms are describing this condition.It could also be the points on the relay to control the pump. This would be a small box about 3" x4" x2.5" mounted on or near the inlinesupply. Shut off the pump Breaker (*or take out the fuse) first at the service panel, then remove the cover from the relay switch. You will see contact points mounted on spring levers. At the place where they make contact, they could be corroded and need a cleanup with some emery paper. Or they could be fried and need a new switch. Some switches have an adjustable high/low. Working with that can stop a pump from cycling too often.'Course you could screw the whole system up too but you've always sounded like a prudent person to me.Luck!
*thanks everybody - i'll turn the matter over to the hub
*Don't Know about drought, but I do know I bought a house from a putz that must be related to the putz who built yours. The pressure tank was shot and as geoff said we had goofy water pressure from the day we moved in 8mos. later our pump burned out and a well company had to pull our submersible, replace it and the pressure tank. Only cost about a thousand bucks. Most pressure tanks tell you the pressure rating and have a little valve that a car tire gauge will fit onto. Check it- tanks are cheap pumps are not- and it takes a few days to get someone to fix it. Note to self each flush is 2.6 gallons. That's alot of gallons. P.S. do your drains clog too, since these guys are family I'm sure they do a plumber just re did mine because all the angles were wrong. If your well is dry kindly disregard all above info.
*puddins; check out a guy on the board SHGLaw he'll give some decent advice . but as usual piffin stands tall with advice. kipcarp
*I live on a well and could use some advise. 5 years ago my well was hit by lightning and had to be re-built. (new pump, screen, metal pipe, acid washed, etc) I also have a whole house water filter for sediment which I change every 1-2 months since the rebuild. Lately though, the filter requires changing every 5 - 10 days. And the pump runs much more frequent, about 10 - 15 seconds each cycle. I'm concerned I'll burn it out if I don't do something. Even before this filter problem I was considering adding another whole house filter in parallel to improve water pressure. Would this help with the more frequent filter changes too? Could anyone recommend a good resource for understanding how a well system, pressure tank, water filtration system is supposed to work? Much appreciated.
*Doug- a well pump only running for 10-15 seconds sounds bad unless its a REALLY big pump. If you have a bladder type pressure tank I'd suspect the pressure switch is bad. Short and often pumps can produce lots of sediment to be stirred up especially if the pump is to low in the water column.
*
we live in a log cabin that was built about 40 years ago - the plumbing is kooky because the house was built by the owner who was neither a plumber or a builder - all kinds of fun things with this place - anyway - since it started getting cold - (below freezing) - the cold water keeps acting up - it will be fine for say half of a bath or shower - then it will start spitting & choking - then it will be fine again - when it does this some grit gets coughed up with it - it happens with all faucets & with the toilet tank - it is getting to be more frequent - happening several times a day - any ideas?