Venting airlocked pipes?

galah

Hi all,

quick general plumbing question - we seem to have an airlock in the upstairs cold water pipes - everything else is working but the loo and the cold water tap at the sink.

We had this problem before, and I watched the plumber vent the pipe, so I know which pipe it is etc. I am now attempting to do this myself since I really don't want to spend another 70 bucks on a plumber (plus getting him out here in this weather may be tricky).

Is there *anything* I need to watch out for when venting those pipes? Do I need special tools, or will a normal wrench be ok? Is there any damage I could possibly do?

Also, is there anything we can do to the plumbing to prevent the airlock from happening in the first place (it's always at the same spot - pipes going upwards into the attic)? Like re-plumb the pipes so that the lock can't form?

Cheers ;-)

robd

galah wrote: »

Hi all,

quick general plumbing question - we seem to have an airlock in the upstairs cold water pipes - everything else is working but the loo and the cold water tap at the sink.

We had this problem before, and I watched the plumber vent the pipe, so I know which pipe it is etc. I am now attempting to do this myself since I really don't want to spend another 70 bucks on a plumber (plus getting him out here in this weather may be tricky).

Is there *anything* I need to watch out for when venting those pipes? Do I need special tools, or will a normal wrench be ok? Is there any damage I could possibly do?

Also, is there anything we can do to the plumbing to prevent the airlock from happening in the first place (it's always at the same spot - pipes going upwards into the attic)? Like re-plumb the pipes so that the lock can't form?

Cheers ;-)

Normal wrench is fine. Only open nut a small amount, as all the way could cause pipe to pop off from pressure and you won't get nut back on.

One of these (available from your localm plumbers suppliers) can be added to the high point of a system to auto release air.
http://www.pulsar.ie/plumbing-supplies/ProductDetail.asp?ProductSubId=5&ProductCatId=13&ProductCode=AIRV02

You'll need a female tee also to connect it to pipe.
http://www.pulsar.ie/plumbing-supplies/ProductDetail.asp?ProductSubId=229&ProductCatId=1090&ProductCode=150-1444

galah

cheers, much appreciated!

So I'll just open it a bit, and hopefully the air will escape and I'll be grand? I remember the plumber had the pipe off completely - I assume that's not strictly necessary, but would just be a faster way?


Will get that auto vent bit fitted in the new year - again, thanks for that, that should make it easier!

Buford T Justice

I've only ever used the auto air vents on heating systems, never on water supply's.

Anywho, where do you intend to open the pipe? is there a gate valve beside it? Post a pic if you can.

galah

hope the pics come out ok - there's a valve (the red knob, right?), dunno if I need to do anything with that? (it's the one on the right hand side in the picture...)

(maybe I should call a plumber after all - but it looked so easy when he did it, and I really could use the money for something else...).

Buford T Justice

Close the valve, get a bucket and disconnect the copper pipe from the valve. Open this valve into the bucket and allow a flow of water through for a minute or two, close the valve, refit and open again and this should cure it.

galah

that's the downpipe then, right? (I'm a girl - logic is not my thing ;-))
Just to make sure where to expect the water to come from...

Thanks a million though - really appreciate your help!

Do you think there's anything that could be done long-term to prevent these airlocks (the vent suggestion above?)? They only occur whenever the council switches the water off, and it's just slightly annoying...

Buford T Justice

galah wrote: »

that's the downpipe then, right? (I'm a girl - logic is not my thing ;-))
Just to make sure where to expect the water to come from...

Thanks a million though - really appreciate your help!

Do you think there's anything that could be done long-term to prevent these airlocks (the vent suggestion above?)? They only occur whenever the council switches the water off, and it's just slightly annoying...

Yeah, water will come down from the tank upstairs. Make sure and leave all the taps in the house turned off when you do it.

Don't let you're tank run dry, that'll prevent it in future.

Sparkpea

if the hot works in the bath and you've a bath mixer I would recommend clearing the airlock at the bath mixer rather than by disconnecting a pipe..

galah

cheers.
Got the airlock cleared (not sure how - I tried the wrench at the pipe, didn't have the right size, closed the valve anyway. Opened the valve again a while later, and it worked. Magic...?)

But now the waste pipes for the washing machine are blocked/frozen, so the place is flooded anyway after I decided to run a wash ;-(

if it's not one thing, it's another....

Buford T Justice

galah wrote: »

cheers.
Got the airlock cleared (not sure how - I tried the wrench at the pipe, didn't have the right size, closed the valve anyway. Opened the valve again a while later, and it worked. Magic...?)

But now the waste pipes for the washing machine are blocked/frozen, so the place is flooded anyway after I decided to run a wash ;-(

if it's not one thing, it's another....

Don't I know. I spent all day digging up a water pipe to fix a leak, all in freezing conditions, and as soon as I got home, the bloody rad in the kitchen stopped working. You spend all you're time doing things for other people, and then.............

Story about the cobbler and all that.