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Possible airlock in tap pipes? Other cause?

  • 28-08-2020 1:09pm
    #1
    edanto
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,809 ✭✭✭


    My setup has a ground floor water tank & ground floor immersion and then a pump to send both cold and hot water upstairs.

    Recently the fuse tripped on the ring where the pump is plugged in (root cause of the tripping is sorted out now).

    In that period where the pump was powered off I ran the mixer tap in the upstairs bathroom and noticed it slowed to a trickle and stopped; on both hot and cold, same thing, there was a sound of air rushing in. I realised we had a problem with the pump then and found the trip.

    Now, the trip is solved, pump is back on. While the other mixer taps upstairs have normal pressure the one tap where I heard the sound of air rushing in has VERY low pressure, maybe a third of the other taps. Pressure is low on both hot and cold sides of the mixer.

    Because of the air sound I heard when the pump was off, I suspect there might be some air in the pipes to the mixer tap that's slowing the flow. Am I on the right track?


    I tried holding my thumb up to block the flow and opened the mixer on about halfway, thinking that maybe the flow from one side might remove an air pocket on the other side but it made no difference.

    Are there any other simple things I could try myself?     Prefer not to get a plumber out at the moment if possible.


Comments

  • #2
    edanto
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,809 ✭✭✭edanto


    EDIT - delete


  • #3
    PhilOssophy
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,114 ✭✭✭PhilOssophy


    Not a plumber but we had a similar problem recently. Connect a pipe to the mains and connect to the mixer tap. It'll basically blow the air and water back to the tank in the attic which is where I assume the tap is fed from?
    Also, while we fixed the issue with this technique, ultimately we got a little air valve fitted by a plumber which meant the air releases from the pipework and the water pressure can build up to a point where it will force the air out. Stops it happening again!
    They are cheap enough and I'd say you could probably fit them yourself if you were confident enough (which I wasn't as I am not comfortable messing with water!)
    The things that the plumber put on the pipe are called Flamco Flexvent. He fitted them in about 10 minutes.
    But there are proper plumbers on here I'm sure!


  • #4
    edanto
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,809 ✭✭✭edanto


    Thanks for the idea, much appreciated. I'll have to try and source an adaptor for my garden hose that will make a tight fit on the mixer tap upstairs.


  • #5
    edanto
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,809 ✭✭✭edanto


    Just to mention that this is solved. It wasn't an airlock.

    There's a little tiny filter at the tip of the mixer tap. There was some sediment caught in that filter. My guess is the pump failure and air in the system dislodged a bit of sediment in the pipes. Ultimately the solution was to take off that little filter and clear it out.


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