troglodyte primitive's kitchen faucets acting weird

[franksolich]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=287x6416

Oh my.

TrogL  Donating Member  (1000+ posts) Fri May-23-08 03:38 PM
Original message

My kitchen taps are acting wierd
   
My contractor just put new hoses and shutoffs on the kitchen taps, replacing copper pipe.

If you run the water anywheres up to about 1/2 full force, it runs forever.

If you run it full blast on either tap, it immediately shuts off with a loud bang.

chimpsrsmarter  Donating Member  (1000+ posts) Fri May-23-08 04:07 PM
Response to Original message

1. that sounds wrong, did he use the diameter pipes as the ones he replaced?

TrogL  Donating Member  (1000+ posts) Fri May-23-08 04:54 PM
Response to Reply #1

3. They look a LOT smaller
   
The existing pipes were 1/2" copper (does that sound right?) direct to the taps with no shutoff.

This was replaced with shutoffs (I think they're 1/2" but look smaller) then about 9" of braided pipe that looks like it's 1/2" outside but must be much smaller inside but that could be an illusion.

I thought about air in the pipes so I ran the water at 1/2 strength for quite awhile but didn't get any interruptions.

The plumbing in that end of the house is quite complicated, though.

Upstairs, hot and cold to kitchen sink, T off the hot to a dishwasher. Directly downstairs there's a laundry tub with taps and hot and cold leading to the clothes washer. Right next to that is the hot water heater.

I'm wondering if it's something crazy like flexibility in the hoses leading to the clothes washer combined with flexibility in the hoses to the kitchen sink are causing some sort of pressure imbalance.

chimpsrsmarter  Donating Member  (1000+ posts) Fri May-23-08 04:58 PM
Response to Reply #3

5. when i got a new washer they replaced the hoses with new braided one and the pressure shot way up
   
the rest of the house stayed the same. I just under my sinf and the hoses that connect the tap is also the braided ones and the pressure is fine. Maybe some air in the system possibly?

TrogL  Donating Member  (1000+ posts) Fri May-23-08 05:51 PM
Response to Reply #5

9. I wonder if I need braided clothes washer hoses
   
They're fairly old and they could be getting sucked in and causing a pressure imbalance, then air's getting sucked in from somewhere else.

chimpsrsmarter  Donating Member  (1000+ posts) Fri May-23-08 04:20 PM
Response to Original message

2. also, forgot to add, is it possible there is air in the system?

TrogL  Donating Member  (1000+ posts) Fri May-23-08 04:56 PM
Response to Reply #2

4. Possibly
   
I'm wondering if there's air in the taps in the laundry room or if it's being sucked backwards through the clothes washer.

chimpsrsmarter  Donating Member  (1000+ posts) Fri May-23-08 04:58 PM
Response to Reply #4

6. try shutting the water off to the washer and then try the kitchen and see if you notice any difference.

TrogL  Donating Member  (1000+ posts) Fri May-23-08 05:47 PM
Response to Reply #6

7. That's worth a shot
   
I'm not home so I'll try it in about two hours.

Posting from work, on the boss' dime.

TrogL  Donating Member  (1000+ posts) Sat May-24-08 02:57 PM
Response to Reply #7

12. Nope. Didn't work.

TrogL  Donating Member  (1000+ posts) Fri May-23-08 05:49 PM
Response to Original message

8. I wonder if I've got too much 1/2 inch pipe?
   
Looking at this thread http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/plumbing/msg010842518277.html

they mention that you need to run 3/4 until close to the place you need to split off (IIUC).

I've got 3/4 to the water heater and the whole rest of the house is 1/2 inch.

Wash. state Desk Jet  Donating Member  (860 posts) Sat May-24-08 01:30 AM
Response to Reply #8

10. What kind of valves did he install?
   
Ask the contractor if he installed safety shut off valves. All house plumping is half inch to location.3/4 inch is reduced down to 1/2 inch for feed. Water tank requires a 3/4 inch feeder line,

Replacing water lines will increase water pressure, if you have any old pipe around ,look inside there with a flash light , than you will understand the increase of water pressure. Lines from valve to faucet are commonly 3/8 inch fitting. The coupling at the faucet end is 1/2 inch on the inside diameter to connect up to the facut hot and cold feed..

What you might try is removing the aerator from the sink faucet ,than run the water full bore and see what happens. Use pliers to remove aerator.

That will flush out the inside of the faucet. It will also clear the stuff out of the water lines. Perhaps the contractor forgot to flush out the lines.

Rinse out the aerator before you replace it. Little particles sand like accumulate and cause blockage. Did the contractor install air hammers?

And your faucet ,ask your contractor about that. Some have safty pressure regulators built in.Some also have hot water tempture regulators as well. Mostly tub and shower facuts . Rather a child protection thing.

Wash. state Desk Jet  Donating Member  (860 posts) Sat May-24-08 02:42 PM
Response to Reply #10

11. If the washer is drawing water and the kitchen faucet is open or drawing water,all that will happen is a drop in water pressure. That will depend on how the house is plumed. The water lines at the washer valves are run up past the valves maybe 24 inches than capped off or water hammers are installed.

Try removing the screens at the faucet. Use pliers and turn the little rascal counter clock wise ,once removed run the water full bore. That will flush out any collective debris inside the faucet and will clear out the air and any debris in those lines.

TrogL  Donating Member  (1000+ posts) Sat May-24-08 03:14 PM
Response to Reply #10

13. Not sure
   
Ask the contractor if he installed safety shut off valves.

Don't think so, but I'll ask. They make them for household water pipes?? Why??

All house plumping is half inch to location.3/4 inch is reduced down to 1/2 inch for feed. Water tank requires a 3/4 inch feeder line,...Lines from valve to faucet are commonly 3/8 inch fitting. The coupling at the faucet end is 1/2 inch on the inside diameter to connect up to the facut hot and cold feed..

Yup.

What you might try is removing the aerator from the sink faucet ,than run the water full bore and see what happens. Use pliers to remove aerator.

Aerator was full of paint chips(?!?!) but cleaning it didn't help.

Did the contractor install air hammers?

If you mean water hammer arresters, no. We merely replaced pipe in an existing installation.

Wash. state Desk Jet  Donating Member  (860 posts) Sun May-25-08 12:10 AM
Response to Reply #13

14. Toilets for example
   
You go on vacation the fill valve in toilet wears out and keeps filling tank,tank drops water to bowl than bowl to drain .Safety shut off valve automatically shuts off .Safety valves haven't been on market all that long but I notice those valves move off the shelves.I don't like those safety valves.

Did you run the water without those screens in,- full bore? Object to flush lines and air out of lines? Or you may have a factory defect faucet,or there is paint chip debris inside the faucet and water feed lines from valve to faucet! disconnect the the feed line from valve ,than place bucket under valve ,turn on full bore,you are testing water flow from water feed, If that checks out than disconnect water line from faucet after reconnecting to valve-same procedure ,open full boar. It that checks out ,than it,s a defect faucet!Or defect valve!

If all you did was replace lines than it has to be something simple.

I encountered that problem once after replacing the house plumbing, it was a combination of air and other debris in the lines. And once it was blockage in the faucet.

I just finished a bathroom, removed the tub and created a walk in tile shower. Old woman in wheel chair can be wheeled right into shower!

I was even able to come very close to the existing 1950, s tile that is there. Special order from California, it seems those fifty's colors are coming back. The family did not want their mother to not know what room of her house she is in. 86 years. When I opened the plumbing wall and the floor where the tub was ,all the plumbing had to be cut out of there.

Everything works fine of course, but if I didn't fallow the procedure of flushing those lines before I hook up the new valve for the shower and sink, why I would have problems.

Or it,s a defect faucet!

TrogL  Donating Member  (1000+ posts) Thu May-29-08 12:14 PM
Response to Original message

15. I had a plumber over - he says I need new kitchen taps
   
Got some nice ones from Home Depot.

He also said I needed a new showerhead.

Wash. state Desk Jet  Donating Member  (860 posts) Thu May-29-08 12:26 PM
Response to Reply #15

16. Very nice
   
Did you flush out the pipes? I thought perhaps by sending you threw the steps to check out the water lines starting at the valve,or ever remove the valve than check water flow,than from the valve,than threw the connector line to find the problem ,as it so happned it was the faucet. Step check procedure.

You are making progress.

The object was to have you save yourself a little money.

Does your contractor know you brought in a plumber?

And really,he should have checked all that out, as part of the procedure ,given there is a slight increase in water pressure when ever water lines are replaced. And debris will flow threw the lines,because,- just because.

TrogL  Donating Member  (1000+ posts) Thu May-29-08 04:03 PM
Response to Reply #16

17. I'm probably pulling the countertop tonight
   
I'll flush the pipes while I've got everything torn apart.

I wanted new faucets anyway. The old ones are too short for my tall pots.

Same with the shower head. The new one's got all sorts of doodads on it.

Wash. state Desk Jet  Donating Member  (860 posts) Thu May-29-08 11:20 PM
Response to Reply #17

18. Thats the fun in it !
   
They keep coming up with new additional doodads all the time! What kind of counter tops are you going to install?

TrogL  Donating Member  (1000+ posts) Fri May-30-08 01:00 AM
Response to Reply #17

19. Taps work perfectly, shower works perfectly
   
Craftygal's happy.

I'm goona get laaaaaaaid.

One suspects the troglodyte primitive's problem began when she hired a non-union plumber, or possibly even an illegal alien working under the table, to do the job.

[RobJohnson]

Posting from work, on the boss' dime.

 

Plumbing can really be a pain....at the resturant in Illinois, there was a high pitched scream...when one would run hot water....you could hear it out in the dinning room, it was louder then most train whistles....some simply tried to wash out dishes with warm, not hot water...which does not work....turned out the fixtures were installed with the wrong washer kits in the handles...something so simple that made so much noise.