primitive has trouble with hot water pressure

[franksolich]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=287x6588

Oh my.

This is a phenomenon in daily life I've never seen myself.

BlueJazz  Donating Member  (1000+ posts) Sun Jun-22-08 08:30 PM
Original message

Hot water in shower not consistant.
   
When I turn on my hot water in the shower or tub the pressure is fine for about 1 or 2 minutes....then goes down to about 1/2 or 1/3 of the original flow. Any Ideas? Thanks!

Wash. state Desk Jet  Donating Member  (912 posts) Sun Jun-22-08 09:32 PM
Response to Original message

1. It may be blockage in the hot water line or your hot water tank may be on it,s way out. It could also be in the valve. If the hot water does that in other faucets in the house,it,s most likely the tank. Also there is always water fed up to the valve, it may be you receive the full pressure up until the water reaches back to the blockage.

Water tanks need to be drained once a year or so to clear out the debris that accumulates ,that includes self cleaning tanks. Brown water the flows threw every now and again will come from the sediment on the bottom of the water tank .When a lot of water is drawn, the refilling process stirs up the sediment on the bottom.And the debris gets into the pipes.

Or old pipes. Some plumbers use galvanized fittings at the valve connections, blockage will form there. Blockage forms in copper as well.

What does the hot water do at the washing machine or the kitchen sink? At the bath tub you have a direct 1/2 inch feed. At the kitchen sink that feed is reduced at the outlet valve to 3/8 inch ,standard rule,could be 5/8 th inch ,or even 1/2 inch, this will depend on house water pressure.

Let me suggest a test, the next time you draw water from the tub, hold your hand under the water flow and see how long of that 2 minutes before hot water actually starts flowing. Here I am talking about the distance between your tub valve and the location of your hot water tank by the pipe line.

The water in the pipes will not be the same temperature as the water flowing from the tank.

The time it takes for the hot water to reach temperature is the time it takes to clear the existing water out of the lines. The fact that you have temporary full pressure indicates the tank ,but it could also be the valve. The test I suggested will help clarify. Do the test.

Disconnect the hot water from the washing machine and stick the hose in a bucket, than turn it on to check hot water pressure at the washing machine. That's another place where the feed line is i/2 inch direct.

This will give you a better idea about what's going on in those pipes.

A tank on it's way out does not sustain water pressure well at all.

Do the test.

Wash. state Desk Jet  Donating Member  (912 posts) Sun Jun-22-08 09:56 PM
Response to Reply #2

3. Don't forget to post the results of the test and look over your hot water tank very carefully. Look at all the fittings on top and look at the bottom of the tank . If there is rust at the bottom or any water at all ,that may be it. Hair line cracks develop in tanks and when they go,they go, the water gets dumped.

Look at the tag on the tank with the serial and model numbers on it, in there will be the year the tank was manufactured. If that tank is more than ten years old ,it may well be the problem.

If it's the tank, the replacement cost is between $300.00 and $400 installed ,old tank removed . You want at least a 10 year tank, if thats it.

BlueJazz  Donating Member  (1000+ posts) Mon Jun-23-08 07:44 AM
Response to Reply #3

5. Every other faucet, in the house (hot and cold) works fine...
   
Only the tub faucet does the "slowly decreasing water pressure" thing.

sandnsea  Donating Member  (1000+ posts) Mon Jun-23-08 12:07 AM
Response to Original message

4. My kitchen faucet is doing that
   
We put a new one in and the pressure has been screwy ever since. After I use the sprayer, there's no water pressure in the faucet. Or after the water has run for a minute or so, the pressure drops and the faucet starts to shake. Weird.

Wash. state Desk Jet  Donating Member  (912 posts) Mon Jun-23-08 01:02 PM
Response to Reply #4

6. Kitchen faucet, bath Faucet
   
On your kitchen faucet, get a pair of pliers and remove the aerator ,It most likely has a water saver in it. You will turn it counter clock wise to remove it. Be careful to remove it all in one piece ,there are screens ,two or three about dime size.Don't worry much about that the replacement cost is only about $2.00. You will than run the water full boar threw your faucet and it should than flow as it should , check the sprayer at the point .

There will of course be a pressure drop at the tap ,but not as much as before. When that checks out reduce the flow at the tap ,take the aerator turn upside down and holding it form in your fingers put it under the water flow to remove the small particles that are trapped in the screens. Those screens are there to trap that so it does not build up in the faucet. Than replace the aerator on to the faucet outlet end. It should be fine than. If not ,remove the faucet and return it to the store as a defect. Or replace the aerator with a universal replacement $2.00

The bath tub faucet may be shot. If it's a two handle type you may be able to clean out the inside of the valve ,that takes a special tool , or you may have a build up of hard deposits at the fittings that cause blockage.

One way to test that is to remove the valve stem and turn on the water to see what kind of pressure exists without the stem in place. Sometimes that flushes out the blockage. If it's a single handle valve, the stem, may be causing the blockage, It's core is plastic, more of a rubber substance,it can deteriorate. The replacement is about $15.00 The two handle type, older style about $30.00. Describe your bath valve and look for the name of it, Delta, Moen, , Fisher Price, American Standard,Mixer, what ever.

And did you do the test at the washing machine ,by removing the house and checking the water pressure at the valve that feeds the washing machine? You need a bucket for that. And that test will tell the story. You will need a pair of Pliers as well.

My clients call me when I am working,and I cannot be everywhere in a day. If they don't do what they can do on their end ,I can't be on call 24/7, The woman and I have a life. If than I have a fairly good idea of the problem before I get there, I can stop at the store and pick up the parts. If not ,I have to drive over to their home, look at it ,than go to the store.After five o'clock that can cost double. Most people are more interested in saving some money! And my clients are life time. I know them and they know me! Do the test.

And then the Baltimorean real-estate magnate:

Husb2Sparkly  Donating Member  (1000+ posts) Mon Jun-23-08 08:33 PM
Response to Original message

7. If your faucet has washers ......
   
.... that might be your problem. A worn washer can unseat and, with heat, move just enough to slow water flow. This is a fairly easy fix. Shut off water to the faucet. Remove the valve stem. Take it to the hardware store and ask them to match up the washer. Replace the stem. Turn on the water. See what happens.

[Carl]

It is hard to guess what is happening but after much effort trying to supply a diesel engine  injection pump with adequate volume and pressure one must remember those terms are on the opposite end of the spectrum.

High pressure is the result of restricting the volume (flow) and high flow will result in less pressure.

My guess is that the shower valve needs to be replaced as it is restricting the flow...the pressure in a domestic system remains more or less constant.

[LC EFA]

Might be possible that the cutoff valve for the hot-water system (the valve on the cold/supply side of the tank) is blocking or not open enough, restricting the feed pressure to the tank.

[Lacarnut]

Call a damn plumber