Wells
provide a home in the country with delicious and high-quality water
free from a connection to the city. However, even faucets attached to
wells may suffer from sputtering faucets that are frustrating to
understand and solve. Thankfully, most homeowners can address this
issue on their own or with the help of high-quality professionals.
Air
May Develop in Well Lines
Well
lines operate in the same fundamental way as water lines connected to
city water. As a result, air buildup may occur in these lines from
time to time. When this happens, the faucets in a home will sputter
because the excess air interferes with the water flowing out of the
pipe.
Sometimes,
this issue is a one-time deal that can be managed with a single
treatment. However, more problematic issues may trigger persistent
air buildup in a way that requires professional help to fix. For
example, the well pump may be too far away from the water table. This
issue typical occurs during droughts and will force the pump to
mostly pull air instead of water.
Other
problems that trigger excessive air in water lines including failing
valves or damage to the drop pipe connecting the pump to the home.
However, before assuming these issues are the primary cause of this
issue, homeowners can take a simple maintenance step.
Bleeding
Air Can Manage This Issue
Homeowners
sick of their sputtering faucets should bleed their water line to
remove excess air. Start on the top floor and turn on the faucet
closest to your water supply. And from that first faucet, owners
should move in a clockwise motion to bleed the valves in the proper
order. As you go, open each hot and cold water faucet a half turn so
that air can escape from both.
Make
sure to work with all of the water-based appliances in a home,
including toilets, showers, dishwashers, clothing washers, and
bathtubs. Let the water run from these sources until the water flows
normally before turning them off again in reverse order. Once
this process is finished inside, open up the faucets outside of the
house to bleed all of the air out of the lines
If
this process is performed correctly — and no other underlying
issues exist — the faucets in your home should no longer sputter
when in use. All in all, this process should take no more than a few
minutes
or
so to perform, depending on the size of the house. But if this
bleeding doesn't stop the faucets from sputtering, a homeowner may
not have the skills necessary to properly assess and manage this
issue.
Professional
Help May Be Necessary
Although
homeowners can typically bleed a line of air without professional
help, some situations may need a little assistance. For example,
homeowners may find that bleeding the line did little to stop the
sputtering faucets in their home, even after they tried to release
air multiple times. Others may be too nervous to try this process on
their own.
In
this situation, a high-quality professional can provide the help
needed to get your faucets operating smoothly again. For example, a
professional can diagnose issues such as water hammer in the line —
a sudden surge of water — and help homeowners know how to prepare
for and manage these types of issues on their own.
Let
Us Fix Your Well
If
you've tried bleeding your water line and you can't seem to keep your
faucets from sputtering, please don't hesitate to contact us
at Action
Well and Pump
to
set up an inspection and repair appointment. Our professionals will
work hard to identify the problem and get your well running
efficiently and effectively again.
