Air in water lines

[16vracer]

3 floor plus garage underneath, town home built in 2008. Radiant heat. In Seattle on city water.

About 3-4 weeks ago I started noticing that there was some air in the the water coming out of the faucets, showers and I even hear it in the toilet sometimes.

If the water has been shut off for 15 minutes or more, there will be air. It's not a lot of air really, I'm just worried about what could be causing it.

The home is on the top of a hill and to get water all the way up to the 3rd floor the builders had to install pumps in the garages where the water line comes into the house. I think it's a grundig or some such sounding brand. I don't see any leaks or hear any weird noises around the pump or water heater.

BTW the radiant heat is from Janes Infloor heating. Their system is self contained, ie if you run the hot water a lot, it wont affect the radiant heat and vs versa.

I do hear the hot water heater come on more, even when hot water hasn't been used for a while and I have the thermostat set so low for the radiant heat that it hasn't come on a month or so.

BTW the air can be heard when using both hot and cold water.

Any ideas?

[lojasmo]

The pump would be the first place I would look.

[unimogken]

the radiant heat is from Janes Infloor heating. Their system is self contained, ie if you run the hot water a lot, it wont affect the radiant heat and vs versa.

Your radiant heat shouldn't have any effect on your tap water hot or cold.
It should be on its own closed system that just recirculates its own water.

My vote would also be on the pumps in the garage letting air into the system.

[16vracer]

Your radiant heat shouldn't have any effect on your tap water hot or cold.
It should be on its own closed system that just recirculates its own water.

My vote would also be on the pumps in the garage letting air into the system.

That is correct, that's what I was saying, just incase anyone was wondering.

[unimogken]

I learned about a product called an "automatic air vent" in the brewing world that is for plumbing.

If you can't find where the air is coming from you could always use one of them to remove the air?

[16vracer]

Thanks for the tip. I'm just concerned it may be leaking somewhere. The water bill shows higher water usage this year, compared to the same time last year.

[barry2952]

If it were leaking then water would be going out, not air coming in.

Water pressure is significantly higher that atmospheric pressure.

It is likely that some work was done near you that required replacing a piece of underground pipe. Air is in the pipe until it is totally displaced by water. I would worry about air bubbles.

[16vracer]

If it were leaking then water would be going out, not air coming in.

Water pressure is significantly higher that atmospheric pressure.

It is likely that some work was done near you that required replacing a piece of underground pipe. Air is in the pipe until it is totally displaced by water. I would worry about air bubbles.

You would worry about air bubbles?

That's probably true about work being done nearby. I had asked my neighbors if they were having the same issues and they said it happens about once a month, not multiple times per day.

So if water leaks out, air would not gain access to the system?

Anything I can do to help get all this air out?

[barry2952]

You would worry about air bubbles?

That's probably true about work being done nearby. I had asked my neighbors if they were having the same issues and they said it happens about once a month, not multiple times per day.

So if water leaks out, air would not gain access to the system?

Anything I can do to help get all this air out?

Damn that auto-correct. No, I wouldn't be worried about air bubbles.

There could be another source of air bubbles. If your water heater had a thick layer of calcification on the bottom of it the water that's comes in contact with the metal bottom will create a little bit of steam which will exhibit itself as air bubbles.

The bubbles will dissipate with time if it's from construction. You can speed the process by flushing your system. Basically, if you turn everything on at once you'll create maximum flow, moving those air bubbles along.

If you're hearing air bubbles in your heating system there are devices to remove it. Yours may not be working.

[16vracer]

Thanks Barry, I kind of thought that's what you meant.

I will do that.

The heating system is fine, I have a bleeder valve at the systems highest point in the house.

[barry2952]

In doing so, be prepared to clean all of the facet strainers as a big flow will move along anything that's loose. You might want to just take them off, temporarily.

[16vracer]

Sounds good