# Water heater replaced, no pressure?



## redfallon (Feb 17, 2005)

I recently replaced a water heater and at the same time I cut out all of the old copper and steel (or is it iron?) pipe and replaced it with CPVC. I relocated the water heater in the process to a more sensible place in the basement and have since plumbed everything in and tested the cpvc for leaks. The problem is, I have little to no water pressure on either of the above 2 floors. Is it possible I still have air trapped in the lines? I didn't think to open some faucets until after I'd already filled the 50 gal. tank. At that point, needless to say, there was already some serious air pressure built up in the lines. The faucets/showers just dribble water or cough/spit a mixture of air and water? Any help from the pro's would be greatly appreciated!


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## Glasshousebltr (Feb 9, 2004)

Check the valves for all the way on. Any valves you touched, check also.

Air should escape the lines in a few minutes, so thats more than likely not your prob.

Did you reduce the size of the lines? That can be a Prob.

An older valve can somtimes malfunction and not open all the way up. Ball valves normally don't do this. You should be able to feel a weekness in the bad valve when you turn it, it just wont feel right.

One more thing, CPVC is a good concept but so far it sucks, I've never found a CPVC valve that lasted long.

Bob


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## redfallon (Feb 17, 2005)

Aerators are all out. Replaced 1/2" .I.D. copper with 1/2" I.D. CPVC. There were a few sections of steel or iron pipe that may have been larger than 1/2" but a)they were quite corroded inside, so much that they were definately flowing less than 1/2" I.D. and b) they were spliced in between sections of 1/2" copper. The pipes coming from the residential side of the meter (indoor meter) is 1/2" copper. I've got one copper/CPVC union that has a slight leak (world's worst pipe sweater!), but it's isolated by a shutoff valve, as it is where the lines begin their in-wall run up to the second floor. Even with this small leak shutoff there's still little/no water pressure. I thought any/all air would be evacuated in a few moments, but wasn't sure as I didn't originally open a faucet as I filled the system and the air pressure that built up was pretty decent.

**edit** Each of the threaded nipples coming from the top of the water tank had a blue "plastic" ring in them. The instructions said nothing about removing them, and on the exploded parts list it *appeared* they should be left in, as at the bottom of them was a type of "venturi" valve (for lack of a better term, imagine a peice of rubber sliced like a pizza, six sections, which would allow water to flow through them under pressure) The parts list said they were heat traps (or something to that effect, don't have the manual with me here at work.) Should these "blue rings" and the heat traps have come out? I originally thought they were just caps placed in there for shipping. When the didn't easily pop out I decided I better check around and see what I could find out.

Thanks again for all the suggestions/help!


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## cvas (Sep 26, 2004)

The plastic inserts are to eliminate the migration of hot and cold water. I always remove these fittings from the tank and install brass couplings instead. This will eliminate the eventual lose of water pressure due to particles from your older galvinzed water lines. 




redfallon said:


> Aerators are all out. Replaced 1/2" .I.D. copper with 1/2" I.D. CPVC. There were a few sections of steel or iron pipe that may have been larger than 1/2" but a)they were quite corroded inside, so much that they were definately flowing less than 1/2" I.D. and b) they were spliced in between sections of 1/2" copper. The pipes coming from the residential side of the meter (indoor meter) is 1/2" copper. I've got one copper/CPVC union that has a slight leak (world's worst pipe sweater!), but it's isolated by a shutoff valve, as it is where the lines begin their in-wall run up to the second floor. Even with this small leak shutoff there's still little/no water pressure. I thought any/all air would be evacuated in a few moments, but wasn't sure as I didn't originally open a faucet as I filled the system and the air pressure that built up was pretty decent.
> 
> **edit** Each of the threaded nipples coming from the top of the water tank had a blue "plastic" ring in them. The instructions said nothing about removing them, and on the exploded parts list it *appeared* they should be left in, as at the bottom of them was a type of "venturi" valve (for lack of a better term, imagine a peice of rubber sliced like a pizza, six sections, which would allow water to flow through them under pressure) The parts list said they were heat traps (or something to that effect, don't have the manual with me here at work.) Should these "blue rings" and the heat traps have come out? I originally thought they were just caps placed in there for shipping. When the didn't easily pop out I decided I better check around and see what I could find out.
> 
> Thanks again for all the suggestions/help!


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## redfallon (Feb 17, 2005)

Well, problem's fixed.  I drained a little off the tank, emptied all the supply lines, opened faucets on all 3 levels of the house and refilled. No problem, full pressure at all faucets. . .except. . .kitchen faucet? Somehow, when I opened it the first time, something in it was damaged. The air made a horrificly loud popping sound when I took that aerator off. After replacing the faucet (was darn near rusted through anyway!) all is well. Thanks for all the suggestions all, hopefully the PVC lasts a good long while. I guess that remains to be seen.


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