Ok I'm putting in some new sinks and faucets. I have copper water lines in my house, but I guess right there at the wall leading to the sink is galvanized. They seem to be pretty corroded. Last week I shut off the water at the meter to replace some shut off valves. I come back in the house and turn on a sink (one that I was not working on) to make sure the water was back on. It was fine. Pressure was good out of that faucet for 10 seconds, then..bam, it was reduced to a trickle and still is. Then last night I finally hooked up the faucets, etc to the new shut offs. Got it all hooked up, turned it all on (of course the water was all greenish brown for a second), decent water pressure then...bam, nothing. I mean it just drips coming out of there. What's up with this? did some of that corroded junk come free and get lodged somewhere? I geuss these just need replaced. Are they usually threaded onto the copper or what?
2007-06-06 00:46:44 · 5 answers · asked by TB28 2 in Home & Garden ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
All lines in my house are original..approx. 57 years old
2007-06-06 01:54:17 · update #1
I would remove your aerators from your faucets and then turn your water on at the faucet to see if you get your pressure back. I have the same kind of pipes. I just bought this house three months ago and replaced all the faucets. I always remove my aerators before turning the water back on. I bet if you clean out your aerators you'll have pressure again. Hope this helps!!!!!
2007-06-06 02:12:15 · answer #1 · answered by pappabear 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Most likely, when the plumbing was installed, they installed female iron pipe adapters in the lines for all the fixtures (sinks etc) and a plug for the tests. After the tests they installed galvanized nipples to the sinks. You should be able to remove the nipples and replace with a piece of copper with a male iron pipe adapter sweat onto a piece of copper pipe. When you turned the water back on, rust in the galvanized pipe probably broke loose and clogged the shut-off valves. Disconnect the supply tubes that go up to the sinks (after turning the supply valves off) and then hold a rag over the valve and turn on and off a couple times. This should clear the valves. (reconnect the supply lines) Remove the aerator on the end of the faucet spout and then turn on the water. Good luck.
2007-06-06 09:50:50 · answer #2 · answered by sensible_man 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I had the same issue with my kitchen sink and then i realised that I did something wrong... I thought ok I bought a new faucet and I got the regular flexible pipes that you get for new faucets... come to find out it was the wrong thing to use... you know the ones that screw onto them and look like wire mesh... I instead had to use these plastic tubes... they are a grey color and they make the water pipe smaller and increase the pressure for the faucet... when I had the wrong pipe on it was the same issue you had it went on and went to a trickle switched the pipes and it worked like a charm... dont know that its the problem your having but if it is good luck...
2007-06-06 13:57:27 · answer #3 · answered by zipohda 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you're in a good water area, galvanized pipe last a long time.
But it seems you shocked the system by turning the meter back on to fast without an open hose faucet or something to help bleed air and absorb shock. You probably did jar loose corrosion that has your system plugged.
We usually blow the system with compressed air. I suggest you get a plumber to do it.
You can replace piping anytime, but it sounds like to get you up and going, you need to blow the system clear.
Once in a while, it doesn't work and you have to start replacing piping anyway.
2007-06-06 08:37:38 · answer #4 · answered by rangedog 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I would just replace the pipes behind your sink. Even if that's not the problem (I think it is) That should get dealt with.
2007-06-06 07:54:38 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋