How to Fix Air in Your Pipes

If your pipes are making noise, sputtering faucets, or inconsistent water delivery then you may have air in your pipes. While this isn’t generally something that can harm your plumbing, it can still be annoying enough to want to fix. There is a simple DIY fix to try before calling a plumber.

How Air Gets in Your Pipes

There are a few different ways that air can get into your pipes. The first is due to damaged parts of your plumbing system. This can be from leaks, wear and tear, or a malfunctioning pressure relief valve. Any sort of hole from corrosion, collapsed or burst pipes can let air into the line. If a thermostat in the water heater is broken, the hotter air can trap air in the pipes.

If there has been any work being done to your water lines, that can also temporarily trap air in your pipes. That should go away when you follow the steps below.

Another common reason is well water. This can be from the pump malfunctioning or droughts. If the pump is struggling to pump water through it will create air bubbles in your water line. Droughts cause not enough water to be pushed through the lines allowing air to come in.

Why it is Important to Remove the Air

While the air in your pipes shouldn’t damage anything. It does cause a few small, yet annoying problems. It can cause loss of water pressure, loud hammering noises, and inconsistent water delivery.

How to Remove the Air

There is a fairly simple way to remove the air from your pipes. The first step is to turn off the water at the main supply. The location of this depends on your home. It could be in your basement, outside, or a utility room.

After the water is turned off, the next step is to flush your faucets. However, you can not just do this in any random order. You have to do it closest to the shut-off valves and work your way up and out. You also do not have to open them all the way. Let this run for about 10 minutes.

After that time, turn them off in the opposite way you turned them. So, start with the furthest from the water main shut-off and work your way closer to the water main.

After that, it is important to test to make sure that it works. If it is still causing issues then there may be another problem going on.

Final Thoughts

With this simple DIY fix, the air in your pipes could be gone in less than 20 minutes. This process allows the air to escape the pipes. However, if this doesn’t help, or you continually have to do this then it may be best to go ahead and give us a call.

Call 1-Tom-Plumber

Don’t hesitate to contact us here or call us at 1-Tom-Plumber (1-866-758-6237) if you need a plumbing service. 1-Tom-Plumber’s certified team of plumbers and drain technicians respond immediately to any emergency plumbing, drain cleaning, or water damage problem. We also handle the excavation of underground water lines and sewer main lines. Our immediate-response team is available every day and night of the year, even on holidays.