White stuff in shower valve, Dip tube

What is the biggest chunk of "stuff" anyone has seen from a dip tube problem? I replaced a Moen 1225 yesterday ( 2nd time in 3 months on the same valve, same problem). Water heater is 2002, so not immediately suspecting dip tube. Flushed WH, didn't notice anything. But some large chunks that I would describe as resembling shavings of PVC were lodged INSIDE the cartridge, and came out of both the hot and cold sides of the valve body when flushed with cartridge out. It is definitely not teflon tape, much too thick and stiff.

House does not have a pressure regulator, so this could have come in from the street, but no known recent work in the neighborhood. This bathroom is adjacent to the garage....it is the " first stop" for both hot and cold water entering the house.

I will try to post some pictures tonight.

Well or City Water?

bob...

First thing that comes to mind is calcium but if it's city water that doesn't make much sense.

Tom

City water. It's definitely plastic chunks. I will get a photo up tonight.

If you take a cap full of muriatic acid and put these chunks in the acid and instantly dissolve, it's calcium buildup.

I am quite familiar with dip tube issues, but never saw anything like these from that. They are PLASTIC. Film at 11:00!

I just replaced a dip tube from the recall era. I was getting anything from dust-sized specks that clog up aerators, to almost 1/2 chunks that I can't believe made it up & thru the pipes. On the larger pieces, you can see the arc of the pipe diameter. They crumble when any force is applied.

Think snow-globe-like particles, for the most part.

Well, that sound right. Bigger than I had seen before. Looks like we check the dip tube. Film at 11:00

Here is the picture of the cartridge with stuff inside, and some chunks of the "stuff"



Does this look like dip tube stuff anyone has seen?

Don't underestimate this theory....but it could be coming from the main line on the street or from your neighbor.


Potable water systems when it comes to water flow are constantly pulling and taking through the lines, moving back and forth and not always in a positive forward motion.

For example: You have a lead water service to your home and eliminate it "thinking" you've solved the lead content issue.

Not true. If everyone else still has lead services to their homes and without backflow protection that prevents the reversal of flow, your actions are limited along with the knowledge that most if not all water lines if copper inside the house......they'll have lead based solder holding the fittings together along with the water that flows back and forth from other homes; it has to be a group effort and that still doesn't even control the issue.

It could of just been a fluke that when this scenario happened, you happened to take a shower right around the same time. It's a long shot but I've seen it happen.

Also, finding a bibb screw in a home in the water supply that doesn't even have one older type faucet. <<< That screw travelled from another location outside of the house. <<< I've seen this countless times with no faucet to blame not having a bibb seat screw missing.

Rugged: Am I correct that this is not typical "dip tube stuff" ??

It looks like a lining of some sort. Something that was attached to the inside of something that has slowly come out and floated around the water system, landing where the most amount of flow was first to go to.


Dip tube particles usually break off in chards and you can usually see the curve they once had unless the pieces are significantly small. Also, they are oblong and narrow in correlation to the length of the tube. I've seen it in numerous ways.

It looks too shredded/rough to be failed dip tube fragments.