Well & Pressure Tank Issues?

[BrianP]

About a week ago, my kitchen faucet became clogged from quite a bit of dirt and sediment in the water. The kitchen faucet is hard water with all other faucets softened water. The other faucets continued to work but only a trickle of water. When I by-passed the softener, pressure was fine to the other faucets, but water was dirty and sediment filled. I called the local pump contractor out. From what I told him he thought it was a problem with the tank (80 gallon steel tank - no bladder) specifically the air ejector control. He explained that the tank likely had too much air built up and was stirring up the sediment on the tank bottom.

He came out, drained the tank getting a lot of dirt out in the process and replaced the air ejector control. After regenerating the water softner 3 times, flow to the other faucets seems to be back to normal. The new air ejector control starts releasing air at 32psi. The pump cuts in at 30 and shuts off at 50.

Yesterday, I had another incident of the kitchen faucet becoming clogged again with extremely dirty water. I took it apart, cleaned it, and everything seems okay today. I concerned that there is something else going on here that is causing the periodic dirt and sediment. I guess it's possible that this was dirt remaining in the tank from last week that dislodged.

Any other thoughts on this whole situation would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Rshackleford]

Is this an old well? It is possible that you have a hole in the water well casing. Can you run a water hydrant or something outside where the water doesn’t go through the pressure tank? See if this water is dirty too. If it is you probably have a well problem. Does the dirty water settle out after a while?

 

[Sponsor]

 

[BrianP]

It is an old well at least 25+ years. Unfortunately, I do have any way of running the water without going through the tank.

I don't get the dirty water all the time. For the most part, it is fine. Would the problem you describe cause an intermittent problem or would the water be dirty all the time?

 

[Rshackleford]

it can go either way. it can happen all the time or be intermittent.

you could pull the pump out about eight feet and pump out of the pitless spool onto the ground. this wourn run the pump ant full bore and tell you if you have a hole in the casing.

would you like more instruction on this type of thing or would you like to wait and see what others have to say.

 

[Speedbump]

It would be my guess that the sediment is the natural occurring mineral buildup in the tank and water lines that has been dislodged by the air in the lines. This is common when the system is worked on and the pressure is turned back on, mineral is loosened and goes forward to the faucets. Or if you get excess air in the system, the air will rattle the pipes and shake particles loose.

bob...

 

[Rshackleford]

speedbump, that sure could be the case and i hope it is. my experience, unfortunately, has been to the contrary. what would you recomend?

 

[BrianP]

Thanks Bob for your reply. So based on the problem as I described it and the fix that was done (replacing the air ejector control) that could logically explain what has occured?

The one thing I have noticed since the repair that I didn't ever notice before is that shortly after you hear the pressure switch turn the pump on, there is a bubbling noise in the tank. My repair guy said this is normal and is caused by the air being pushed into the tank prior to the water making it's way from the pump. Sound right to you?

 

[Gary Slusser]

Only if there is a leak between the tank and the pump. It could be a leaking check valve in/on the pump's outlet. Otherwise there should be, won't be any air in the line from the pump to the tank.

Gary
Quality Water Associates

 

[Jadnashua]

Are your pipes copper or galvanized in the house?

 

[BrianP]

The pipes are galvanized for the most part.

 

[Speedbump]

What the well guy is telling you is that you have an air making system in your droppipe. There is probably a check valve just before the tank with a schrader valve in it with the cap removed (like your car tire valve) this valve lets air in the pipes as a weep hole or bleeder device in the droppipe lets water out. When the pump kicks back on, the air is forced into the tank. This is the bubbling you hear. It is the only way to keep a galvanized tank from waterlogging with a submersible pump.

Later on when the air gets down lower in the tank, you will hear air hissing out of the air release valve that he replaced just before the pump kicks back on.

bob...

 

[BrianP]

Follow up question for SpeedBump

When the air ejector valve opens and releases the excess air in the tank, it will sometimes (not always) spray out small amounts of water as the tank begins to fill and the valve starts to close. The well guy who installed it says that is okay -its just a small amount of water splashing on the valve before it completely closes. Sounds like a reasonable explanation. Do you agree?

 

[Speedbump]

Yes I agree. Mine sprays water too. It's a normal thing. I suppose if they bent the float arm down a couple more inches, the spraying might stop. But they have been made the same way for many years.

bob...

 

[Gary Slusser]

I will say it again. lol I think you have a leak between the tank and the inlet to the pump. IF you had an air making system, you would have heard the bubbling before and you say you never have. IF you have the leak I think you do, you'd hear bubbling.

Shut off the water on the house side of the tank. Watch the pressure gauge for awhile; up to 30 minutes. If the pressure falls, you have a leak on the well side of the tank. For air to get into the line/water, the leak has to be above the water level in the well BUT, there could be an air leak above the water but the check valve in/on the pump or the drop pipe could be leaking sucking air into that leak. Your air over water tank may provide the air.

This air in the line from the well is probably breaking dirt loose from inside the lines as Bob mentioned.

It could also be due to a water quality change in the well where you have more iron etc. now than before and the air in your tank is oxidizing it turning the water dirty. Dirt builds up and sooner or later it gets to be enough to get out of the tank to you faucets.

Is the water dirty at all fixtures or just one or another? If not all, the galvanized pipe could be rusting and the rust is flushed periodically.

 

[BrianP]

I did do what you suggested and the pressure held with no change for 30 minutes.

I confirmed with my well contractor that my system has an air maker in the droppipe. He explained that this is absolutely necessary with a galvanized tank or it would become waterlogged. He said I wasn't hearing the bubbling before due to the malfunctioning of the air ejector control which he replaced. Since my original post last month, I haven't experienced any dirty water at any facuet in the house.

 

[Gary Slusser]

Then I'm wrong and I have no other idea what is causing the splashing water sound.

 

[Speedbump]

It's just the air being shoved into the tank and bubbling to the top Gary. It would only do this for a few seconds though. Not all the way through the pump cycle. I quit using the bleeders years ago, because they plugged up so easily. I found drilling a small hole in the pipe lasted much longer.

bob...