Constant Air In Lines

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mkloter

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First time poster first week first time home owner, After reading many great posts here I have started to narrow down the problem. Note-- this property was a forclosure and I was aware of this problem going in so it is not new or hasn't just developed.

The system is a basic submerged pump, Amtrol bladder pressure tank and the usual valves (bypassed softener), however thanks to this forum I found a valve hidden in insulation before the pressure tank with a snifter sucking air in to the line when the pump was going. I pulled the snifter and plugged the hole and no more air in the lines.


My question is why would that snifter have been installed in the first place with this system, and what it is the device it is attached to (see pic) and will there be problems without the snifter? 20130325_004710-1-1.jpg

I am assuming it is a flap style check valve but even with the snifter removed it is noisier than I would expect it to be when the pump is in operation. i just wanted to make sure that the snifter is not required for that valves operation and that it is not a restriction causing the pump to work harder than it has to.

Thanks in advance
 

LLigetfa

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If it was sucking while the pump was running, then what you have is a micronizer probably put there to mitigate smell or iron. Of course, with that you also need an air over water tank with an AVC to remove the air.

The micronizer will have a major constriction/venturi which will reduce the flow rate.
 

Cacher_Chick

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If the tank is a bladder tank, is probably installed by someone who didn't understand how the system was supposed to work. We have no way to know if the air system is needed due to water quality issues. A standard tank's air volume control would have have relieved the excess air so that it did not get into the lines going to the fixtures.
 

LLigetfa

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If the softener was not bypassed, it would act as an air accumulator/separator and purge the air when backwashing.
 
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