air in pipes All aspects of plumbing questions and answers, help, tips and information

[ray noble]

I have recently moved into a 100 year old house in the Republic of Ireland and am having plumbing problems. Every morning when I turn on the cold water tap in the ktchen I get air spluttering out of it for several minutes before it clears. There is then no more problem for the rest of the day. I have an outside tap which is close to the service pipe which also splutters. I have tried connecting a hose from the kitchen to the outside tap and turning them on to blow the air out but it doesn't work, presumably because there is insufficient pressure. I am confused as to why air is coming from the service pipe. Once the air has cleared there seems to be enough pressure. I have recently had to replace the header and cold water tanks and put lids on them due to the original ones having had no covers on and were full of gunk. The gunk still occasionally appears out of the hot water taps but is clearing. I definitely have air in the central heating system as not all of the radiators heat up or only heat up at the bottom. My problem there is that only one rad, an upstairs one has a bleed valve. I have tried bleeding that but after some initial air came out I only get water. The only other bleed I know is on the boiler pump, and no air comes from that. Can anyone suggest anything please for these problems? Thanks :(

[DONFRAMAC]

Your radiators need a bleed-valve each, fitted in place of one of the hex blanks at the top;-- just shut both bottom valves while you do each, then open the valves and bleed them to get fully-hot radiators. (PTFE tape is used as sealant around plumbing threads nowadays).
Your daily spluttering-tap problem may be caused by doping of the water supply, if they are having problems needing extra sterilising with gases such as chlorine, or ammonia, or both, as was done in our area, before they completed re-piping. (We had foul silt lying in the old mains).

[ray noble]

Thanks for the advice Don, I feel really stupid as I have now located the bleed valves. Apart from the one I mentioned, they are at the back of the radiators where I've never seen them before. I need to speak with the neighbours about the air in the pipes. If they have the same it must be to do with the supply. Very busy tiling living room floor at the moment. Then I've got some floorboards to replace. But must bleed the rads as well later. Perhaps I'll get my missus of her butt and show her what to do. It's all go. Thanks mate.