? clogged pipes

[MasterPlumbersKeymaster]

We replaced our water heater. Prior to the replacement a white sediment was noted in our shower head which we cleaned out. After the replacement, we have no water flow hot or cold in the kichen, or in the bathroom shower next to the kitchen. All other faucets are functioning properly. How can we restore water to these areas?

[Harold KestenholzParticipant]

Start at the source of the problem, It must be near where the water heater was replaced. Open the taps where the water will not come out. Pump water into one of those taps and see if water comes out the other taps. If so, they are connected and open to passage of water. Then find the clogged pipe near the water heater.

[daveroconnParticipant]

Since you have no water hot or cold then the blockage must be in the aerator on the end of the faucet spout. Remove and clean should take care of it. The shower you will have to remove the head and unplug it.

[SylvanLMPParticipant]

Hi Tim, Julie and Sam.

This sounds like the dip tube that corroded and went through the system.

Your best bet is to disconnect the outlet (hot water supply to the building) from the tank. (Shut off water and gas and let the water cool)

Put a cap in place of the shower head open the cold and hot water on the shower body. HOPEFULLY this will back flush the particles back to the now open disconnected line (Put a pail under this open pipe) as the water flows shut off the water remove the cap re install the shower head and do this to all the other non working fixtures BACK FLUSH cold into hot lines as this is where the problem most lightly originated from.

Now if this works please do me a favor, considering you just saved a bundle in a plumbers house call please think about making a donation to any charity you want including the ST. Judes children’s hospital for cancer care Thank you SylvanLMP

[bungieParticipant]

Follow daveroconn recomendations. Since the problem is BOTH hot and cold at the same piont in the house, clean out the rose and the aerator.
If you need to backflush the lines. A house with ordinary jumper valve setups, you will need to remove the washer in the hot tap, and replace the body, to let the water flow through

[SylvanLMPParticipant]

The problem associated to “just removing the sediment at the source” is your still allowing the sediment inside the pipe to work its way back to other area’s of the system. By back flushing it out of the piping you are not taking as much as a chance of these particles blocking up your boilers automatic feeder or low water cut out Or other devices like your solenoid valves on your dish washer and washing machine and water filtration system.

Yes, the hot water carrying these particles can back flow into your cold water supply ESPECIALLY with a blocked aerator or showerbody.

I just am against band aid approaches.

To me cleaning an aerator only is like putting on a band aid every day over the same bleeding wound never actually finding out what is causing this infection only covering it up until the patient gets severely sick BUT Hey to each his own.

Prevention Rather then Cure is the way to go.

ANY handyman/home owner can clean an aerator.

Being a “plumber” we try to eliminate the cause rather then just going after the effects.

Knowing you have non potable particles floating around your system doesn’t make much sense when you can do something about it.

One point these other folks failed to mention is that ONLY cleaning the aerators could very well cost you big time.

You see ALL handymen would clean the obvious take their chump change and go on their merry way NEVER looking back and wondering WHAT IF this SEDIMENT gets back into the hot water tank and completely blocks your ONLY safety device on your heater (the T&P Valve)

What happens when the pressure again builds up as IF you did leave particles in this system AND again the aerators get blocked where is the hot water going to expand?

The relief valve if blocked is now rendered useless filled with particles.

Before you just clean a faucet THINK about common sense and hire someone who has the common decency by doing the proper flushing job.

HIRE A professional it pays. The plumber does indeed protect the health of the nation.

Amazing how a small over sight can and does cost people their lives.

[bungieParticipant]

The source has been removed, the hot water system has been replaced.

The sediment is only in two pionts. “All other faucets are functioning properly” so its no longer in the system.

Both the shower rose and the sink spout holding the sediment are beyond the piont of being able to be syphoned back into the system. The sediment is all ready in the dead zone of the pipe. If that was a water service, a six inch line that doesnt go anywhere, the water would go stale because it doest get syphoned back into the supply

Bandaid aproaches ?? hmmm

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