- This topic has 5 replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 17 years, 1 month ago by
AKPlumber.
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Douglas Peng
I have been concerned about this problem since it started but my contractor has not as yet addressed it.
I am having a plumber come today to hook up our new
refrigerator to the water supply, and thought I might
ask him to take care of the problem, but thought I would ask the question here first.
Here’s the problem. When we had our kitchen
remodeled, we had it gutted it, and had some water pipes (both hot and cold) that were running
in an outside wall of the kitchen rerouted under the floor. Since then, the water pressure to the sink
has been low. Also, hot water pressure is very low
in the sink in our first floor powder room. Additionally,
I have noticed occasional knocking of the pipes
under the floor in front of the kitchen sink while the
water is running, not on shut off. Our upstairs water pressure seems to be find at all outlets.
Oh, also we have a double sink, and when we run
the garbage disposal the water backs up, with garbage,
into the other sink. The contractor told us that is what
we need to expect with a double sink. Is that correct?
Thanks for any and all help.
-Tammy -
When he changed the pipes did he turn water back on all the way, check it out, what kind of pipe do you have there.When he make change over there could be and ofstruction in the water line. When you have two sinks the garbage Disposal should be connected directly to trap and in the pipe from Disposal there should be a Tee to drain other bowl, if he didnt do it that way it is wrong. Let me know, I will try to send you a drawing.
Art retired plbg -
Send me your address and I will send you a drawing.
Art retired plbg -
Remove your aerators and clean them out. When work is done on the potable water distribution system the system should be flushed with the aerators off the faucets to clear any debris in the piping. Most likely this wasnt done.
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“The contractor told us that is what
we need to expect with a double sink. Is that correct?”If that is what he told you then he is an idiot. Call him back and demand he fix it right or threaten to take him to court (assuming he’s a licensed guy). A garbage disposal should NEVER back up into the other side of the double sink unless it’s plumbed wrong or there is a blockage in the line in which case a snaking (drain cleaning) may be in order.
As for the rest, Art is correct. Both sides of the double sink should be plumbed with a end outlet sink disposal kit, which is basically just a P trap with a tee. Art has already offered you a sketch of how it should be plumbed so moving on, I cannot fathom what could be causing the low water pressure with the re-routed lines and attached fixtures other than to guess that maybe he used too much flux when soldering and this could be plugging up the valves/fixtures, or he’s got too many 90’s in the line, or he’s got too many fixtures drawing from it than what is proper. If he used Pex or other plastic tubing perhaps it’s pinched or kinked somewhere. Maybe the run calls for or had originally 3/4″ line and he used 1/2″. Maybe there is flux or other some sort of garbage that got in the line somehow as he ran it and got flushed down into the fixtures and into the aerators of them….try unscrewing the aerators on the faucets (sinks) and see if there’s any foreign material plugging up the screen inside. This of course would not apply to a tub valve.
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Wanted to add also, the “banging” you are hearing from the lines is “water hammer” more than likely, and it can be caused by several things. I posted a reply to a similar question on this page, I think the thread was titled “banging pipes” or something, my reply described most situations where this will occur and how to fix it along with another gentleman’s.
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