plumbing question

[Dennis M]

When I first turn the faucet on in the kitchen, it "jumps" slightly, as if the water had been shut off completely and then turned back on (although not nearly that bad). Doesn't seem to happen when I turn the water on very slowly though. And this problem doesn't happen in the bathroom. Does anybody know what could be causing this? I already don't have the greatest water pressure in the kitchen (even though I have the valves under the sink open as much as possible), so perhaps the "jumping" problem related to this. Thanks for your input.

[Paul Franklin]

If the faucet actually moves, it may not be secured properly, or if it's older, the seals may be worn giving it a little play. When you open the faucet and the water starts moving in the pipe, it will move anything that isn't secure and tight, especially where it changes direction or reaches an obstruction, like the valve seat.

If there's a lot of slop in the faucet spout, you may be able to replace the seals, or tighten it, depending on the style. A lot single handle kitchen faucets have a big nut under the top handle that holds the spout on, you can try tightening that if your style fauce has one. Often the seals on the spout are big o rings that wear over time as well.

HTH,

Paul F.

[harry]

There could be air trapped in the system somewhere or the main stop valve could be worn. See if there's a noise comes from it when you operate the faucet. The air problem seems likeliest if your water pressure is low.

[willshak]

Dennis M wrote the following:

When trying to get answers for a plumbing problem, it is helpful to indicate whether you have municipal water or a well. Not that I can answer your problem either way, but maybe others can.

[Dennis M]

I tried lowering the pressure considerably via the valves (both hot and cold) and that seems to have fixed the "jumping" problem. It doesn't seem to make that much difference because like I said the pressure wasn't all that high with the valves wide open.

I may get in touch with a professional plumber and see what he suggests as far as getting rid of the trapped air or replacing the pipes under the house to increase the pressure (the irony is the local water dept. happens to have a tower on a hill right behind my home!). Thanks again everyone for your input.