On Tue, 03 Feb 2004 14:35:59 GMT, Horatio Hornblower wrote:
:On Sun, 01 Feb 2004 16:56:15 GMT, jim wrote: : ::Horatio Hornblower wrote: ::> ::> On Sat, 31 Jan 2004 15:03:25 -0500, Speedy Jim wrote: ::> ::> :Horatio Hornblower wrote: ::> :>
::> :> I'm installing a washing machine in my old house (1910). The laundry ::> :> room has the water heater and has the plumbing for a washer, but that ::> :> plumbing hasn't been used for probably 25 years or more. I hooked it up ::> :> and turned on the valves and wasn't shocked to find them leaking. I ::> :> replaced them but see that the cold water pipe has strangely low ::> :> pressure. ::> :>
::> :> The hot water spigot puts out around 5 gallons/minute, but the cold one ::> :> is delivering a bit less than 1 gallon/minute. At first, the cold one's ::> :> water was rusty, but that cleared up in a few seconds. However, it ::> :> continues to be very low pressure. I figure there must be a lot of rust ::> :> somewhere in the last 3 or 4 feet, because it splits just before that, ::> :> one branch going to the washer, the other to an outdoor faucet, which ::> :> has good pressure. ::> :>
::> :> I figure the problem's probably in the elbows and not the 3 foot ::> :> straight, and I can just swap out the elbows and it'll be OK. ::> :>
::> :> It's funny, though. There are TWO spigots for the hot and TWO spigots ::> :> for the cold! Each pair has one with a threaded spigot (you can screw on ::> :> a threaded hose to it), and one that's not threaded. What's the purpose ::> :> of those? I figure maybe they used to have systems which you connected ::> :> by pressure (clamps) and not threads. Is that it? Can or should I remove ::> :> those non-thread-ended spigots? I could get some 1/2 inch plugs for ::> :> those. ::> :>
::> :> Thanks for any advice here. I haven't done a lot of plumbing. ::> :>
::> :> hh ::> : ::> :You're on the right track. In 1910, the piping would have been ::> :galvanized iron. An un-used branch will rapidly get blocked ::> :with corrosion. My bet is that the TEE leading outside is blocked ::> :at the branch outlet. Replacing it or tampering with that century-old ::> :piping is inviting disaster. ::> : ::> :Instead, suggest running brand new pipe (copper?) right off the water ::> :heater connections. Less chance of disturbing things plus better ::> :assurance that the clothes won't be rusty. ::> : ::> :Jim ::> ::> Thanks, Jim. This is the cold water, though. The hot seems OK, at least ::> as far as flow goes. I didn't notice rust coming from the hot, either, ::> for some reason, just the cold. I'm going to launch a whole-house ::> renovation pretty shortly, so I'll leave wholesale replacement of the ::> plumbing (at least the decisions) to my general contractor. Right now I ::> just want to get my washer working. I think I can either replace or ::> clean out that last 3-4 feet that's clearly clogged up. I've always been ::> a DIY guy, so once again I'm looking for a way to do it myself rather ::> than pick up the phone and bring in a professional. I know that ::> mentality has to be tempered sensibly if I'm going to succeed in my ::> whole-house renovation. So much of it is just way over my head and skill ::> level. ::> ::> I had an interesting idea yesterday, but I sort of doubt it will work: ::> ::> If I shut off the water to the house, open that outside faucet and the ::> washer spigot, and connect a hose to the washer cold water spigot (the ::> one that gets the 1/6 water flow), and run some high pressure water ::> through that hose (I'd have to get permission from my neighbor to hook ::> up a hose to their garden spigot), I might be able to blow out the ::> corrosion that's clogging it up. It's a bit of a long shot, but if ::> gravity has a hand in this, the water flowing down instead of up, may be ::> enough to dislodge whatever's in there and flush it out my outside ::> spigot. Nutty idea, huh? ::> ::> hh ::turn water off at main valve.. remove the cold water faucet(it is ::catching all the trash-water deposits that were in the pipes.. have a ::bucket of water under the pipe and then turn water back on and the ::trash will fill up the bucket.. and then the water will flow at 100 % ::of flow.. cut off water and put faucet back on and check to see if it ::is running at 100 %.... : :Cool idea. I will try that. Thanks!!
Unfortunately, it didn't work. Tomorrow I'll disassemble the last 3-4 feet of pipe going to the washer. I'm sure that's where the jam-up is, since the branch off to the outside spigot runs free, and that's 4 feet back. It was too wet and cold today but tomorrow should be about as good as the weather's gonna get this time of year and I'll get after it.