Thread: Pulsating water flow at faucets

Inspected a rural home with water supply from a well with a pressure tank. Water flow from both the hot and cold sides would pulsate, not a steady flow. What could cause this, faulty pressure tank, well pump?

Thanks in advance

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Originally Posted by sidney alstad

Inspected a rural home with water supply from a well with a pressure tank. Water flow from both the hot and cold sides would pulsate, not a steady flow. What could cause this, faulty pressure tank, well pump?

Thanks in advance

Those would be my guesses.

Originally Posted by sidney alstad

.
]Inspected a rural home with water supply from a well with a pressure tank. Water flow from both the hot and cold sides would pulsate, not a steady flow. What could cause this, faulty pressure tank, well pump?

Thanks in advance

.
Also the aerator could be partly blocked causing the water flow to pulsate.
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Pressure tank needs air. Get the broker to blow into the air valve. Try not to overfill.
We don't want any $hit in the water system

What Wayne says. The pressure tank is water-logged. It needs to have a cushion of air in it to work. When the tank contains a pocket of air, the air can be compressed by the flow of water from the pump. The pump will run until the pressure in the system reaches the max setting on the pressure switch.
The cushion of compressed air allows you to run taps without causing the pump to run. Pressure drops slowly, then the pump kicks in, and re-pressurizes the tank.
With a water-logged pressure tank, the pump starts immediately because the pressure drops sharply, then, because water won't compress, the pressure quickly jumps to max and the pump kicks off. That situation is called cycling and is hard on the pump.
A little portable air compressor can be used to pump new air into the pressure tank. I've even used a bicycle pump. It's a cheap and easy fix.

John is right on the money with his answer, just be careful if its an expansion tank with a diaphragm it does not require alot of air. Also if it is a diaphragm type of tank when you go to add air and if you get water out the air fill valve it means the diaphragm is split and needs a new tank.

Thanks for your answers, they are much appreciated.

This is not a problem that a home inspector should try to "fix" with a compressor or bicycle pump. It indicates a problem with the pressure system that could be caused by any number of things. Could be: 1) Leaking air valve on captive air tank; 2) Defective or plugged air admitance valve on well drop pipe or check valve; 3) Defective bladder or diaphram in captive air tank; 4) Defective or plugged air release valve on conventional pressure tank; 5) Defective pressure switch; 6) etc., etc., etc. This should be referred to a licensed water system professional.

Originally Posted by Ralph Holden

This is not a problem that a home inspector should try to "fix" with a compressor or bicycle pump. It indicates a problem with the pressure system that could be caused by any number of things. Could be: 1) Leaking air valve on captive air tank; 2) Defective or plugged air admitance valve on well drop pipe or check valve; 3) Defective bladder or diaphram in captive air tank; 4) Defective or plugged air release valve on conventional pressure tank; 5) Defective pressure switch; 6) etc., etc., etc. This should be referred to a licensed water system professional.

Mr Holden,

Don't worry, I am not going to repair this, simply provide direction to my client.

Sidney Alstad
RE/INSPEX