Low H20 flow after main was turned off


  #1  
Old 10-17-02, 09:59 PM
Mirylee
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Low H20 flow after main was turned off


When my water heater needed replacing, the tech had to turn off the main. He suggested that due to rust breaking off, a slowdown in a faucet could happen. It did. The faucet to the tub now only trickles water. It takes 20 minutes to fill up even 4 inches in the tub! The shower head works fine, though. What can be done to re-establish good water flow to the tub?
 
  #2  
Old 10-17-02, 10:51 PM
plumbguy
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Is a total re-pipe an option? Sounds like its time.
 
  #3  
Old 10-18-02, 02:50 AM
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Cool

What brand and type of faucet do you have?
It probably is a partial clog in a diverter.
If you have good pressure in the shower, then it must be in the faucet itself.
Mike
 
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Old 10-18-02, 10:35 AM
Mirylee
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re: installing all new piping

How expensive is re-installing new pipes?
 
  #5  
Old 10-18-02, 10:38 AM
Mirylee
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clogged faucet

I thought that it was a clogged faucet. We took off the tub's faucet and tried to insert a snake to clean the pipe. The snake would not make the sharp twists and turns in the water's pathway. How can I clean it out?
 
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Old 10-18-02, 12:52 PM
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Cool

Mirylee,
The part that is clogged is in the faucet body, not the tub spout, which apparently is what you removed.
It will be in the valve(s) or diverter. What brand? Single-handle? Double-handle?
If you have good water pressure everywhere except the tub spout, then it is probably a partial clog in the diverter of the faucet.
Let us know the specifics about the brand and type of faucet, and we can help you.
Mike
 
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Old 10-18-02, 07:49 PM
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One faucet, forget the repipe.....

Turn the hot water off at the tank, remove the hot water stem, turn cold water stem on, faucet will flush itself out through the hot water side. It will be messy, but fun to watch someone else do this. Reinstall hot stem and turn water back on to heater, give tub a test flight.
 
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Old 10-18-02, 08:46 PM
plumbguy
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Exactly my point, When you have to take a 1000 step process
to pamper the plumbing then its time to go..
 
  #9  
Old 10-19-02, 12:30 PM
Mirylee
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type and brand of this here tub faucet

Hey, "Old Guy," (Mike),

The tub faucet is a three-handle compression stem. One handle for hot, one for cold and one is the shower diverter. The only piece of the system that has any indication as to the brand is the tub drain cover plate, which has a "P.-P." on it.
Mirylee
 
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Old 10-19-02, 02:47 PM
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Thumbs up Pull the divereter

Take out the diverter and turn on both water faucets, this will clear the debris form the valve.
Ultimately the plumbing is going bad but repalcing it will be labor intensive therefore costly.
The pipe itself is less than $100 for most homes.
My house needs a water main (the rest of the house was already done when I moved in) but it will have to wait till I have the time to dig up the front yard and repalce the pipe.
Water main will cost $30.00 in materials, to pay a plumber would cost $500+
 
 

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