Lose pressure when flushing toilet or using hose on well


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Old 01-24-14, 10:06 AM
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Lose pressure when flushing toilet or using hose on well

We moved into this house a few years ago, and the problem has existed since we moved in.

If I flush a toilet or turn on a hose (or run washer or dishwasher), I lose ALL water pressure (both hot and cold) at showers and sinks in my house. I can run multiple normal faucets and showers together though, and only lose a small amount of pressure.

The interesting thing though is that my pressure gauge doesn't budge at all when I flush a toilet or turn the hose on. This tells me that the problem isn't with the pump or the expansion tank. Correct?

Is it just bad plumbing? i.e., too many lines splitting off the same 3/4" main line feeding the house.

After the pressure gauge/switch, the hose lines split off, then it goes to a water softener. From there it branches off several places (kitchen, downstairs bath, laundry, and two upstairs bathrooms).

Any ideas?

Thanks...
 
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Old 01-24-14, 10:22 AM
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I think you are right. If your pressure gauge isn't moving it suggests a restriction somewhere in the cold lines after your pressure gauge. Since it's also affecting your hot water the problem is probably somewhere before the heater. It could be your water softener or a valve or fitting that is partially clogged with debris.

How old is the house? What are the pipes made of? If the house is older and has steel pipes they can corrode over time. Rust grows thicker and thicker on the inside of the pipe gradually cutting down on the flow.
 
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Old 01-24-14, 11:30 AM
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Do you have a water filter in line somewhere and if so, have you changed it lately.
 
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Old 01-24-14, 01:10 PM
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It was build in 1978. All copper pipes. No water filters.
 
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Old 01-24-14, 05:22 PM
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bignateyk

...The interesting thing though is that my pressure gauge doesn't budge at all when I flush a toilet or turn the hose on. This tells me that the problem isn't with the pump or the expansion tank. Correct?...
I would make sure that gauge isn’t broken. I had one that just stuck at 40 psi and it threw me off on a tangent. You could close the shut-off valve (I assume you have one) to your house after the pressure tank and also shut off your pump, and then drain some water from the pressure tank. The gauge should definitely move if it is not stuck. Just a thought.
 
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Old 01-25-14, 06:05 AM
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Try putting the water softener into bypass and see if that affects your problem.
 
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Old 01-27-14, 05:47 AM
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It was the water softener. I put some Iron Out into the brine well and ran it through two manual recharge cycles and my flow rate went from about 1-2gpm up to 11-12gpm.

The thing I don't understand is why our hose flow rate increased so dramatically. The hose/frost frees all branch off before the water softener, so why would a clogged water softener affect the flow rate of my hoses?
 
 

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