Trapped air in your water pipes can cause noisy plumbing, reduced water pressure, and even prevent appliances from working correctly. Fortunately, removing this air is often a simple DIY task.
The Simple Solution: Flushing Your Pipes
The most effective method to remove air from your water pipes involves a systematic flushing process. Follow these steps:
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Turn Off Your Main Water Supply: Locate your main water shutoff valve and turn it completely off. This prevents further water entry while you work. This crucial first step, as highlighted by multiple sources (https://www.gallegosplumbing.com/blog/2021/november/how-to-remove-air-from-your-water-pipes/, https://www.cinchhomeservices.com/faq-library/-/faq/how-to-remove-air-from-home-water-lines, https://www.horizonservices.com/about-us/blog/how-to-remove-trapped-air-from-your-pipes/), ensures the process is safe and effective.
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Open All Faucets: Turn on all faucets throughout your house, including those for hot and cold water. Also, flush all toilets. This allows air to escape more easily. Multiple sources recommend this (https://www.gallegosplumbing.com/blog/2021/november/how-to-remove-air-from-your-water-pipes/, https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/t5/Bathroom-and-Laundry/How-to-remove-air-in-water-line/td-p/155095, https://www.reddit.com/r/Plumbing/comments/148gki7/air_in_lines_after_hot_water_heater_replacement/).
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Wait for Faucets to Run Dry: Allow the water to run from all open faucets until a consistent stream of water flows, indicating that the air has been purged. This might take several minutes. (https://www.gallegosplumbing.com/blog/2021/november/how-to-remove-air-from-your-water-pipes/)
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Turn the Main Water Supply Back On: Once the faucets are running consistently, turn your main water shutoff valve back on.
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Turn All Faucets Off: Close all faucets in the reverse order you opened them.
Specific Situations
- New Hot Water Heater: After a hot water heater installation, air pockets are common. Open the hot water faucet furthest from the heater first to help bleed the air. (https://www.quora.com/How-do-I-go-about-letting-air-out-of-my-pipes-I-had-a-hot-water-heater-installed-yesterday-and-now-I-hear-something-loud-as-the-water-spits-out-It-is-scary-Please-help)
If the problem persists after trying this method, you may need to call a qualified plumber.
