air in plumbing after power outage

[RustyShackleford]

I'm gonna feel stupid when somebody tells me why, but ...

We've had a few power outages recently, and I've noticed that in the aftermath there's a fair amount of air in the pipes (lotsa "sputtering" from faucets). But I've got no plumbing leaks anywhere. Where's the air coming from ?

I'm on a well, about 100ft deep with a nearly-new submersible Grundfos pump. Last I checked, the 30+ year old pressure tank seems intact - with a hosebib running full blast, the pump cycles every minute or so. I've got a tank-style water heater (two of 'em in fact) with no expansion tanks (since I have a well pressure tank).

Could it be the backflow preventer valve (between the pipe from the well and the pressure tank) is the culprit ?

 

[bogieb]

I really don't know about your particular issue, but when I was on a well, our pressure tank went after 20 years, so you might want to think about replacing soon.

 

[Whitenuckler]

I'm gonna feel stupid when somebody tells me why, but ...

We've had a few power outages recently, and I've noticed that in the aftermath there's a fair amount of air in the pipes (lotsa "sputtering" from faucets). But I've got no plumbing leaks anywhere. Where's the air coming from ?

I'm on a well, about 100ft deep with a nearly-new submersible Grundfos pump. Last I checked, the 30+ year old pressure tank seems intact - with a hosebib running full blast, the pump cycles every minute or so. I've got a tank-style water heater (two of 'em in fact) with no expansion tanks (since I have a well pressure tank).

Could it be the backflow preventer valve (between the pipe from the well and the pressure tank) is the culprit ?

Have you run every fixture until all the air was out of that pipe? I can't think of any way to get air in. Is there a foot valve down at the pump?
Edit: If it only happens after a power outage, that could indicate a leaky check valve. I'd replace that and see if the original can be cleaned. I am assuming there is a foot valve at the pump level? Is the pressure switch that runs the pump on the expansion tank?
Edit 2- Does the pump run (or would you be able to tell ?) if no water is being used? As someone else said, if for some reason a fixture was turned on after a power outage that would do it and that would be normal.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

How much air? Is it at all the faucets or just a couple? Is it purged quickly or does it take a while to be run out?

 

[Dieselhead]

Only things I can think of is what you mentioned, or someone was using the water past the power outage without (or with) knowledge of it happening. That will drain the pressure tank and pipes. If nobody used water after the power went out I’d suspect the one way valve.

 

[RustyShackleford]

Thanks for the ideas, need to do more research.

Definitely possible someone used water after the power went out, in fact I believe wife was running bath for grandkids when power went out.

Can't really say which faucets were involved. Definitely sputtering at a faucet far removed from bathtub.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

If water level went down in the pipes. The vacuum could/would pull air in. The question is how much.

If the leaks are faucet valves, they’ll spot the air out quick. If the leak is far back in the line, it could go for a while until all the air is out.

 

[johneh]

If you have no leaks from the pressure tank to the outlets, and the well pipe is not
Leaking in the casing, then the pressure loss is at the pump . The vacuum caused by the
water escaping into the well will draw air into the lines past the valves
At 20 years of age, your tank may need replacement. You can tell if the pump cycles often,
the tank needs air put into it, unless it is a bladder type and water has leaked past the bladder

 

[gthomas785]

How many stories is your house?

This happens at my house any time we lose water pressure. Someone opens a downstairs faucet and the water running out pulls the upstairs plumbing into a vacuum. Someone opens an upstairs faucet and air goes in.