Use an air eliminator device to fix air bubbles in water or air coming out of faucets:

This article describes cures & devices for removing fine air bubbles in the building water supply, bubbles in hot water, or air discharge at plumbing fixtures.

After reminding you to make the correct diagnosis of the cause of air in the potable water supply, we list devices and approaches to removing it or preventing its entry in the first place. At page top: our photo shows fine air bubbles in the discharge at a sink faucet. These may be normal or they might indicate a problem.

This article series describes the causes of air discharging from building water supply piping or plumbing fixtures or the sources of excess air in water pressure tanks, water supply piping, or other plumbing fixtures.

Cures Air Bubbles in Water or Air Discharge Bursts at Plumbing Fixtures

Types of Air Eliminators for Potable Water Supply Systems

Reader Question: how to get rid of fine bubbles in water from a deep water well

We have very deep bedrock well - 385 ft deep. It produces 16 GPM. From the beginning the water has been full of small bubbles. I am almost certain the bubbles are not mechanically produced as they occur when water is drawn directly from the well manifold before reaching any of the faucets and filtration systems.

There are so many bubbles when water is drawn from the manifold it is milky white, not just cloudy. It takes well over a minute for a 20 OZ glass of water to clear.

When the bubbles dissipate the water is crystal clear. If I put my ear to the glass I can hear the effervescence of the bubbles releasing. I don't believe there is a problem with the pump. The water pressure is outstanding and the entire water system is new.

Again we have had this problem from the very beginning ~ 4 years ago. It seems most likely there are gases dissolved in the water under tremendous pressure and cold at 385 ft below surface.

The gas is not methane (won't ignite) and has no odor. It seems unlikely it is radon as we have been living here for 5 years with no ill effects. We have installed a pressure relief valve right after the manifold but I believe the water passing the valve does not have enough time for the gas to release at that point.

There is so much air/gas in the water that our toilet on the upper level of or home (highest release point) sputters as the gas is released through the toilet valve. Initially we thought the problem was related only to hot water but obviously the toilet does not run on hot water.

I have read that installing a "holding tank" for the bubbles to release before water enters the water system may be one solution. I'd like to avoid that if possible as I have limited space in my mechanical room. Would it make sense to install a pressure release valve at the upstairs toilet as that seems to be where the air pressure "wants" to release? Any other suggestions? 2016/06/08 Mike P

Reply: causes & cures of fine air bubbles in water from a deep well

Mike

I've seen these ultra-fine bubbles in water in both private wells and public water supplies, and it's a common problem discussed among well installers and plumbers.

When I see a murky white mist in the water supply at the tap, first I confirm that it's air, not sediment by filling a clear pitcher of water and watching to see the bubbles disappear. That may take time, from one to even five minutes or more.

Be sure to check out AIR DISCHARGE from HOT WATER .

Then,

Watch out: First be sure that we have correctly diagnosed the cause of fine air bubbles in the water supply or of air bursts or discharge at faucets or toilets or shower heads.

See AIR DISCHARGE at FAUCETS, FIXTURES where we list the causes of air in potable water piping or at fixtures - a problem that can occur on both well water systems and municipal water systems. Our photo above illustrates pinhole leaks in brass fittings on plastic water supply piping.

Your argument that bubbles come from dissolved gases is an interesting and credible one Mike and one that we need to discuss in more detail.

At GASES in WELL WATER we introduce the topic and list common gases (besides methane or radon) that may be in your well water.

At 450 feet we certainly could have gases in water that change from dissolved to bubble state when the water reaches the surface.

At any depth below about 30 feet the pressure is greater than 1 atmosphere and we begin to see problems with gases that are dissolved in water. SCUBA divers understand very well the problem of "the bends" - a dangerous illness that can occur when gases dissolved into the blood (from breathing pressurised air at depths below 30 feet) emerge when the diver ascends to the lower ambient pressure of the surface.

Pressure relief valves for air bubbles?

You suggested installing a pressure relief valve to address this problem in your plumbing system. A typical water system pressure relief valve shouldn't have any effect on the bubbles: that type of valve on a water system opens at pressures higher than the tank is intended to survive.

But your pump's pressure control switch is stopping the pump well before the water pressure exceeds the tank pressure (unless someone has done something unsafe and unusual). So a conventional water pressure relief valve or even a temperature/pressure relief valve won't act as an air eliminator.

Holding tanks for removing air bubbles?

A simple water pressure tank or water holding tank alone, without additional key devices, may accumulate air but eventually that accumulated air will reach enough pressure to emerge at plumbing fixtures where it can be annoying at best.

The holding tank solution presumes that water has enough time in the tank (basically a larger pressure tank) for gases to exit the water; older pressure tanks that use an air volume control rather than an internal bladder will release excess air (or gas) through the AVC automagically; newer water tanks that use an internal bladder will accumulate air until its pressure and volume send it out through the house piping.

Thence it's reaching and misbehaving at the toilet; you might also see air discharge at faucets as we discuss in the article above.

What we both should look for is a float-operated automatic air purger or a model of the Honeywell Spirovent that also purges air and may be longer-term more reliable. At a convenient location (or more than one if experience shows its needed) you'd install a tee in a horizontal line, a vertical riser pipe of a height that's convenient and fits - perhaps a foot or two - topped by the automatic air purger.

The principle is that actual air bubbles flowing along with water in the horizontal line will move up through the tee and out at the air purger.

Heating system type float valve or spiro-valve air purgers?

You can't use a standard heating system automatic air purger, as those valves typically tolerate pressures only up to 40 or 45 psi. So we need to find a model that operates in the pressure range of your water system, or perhaps between 20 psi and 80 psi as I doubt there's a home water system that should be operating at pressures higher than that.

Take a look at the Spirovent from Spirotherm, or their Spirotop, a solar application that is specifically designed to elminate micro bubbles. Spirotherm, Inc. The company's product literature doesn't seem to mention the PSI operating range. Some solar systems operate at relatively low pressure so the operating pressure range is a key question to ask. If this product isn't suitable and the company can't recommend one that is, we'll look further.

Heating system air purgers are needed to prevent loss of heat from air-bound heating piping or boilers, radiators, or baseboards. That's because a conventional hot water (hydronic) heating system circulator pump can't reliably push large boluses of air around through the loop of heating piping. Details about these devices are at AIR BLEEDER VALVES [for heating systems] - but that's not what you want for air in the potable water supply.

Devices & Suggestions for Air Elimination from the Potable Water Supply: get rid of unwanted bubbles or air bursts at fixtures

Above: an example of an air eliminator tank installation, adapted from Lancaster Water Treatment Company's instructions for their Model 230-1248 Air Eliminator Tank. Contact information is given just below.

• Air Elimination Tanks on Water Systems: A provider of the air eliminator tank you mentioned earlier (and don't want because of your space limitations) is Lancaster Water Treatment. But the tank and air elimination system can go almost anywhere on the main incoming water line that's downstream of the pressure tank, so perhaps it fits elsewhere for you.

  • Lancaster Water Treatment, CB Tool Co., 1340 Manheim Pike, Lancaster PA 17601, Tel: 717-397-3521, http://lancasterpump.com/ Original source: Model 230-1248 Air Eliminator Tank, lancasterpump.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/230-12481.pdf

Above: APCO's Combination Air Valve described just below.

• Air Elimination Valves, Float Valves, Vents: operating on several principles, the simplest of which is a vertical stand pipe and float vent, automatic valves can collect and vent air when properly located and mounted on building cold and/or hot water piping.
  
  Watch out: be sure to select an air elminator vent or float designed to operate at the temperature and pressure range of your water supply system. Some heating system low-pressure float vents operate only up to about 40 or 45 psi and would not be appropriate for a potable water supply air elimination device. But often those same companies can provide an air eliminator vent that is indeed suited for water supply systems.

  For an in-depth approach to the engineering behind and devices to correct finely entrained air bubbles in potable water I like to start at APCO's Air Valve Guide cited immediately below.
  You can contact the company directly at Apco / DeZurik / Williamette at 250 Riverside Ave. N. Sartell, Minnesota 56377, Phone: 320-259-2000., Website: www.dezurik.com

  • APCO's Air Valves, see APCO Air Valve Guide, original source: www.dezurik.com/files/3313/5731/8371/apco-air-valve-guide-610.pdf
    Above: we illustrate APCO's Combination Air Valve (ASU) capable of operating at pressures from 2 to 150 psi or 2 to 300 psi, and that the company describes as follows:
    
    APCO Single Body Combination Air Valves (ASU) can be used for clean or dirty services. The unique venting design provides varied and predictable air flow over a wide range of air release and air/vacuum conditions.
    
    A large diameter Air/Vacuum Disc provides high volume air flow for rapid venting during pipeline filling and allows high volumes of air to enter the pipeline during draining. During normal pipeline flow conditions, the dual-range air release design prevents air build up and resultant flow restrictions under changing conditions and through the full flow range.
  • Honeywell provides a Supervent (again designed for heating systems) for which we also need pressure information.
  • Spirotherm makes other air eliminators besides the type used on solar or hydronic heating sytems; they're worth asking. You want a Spirotherm rated for 150 psi - or something in that range.
    Spriotherm 25 N. Brandon Drive Glendale Heights, IL 60139 Tel.: 630-307-2662 Fax: 630-307-3773 Website: www.spirotherm.com E-mail: info@spirotherm.com
  • Taco whom we think of as a heating component supplier, has a Taco 4900 series vent rated up to 150 PSI and 240F.
  • FMC Technologies is another air eliminator source. FMC Technologies, 5875 N. Sam Houston Pkwy. W. , Houston TX 77086 Phone: (281) 591 4000
  • Other air eliminator providers: Webstone, Caleffi. But these too focus on heating systems.
• Microbubble air scrubbers & resorbers: Air comes out of suspension particularly at the water heater tank. So some plumbers put a microbubble resorber on the cold water line at the entry to the building and add an air outlet above the domestic hot water heating tank where dissolved gasses particularly come out of suspension in hot water.
  
  If you see more air in the hot water than cold this may be diagnostic.
  
  See details at AIR DISCHARGE from HOT WATER
• Snifter Valve + AVC systems: Older bladderless water pressure tanks used on a well with a submersible pump used a snifter valve system that both injected air into the water system at each pump on cycle (to maintain proper air charge in the pressure tank) and released excess air at the AVC at the end of the pump cycle.

Remove Air in the Water Supply or Find & Fix the Cause?

It's worth asking for help from an expert water supply systems plumber or well contractor to do what you can to find and fix any leak or mechanical problem before treating the remaining symptom with an air removing system.

I don't love the idea of leaving a leak in well piping or equipment to fester as I worry that it may grow in size and impact, being temporarily covered over by the "solution" we added-on to the system.

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Reader Q&A - also see RECOMMENDED ARTICLES & FAQs

Trouble with milky water from new submersible well pump

I just installed a new sumerged well pump, 135' deep shorted line 10 feet as had water at 60' and old line was muddy looking at bottom few feet, would get some mud from old pump at times, or residue not pure brown water.

installed new pump went from 3/4hp to 1 hp. hooked up and worked but here is where it get strange. the metal pipe with shut valve and pipe to bladder tank would shock me if I touched it.

Thought I had skinned wire putting it back in. pulled again. put new wire and water pipe. reconnected.. still would shock me. called a electrian freind. the pressure switch was not grounded. he connected a wire to ground and grounded to metal pipe and no more shock.

Thought all is well,,LOL

Water works good no problem, good pressure much better then before old pump died. but water in glass is milky. it is millions of tiny bubbles and will clear in few seconds, 10 or 15. taste fine.

Checked out side water outlet for hose. it is fine and no bubbles. this water comes from pvc pipe after bladder tank and off supply line that goes in whole house. but in sink it is milky, wife cant stand it and demands I fix it. took strainer out of fauct thought it could be that. but no difference. still milky.

in bathroom sink same. odd the bath tub is not as bad. toilet is clear but think bubble leave out of holding tank. so not fair check
the system has a pressure bladder tank, then to a water filter, 2 upright round cylinder tanks with a timer for a back wash (was in house when bought house

but did not work and would manual move timer to make it back flush. ) when has shocking problem and grounded pressure swtich timer started working and was back flushing 1 time a day. I disconnected it. thought that was the problem. did not help.

water then goes to hot water heater and cold out to house.
what is causing this.?

not a suction leak as it is a submerged pump. why would start after new pump? no leaks in pumping that I see. driving me crazy i could live with it, but wife said fix it or else LOL On 2017-04-11 by Tim

by (mod) - shocking new well pump installation

Tim

This wiring sounds dangerous to me, risking death by electrocution. If you were getting shocked by a pump circuit and stopped getting shocked once the circuit was "grounded" that is NOT a proper electrical repair, though it was an important safety improvement.

Whatever live current was finding its way through you to earth (shocking you ) might now be finding its way to earth through the grounding conductor - NOT a wire that should normally be carrying current - shock risks remain.

(I suspect mis-wiring or shorted neutral wiring but can't possibly know by e-text).

Even in water-tight piping we sometimes see fine air bubbles ascribed to agitation (or perhaps a pump impeller) that dissipate after a minute or two. Usually in cold water that problem disappears.

Air bursts coming out of plumbing, & my well pump won't shut off

I have a 3/4 Hp 120v single line shallow well pump for my house. The well head is located about 50ft from pump. I also have a well mate water pressure tank with good pressure in it. I have live in this house for 3 years and have had no problems with water supply or pressure to the house. I have check the pump pressures in the past being 30psi for pump to turn on and 53psi to turn off pump.

I can hear the pump run while taking a shower as its just on the other side of the wall. and normally the pump will run once and shut off while the shower is still running. It was normal up until 2 days ago.

Now my pump with come on and will not shut off while the shower is running. Also I am getting air busts out of every fixture. I have turned down the off pressure to the pump to 45psi and this seems to help sum. I can hear the pump cavitating and the cavitation and air busts seam to be worse the higher the pressure goes higher.

I have a check valve in the supply line to the pump about 10inchs from the pump. I have no drop in pressure after 4hrs of running no water. My question is where is the air coming from? Could my pump be going bad and cavitating that much air into my system?

Or does there have to be an air hole in my pipe somewhere between my pump and foot valve? or could my well low on water? How do I diagnose this problem? - Thanks Derek

Reply: deteriorated well flow rate, well piping leak, or other?

Derek, regarding your question about well pump not shutting off:

The air bursts coming out of your plumbing suggest that either the well flow rate has deteriorated (the pump is getting ahead of the rate at which water flows into the well) or there is a leak in the well piping (air leaks into the piping when the pump is not running).

If it were a pipe leak and given you've got a one-line jet pump, you might eventually find the pump loses prime and you get no water at all (don't let the pump keep running dry or it may be damaged).

But unfortunately I suspect that the well flow rate has deteriorated.

Check to see if the water pressure continues to drop after the pump has turned itself off and when you are NOT running more water in the house. If so there's a leak in the piping or a bad check valve or foot valve.

Take a look at our diagnostic suggestions at WATER PUMP WONT STOP RUNNING

If not, bad news, lost well water.

Air discharge in plumbing traced to well piping leaks

I got same problem last time it turned out to be leak in the threads on the pipe between he well and intake side of my pump having problems again about a month still cant figure it out might have to call a well pro. - Shu

Reply:

Thanks Shu. Indeed leaks in well piping between the well and the building can introduce air into the piping. We've added this tip to our sources of air discharge at fixtures.

We have air in our water but the technician says nothing's wrong

I have water treatment equipment and have been experencing air in the water. Our technician looked at the system an said nothing was wrong. We had a plumber look at our water pump. He couldnt find anything wrong and suggested we turn the water treatment system off for a few days.

We did this and had no problems with air in the water. After 3 days we turned the water treatment system back on and started having air in the water again. Also now we have experienced our water turning dark pink/purple from the chemicals in the water

It takes an hour running the water to get clear water. Our technician insists it is not the water treatment system. Does anyone know what coud be wrong?

This problem with air in the water only happens at night after midnight. Never during the day. 20 January 2015 Lisa

Reply: look for a leak in water piping between pressure tank and foot valve

I would be looking for a leak in the water system piping, often between the water pressure tank and the well foot valve.

One could ask if there is not a leak in well piping somewhere. Watch for a drop in water pressure when the pump is not running and no water is being used in the home.

 

Thank you to our readers for their generous comments

I couldn't have asked for a better or more complete diagnostic of my problem concerning air escaping my fixtures. I now have an excellent guide from my shallow well and submersible pump through the pneumatic pump tank and to the fixures. Thanks for the education. (Nov 15, 2012) Jim Rotella said:

Just wanted to say what a well written article this is. Get it? "Well" written! Thanks! (Apr 21, 2015) Wayne

Awesome site! On 2015-10-13 by Here We Go Again

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Continue reading at AIR DISCHARGE at FAUCETS, FIXTURES or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.

Or see AIR DISCHARGE at FIXTURES FAQs - questions & answers about air sputtering at faucets or other plumbing fixtures

Or see these

Recommended Articles

• AIR DISCHARGE at FAUCETS, FIXTURES
• AIR OVERCHARGE in PRESSURE TANK
• AIR DISCHARGE from HOT WATER
• BURST BLADDER in WATER TANK
• CHECK VALVE FAILURES
• LEAKS in WELL PIPING
• LOSS of WATER in the WELL
• DAMAGED WELL PUMP
• AIR VOLUME CONTROL DEFECT
• GASES in WELL WATER
• WATER TREATMENT EQUIPMENT
• OTHER SOURCES of AIR in WATER PIPES
• AIR ELIMINATORS for POTABLE WATER SUPPLIES
• AIR INLET VALVES
• AIR VOLUME CONTROLS, WATER TANK
• SNIFTER & DRAIN BACK VALVES

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