Only Air Coming out of Hot Water

[deceived]

Greetings,

I'll try to keep this brief, but some background is in order.

Our area of the midwest has been going through an extreme drought over the past 3 months. Subsequently, our century old spring fed well pretty much dried up. The little that we were getting was discolored and had sediment. We've been hauling water, and I finally decided to have a tanker truck deliver water to us this week.

I already removed the aerators last week to clear the sediment out of them. The cold water was flowing fine, however, the hot water was maybe about 1/4 pressure of the hot water. Today I decided to flush the hot water heater to remove any sediment there. I followed the instructions for this on the Natural Handiman site, but these same instructions are all over the net as well.

We successfully drained the water, and had it fill up again with cold water. Only problem is, when we turn on our faucets now, all we are getting is a lot of air. Eventually the air pressure disapates, but no water.

If the only hot water knob is turned on with my faucet, only air. If only cold water knob is turned on with my faucet, full pressure. If hot water knob and cold water knob both turned on, I'm at 1/2 pressure/flow.

I've turned the hot water output off, and then back on. Turned the hot water heater back on at the circuit breaker box, but still nothing. I also checked the pressure valve on the hot water heater, and there is definitely pressure when I gently disengage the pin. This morning I'm shutting off the water supply to the house and bleeding the pipes that way. I'll post back if that helps.

Anyone have an idea on how I can fix this problem? At least to get us back to where we were before with the pressure?

Thank you in advance.

 

[speedbump]

When you drained the water heater, you filled it with air. You have to let the hot faucet run until all the air is out of the heater. Then the water will follow, unless you have some kind of filter behind the heater or in front of it that is clogged. I don't know anyone that has ever done that, but stranger things have been known to happen.

I hope you didn't turn the electric back on if it is in fact an electric heater; before the tank was nearly full. That can take out the electrode/s in a big hurry.

 

[deceived]

When you drained the water heater, you filled it with air. You have to let the hot faucet run until all the air is out of the heater. Then the water will follow, unless you have some kind of filter behind the heater or in front of it that is clogged. I don't know anyone that has ever done that, but stranger things have been known to happen.

I hope you didn't turn the electric back on if it is in fact an electric heater; before the tank was nearly full. That can take out the electrode/s in a big hurry.

Hi Speedbump,

Thanks for the response! I did leave the hot water faucets open (for up to 2 hours), but no water ever came out. You hear the air, then the air disapates, but water does not follow.

As for the electric, I only turned it back on after the tank would have filled back up with cold water.

Any other ideas?

 

[havasu]

When filling the water heater, the way I found which works best is to use the TP&R valve to bleed out all of the air before firing up the water heater. If this valve if faulty, you will be sucking air into the tank and out to the faucet.

 

[speedbump]

If this valve if faulty, you will be sucking air into the tank and out to the faucet.

I don't see how the valve could draw air if there is pressure on the system. It should leak outward instead.

I don't see how you can have cold water without having hot unless something is plugged up between the heater and the faucet your using. It could be the faucet itself that's plugged on the hot side.

 

[havasu]

Speed, I apologize, you are correct. (Teach me for juggling two forums at once!) Yes, something is preventing the flow of hot water to the sinks.

 

[speedbump]

No problem, I have brain farts all the time!

 

[havasu]

Wait until you get old!

 

[deceived]

Hello again. Thanks for the responses.

I doubt the issue is at the faucets. As I mentioned, I removed the aerators, cold water works fine. Could be an issue with the cartridge, but probably not, because the hot water pipe coming out of the furnace was cold even with the water heated. Which leads me to believe that water isn't even getting out of water heater. What I will do is take the hot water supply line off the bathroom sink tomorrow and see if I can get any water flow out of that. If so, then its an issue with the cartridge being clogged.

Do you all suggest that I drain the unit again, leave the valve open, then close it after its done filling and try again if that doesn't work?

Thanks.

 

[Mr_David]

Start at the source
Let's make sure the heater is full of water
Sometimes the nipples on the inlet/outlet are choked with scale.
This will cause the heater to refill exceptionally slow
Disconnect the outlet side of the heater. If needed attach a hose to it and turn on the water.
Do you have plenty of water volume flowing from the heater or air

Opening the t&p can sometimes cause them to leak

 

[speedbump]

Wait until you get old!

I am old, that's why I have the brain farts.

I agree, start at the source. There is no sense in tearing everything apart from the end back if the source is the problem.

 

[deceived]

Sorry for the delay in response. I have a family emergency that's come up. I hope to look more at this issue on Monday or Tuesday. Thanks again for your help

 

[Mr_David]

Hope all is well with your Family

Greetings,

I've turned the hot water output off, and then back on. Turned the hot water heater back on at the circuit breaker box, but still nothing.

You may have burned out your heating element.

I also checked the pressure valve on the hot water heater, and there is definitely pressure when I gently disengage the pin.

Pressure does not mean the tank is full of water. Could be just air pressure. Unless water is coming out the faucet then there is still air in the tank

This morning I'm shutting off the water supply to the house and bleeding the pipes that way. I'll post back if that helps.

This wont resolve it

Because the air pressure coming out of faucet"Eventually disapates" could be caused by a very tiny hole in the scale build up inside the hot oulet nipple on the WH.

 

[deceived]

Hello All,

Sorry its been almost a month since I've posted. Life is finally getting back to some kind of normal.

In the end, we had a plumber come out and replaced the hot water heater. There was extreme sediment buildup in the bottom of the tank (it took over 2 days to fully drain the water out of it). That may or may not have caused the original issue, but given that the hot water tank was 16 years old, and that we are planning on putting the house on the market this spring, we figured its best to replace at this time.

Normally I'm a bit more on top of these types of things, but we got hit with number of big issues all at once, including our family cat being put down because of cancer, a house in disarray for a week because the carpet installers canceled and rescheduled a week later (it was so much fun sleeping on the sofa in the kitchen), car engine issues, a failed spring fed well, and sick children. Things aren't quite back to normal, but slowly getting there.

Hopefully next time there's a home repair issue, I'll be able to take care of it on my own, but this time around it just made more sense to call a pro.

Thanks again for your time, and perhaps I'll be here again when I start trying to fix my toilet after the holidays.

 

[havasu]

Deceived, Thanks for the update. We'll be here to help you with fixing your toilet, and hopefully your life will get back to some normalcy soon. Happy Holidays!