# Dirt in water lines after main replacement



## titan7 (Aug 26, 2010)

So plumber replaces our main supply line from meter. He turns on the water and is going in go flush any dirt out via the hose bib in the front of the house. As my dear wife hears the water come on she decides to turn the downstairs bathroom faucet on, I she comes outside and asks why dirt and muddy h2o is coming out. Plumbers said [email protected]@@!!!. So we are not getting h20 in inside as I guess rather than flushing out the dirt at the hose bib she sucked the dirt into the house. Its6pm and he can't come back till Monday. He said we may have to remove all hoses to all angles stops and remove any dirt. I get good pressure at that faucet downstairs bathroom now drained a lot of dirt. Got that toilet working by draining and cleaning out the valve but it's not filling as fast as it did before. Upstairs tub works fine, was a lot of brown water and sand at first. Have not turned on the other fixtures. 

What a mess. The hot water side seems to have more pressure. Both front and backyard hose bibs have good pressure. Plumber said something about flushing the water heater? Should I drain the hoses on each of the fixtures and run them into a bucket? Upstairs we have 3 sinks and two toilets, one shower, and one tub/shower. No water was coming out of the upstairs sinks or shower. Did not try the toilets upstairs. Kitchen sink was not working either. 

I figure if this is simply disconnecting the lines at the fixture and flushing into a bucket I could do that. Not sure if there is some special sequence you have to do?? 

Thank for any advice.


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## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

Drain/flush the water heater first----run all bath tubs and hose bibs next---they have large valves and no aerators 

Next move on to the sinks---you may wish to remove the water lines from the faucet and flush into a bucket---toilets might need new guts--and a shut off or two might need to be changed---remove all aerators before flushing faucets---

If there is a lot of mud--this may take a while----


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## Ishmael (Apr 24, 2007)

The time to flush it would have been after the connections were made outside/underground, and before the new water service was connected to your water main inside the house. But what's done is done.


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

She was only trying to help. 

Sand dropping out in the water heater is how I discovered they work real well for a sediment tank at the well. It's been there since 1984 doing a real good job.


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## Ghostmaker (Mar 2, 2013)

Remove the aerators on all your faucets and flush the line. Hopefully the plumber did not put small rocks in his replacement line.


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## TheEplumber (Jul 20, 2010)

Don't forget to clean the screens in your washing machine inlets


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## titan7 (Aug 26, 2010)

Thx, so before I start on the water heater flushing, couple concerns. It's about 20 yrs old, I have never flushed it, it's never been a problem. I read there is a high likelihood of causing problems with it due to flushing it? I guess if there is a issue there is nothing I can do about it as whats done is do.

So I will turn off the gas, 
Turn off the cold supply at the heater
Open the hot water side of a sink up stairs
hook up the hose and turn the valve on and hope it does not break. 
After it is empty, turn the cold supply back on and let drain until clear.

Correct?

After this I need to clear the other angle stops and lines between the fixture and the angle stop?

Thank you


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## AllanJ (Nov 24, 2007)

You turned on the inside faucets too soon. It's worse with a hot faucet turned on because then the mud gets into the hot water pipes too.

If you let things settle down with no water use for several hours, you can then drain out most of the mud that got into the water heater together with any sediment already there.

To prevent self destruction of the water heater in case you lose track and let it drain too long using gravity draining, turn off the water heater heat before you start the draining process. Wait until everything is done and water is gushing out of a hot faucet upstairs before turning the heat back on.

Even if you flushed out most of the mud through the garden hose bibbs there will still be a small amount of mud brought into the house. Most of that which got into the water heater will settle down to the bottom awaiting the next sediment draining/flushing session perhaps six months from now.

The flushing will go faster if you first unscrew the aerators from the sink faucets and remove the shower heads together with (red?) plastic water saver restrictors and also any external shower/hand sprayer selector valve.


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## titan7 (Aug 26, 2010)

Pressure relief valve on the water heater is frozen, can't get it to move. Wait for plumber to Handel the WH flush tomorrow? Now I am afraid the plastic drain valve could brae and then I am really screwed until tomorrow,


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## titan7 (Aug 26, 2010)

Well it opened and water is coming out, problem is it will not stop


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## jmon (Nov 5, 2012)

Did you turn off main water going into it?

You mean the drain valve at the bottom will not stop or pressure relief valve will not stop? Problem with plastic drain valves is they don't work well.

It may be best to wait for the plumber as you have suggested. At 20 years old, it's too risky. He'll probably have a new drain/tpr valve he can throw on so you won't be out of luck if it won't shut off. Just a suggestion.









Drain.









temperature pressure relief valve


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## SHR Plumber (Aug 20, 2013)

TheEplumber said:


> Don't forget to clean the screens in your washing machine inlets


Hey! Quit giving _all_ the secret information out. I have made lots of money changing out clothes washing machine screened hose washers when they have clogged for various reasons.


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## Marqed97 (Mar 19, 2011)

We just went through this. They capped a main at the end of my block for road construction. When they turned it back on we got nothing but silt for a long time. My wife flushed the toilet and it scared the hell out of her...huge air pocket came In, destroyed the full valve, and the tank began overflowing. By the time she got it turned off it was raining in the kitchen. I was not a happy camper.


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## titan7 (Aug 26, 2010)

Ok update. The pressure relief valve is toast, I opened the hot water side of the upstairs sink and the water stopped. The drain valve works, I am about halfway empty on draining the tank, 30 out of 50 gals out, the water looks clear???? 

So when it's empty do I turn on the cold supply to the water heater and keep draining while it's filling???


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## titan7 (Aug 26, 2010)

I guess I am asking to flush the water heater don't I have to turn the supply back on with the drain/hose attached? I am surprised I have not seen dirt, perhaps the last 5-10 gals will be different.

I will have the plumber install a new PRV tomorrow also.


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## jmon (Nov 5, 2012)

Yes. Correct, turn the water back on and let it run until clear. The closer you get to the bottom, the more debris you'll see.


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## Javiles (Dec 12, 2011)

First off id be very pissed at these plumbers very poor workmanship who does that, if your careful and work cleanly you should not have a bit of dirt in that line and as mentioned before, the line should be flushed before the last connection going into the home, whats the inspector saying about this, let me guess no permit, and if so the problem is getting fixed now not monday or guess whos not getting paid. if any of my guys pulled something like this they'd be fired on the spot. the wife is not to blame or responsible for anything. the plumber are suppose to be the professionals and avoid foreseeable problems.


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## titan7 (Aug 26, 2010)

Would have pulled a permit, however, we had no water since last Sunday, plumber could not get out until Thursday, City Building Dept, closed on Friday, and the plumber would need to leave everything open until inspection done, which meant dead lawn, weekend without water and as always more cost. Not to mention I work. I agree permits are the way to go on planned projects, but is this situation we did not have the time. Funny they could not come out today so it's a good thing I did not wait. 


So I have flushed the water heater 4 times, still getting some stuff in the bucket. Remember this is a 20 yr water heater so I am sure some of stuff was already in there. 

Remaining questions/issues:

1. Downstairs toilet still filling slower than before, it's in the same bathroom as the faucet that was first turned on. I am guessing the fill valve is shot? Any other troubleshooting tips here? 

2. I disconnected all the supply hoses to all fixtures and drained them into a white bucket all had small amount of dirt. Except the dishwasher line. I was not going to pull the dishwasher out so I disconnected the supply line at the angle stop and attached another hose and drained the line. Did not get really anything coming out.

3. Now the pressure relief valve on the water heater leaking a little as is the white plastic drain valve at the bottom of the water heater. I know the pressure valve can be replaced, not sure about the drain? Perhaps a new water heater is needed?

Wow, what a pain.


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

If you cap the dripping drain valve your tank will have just joined the ranks of several thousands of dripping drain valve tanks. A plastic garden hose cap with a garden hose gasket from most hardware stores will do it.


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## jmon (Nov 5, 2012)

Sorry for all the trouble you' re having.

In regards to slow filling toilet, change fill valve with new fluid master. About 8 dollars, available at any big box store.

In regards to hwh, fairview's idea is a good one. Yes that plastic drain can be replaced with a threaded 3/4 inch brass boiler valve or ball valve. About 8 dollars, available at any big box store. Tpr can be replaced as well. Start budgeting for new hwh. Just a suggestion.


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## titan7 (Aug 26, 2010)

Fairview said:


> If you cap the dripping drain valve your tank will have just joined the ranks of several thousands of dripping drain valve tanks. A plastic garden hose cap with a garden hose gasket from most hardware stores will do it.


Thanks, will try that, assume the pressure relief valve is toast so I can replace that also. So honestly should I just replace the water heater? Cost isn't an issue it's never pinged etc, but I would hate to go through all this and have it start leaking or something considering it's age.

The toilet is a toto with a GMax valve, I will replace it but it just seems like the pressure coming out of that angle stop is not as high as everywhere else?


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

titan7 said:


> Thanks, will try that, assume the pressure relief valve is toast?


If it leaks it's toast. 

In my opinion the PRV should be tested as a regular household test just a smoke/fire detectors are. Yes they regularly leak after testing and of course are not to be capped / plugged as the drain valve can be. I keep a new PRV in my plumbing supplies just for that reason.

Do I test it annually, no but I should. Shame on me.


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## jmon (Nov 5, 2012)

titan7 said:


> So honestly should I just replace the water heater? Cost isn't an issue it's never pinged etc, but I would hate to go through all this and have it start leaking or something considering it's age.


Yes, i agree with you. Good decision. Replace it. With over 20 years of service it's too risky. Knowing your luck, you'll get everything all fixed up and the tank will start leaking next month.

Fortunately, they are not that expensive. They have 50 gal hwh at lowes for 499.


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## titan7 (Aug 26, 2010)

Thanks.


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## titan7 (Aug 26, 2010)

Ok back to the downstairs toilet, so I have cleared all the lines and no dirt is coming out. I replaced the fill valve on the toilet but I am still not getting the same water pressure I had before all of this started. The two upstairs toilets, are filling much faster, all three are Toto Drakes. To give you an idea, the downstairs toilet is taking 1 min, 47 seconds to fill. The 2 upstairs toilets fill in 41 seconds. 

Any other suggestions??


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