Plumbing Question...

TonyPa · Sat Apr 04, 2009 4:52 pm

I was just up at my MH, to drop some stuff off and change the locks. I know the maint. guy at the park fixed a water line, from the hot water tank in the back, going toward the front. Looks like a white pvc 1/2 inch line. I am gonna redo it, he has it laying across the ground...ugh!!
But anyhow. My bathroom, is at the back of the house. It has full pressure on both hot and cold sides in the bathroom. Shower, sink, toilet..All good!
However, the kitchen is at the very front of the house. And.....the hot side of the sink, nothing comes out, and the cold side, just runs out slowly. So basically, very low pressure to the cold side, and the hot does nothing at all. And ideas, before I start ripping all the insulation out of the belly of the MH?
There is a shut off vavler on the hot side, but none on the cold side. Just for extra info. Water meter, and incoming water main line is at the front...

Greg · Sat Apr 04, 2009 5:25 pm

I have to guess that there is some type of crud in the lines, I would bet on rust or lime. Check the lines at the faucet first, If there is nothing there, about all you can do is start at one end and check it at the next fitting towards pressure untill you find the blockage. I know it's not what you want to hear but....

When you redo the lines, use PEX, worth is's weight in gold!! Greg

TonyPa · Sat Apr 04, 2009 5:30 pm

Thanks. I dread tearing all that insualtion off. I am gonna pop the fittings at the faucets tomorrow. I dread this part. At least the bathroom is fine. I don't know why the plastic lines would cause this much trouble. But I never worked with plastic, or know the troubles they have.

Yanita · Sat Apr 04, 2009 7:21 pm

Hi Tony,

Check the aerators at the kitchen faucets and make sure none of the shut offs are in the off position.

Hmmm, what did I tell you about those maintenance men????

Yanita

TonyPa · Sun Apr 05, 2009 7:53 am

Yes my dear, you were ..."Right". Whatta bonehead! He changed the line coming out of the water tank, white pvc, and brought it down to the ground, and ran it towards, what looks like it goes up to the bathroom. I bet he never split it off to go to the kitchen now that I am thinking of it.
I see there was a slight leak at the shut off vavle though at the hot faucet side underneath the sink. I am gonna tear those faucets out today, since they need changed, and also put shut offs on, and see if thats the problem. Before I get underneath, and start tearing insualtion out....

Yanita · Sun Apr 05, 2009 9:30 am

Ummmm, LOL, you made my morning...it's tough around here to get my Hubby to say those words!

Ok, you know what you need to do. Living in PA you need to get those lines up under the insulation. Yup, shut offs, get them in place. Do not buy the plastic cheapies or you will be doing the job again, get the good ones.

When opening up the underbelly the neater you open it up the easier it will be to put back together. In our book's/parts link we have all the repair materials you will need.

Good luck...

Yanita

TonyPa · Sun Apr 05, 2009 4:54 pm

Thanks...."dear"...hehehe...I am just dreaind laying in the dirt, but it has to be done. I won't be going back up there for a few days. I need to get the electric turned on. It will be easier to work there with it on. I have to redo quite a few things he did. Sure doesn't seem to be very good, for doing it all his life.

Kent · Sun Apr 05, 2009 5:50 pm

Let me add one other thing for you to think about. In our house the water lines make a circle! It comes into the house at the west end, run along the South side "front" then turn and go to the kitchen and head west to the master bath! The shut off turns about 1/2 the valves off. The hot water runs the exact oppisate direction. So I know where you are coming from on that.

You may want to pull out the vavle stems in the valves that are not running in addition to checking the airators. I had a sink doing just what you describe in another house and found that when they did some plumbiing work they knocked enough crud loose that gathered in the vavle itself. Took the stems out and cleaned them and back to like new flow.

Yanita · Sun Apr 05, 2009 10:21 pm

Hey Tony,

I am to assume that your home does not have a vapor barrier? If not and if you don't know what I am talking about please start another thread about it and we can fill you in.

Yanita

TonyPa · Mon Apr 06, 2009 7:33 am

Thanks Kent. I know I am gonna spend some time on my back, trying to see which way the plumbing runs, and what they did. I appreciate the help. Mine may be run the same way as yours. I am sure they did the most of them the same way. I am going to take the one vavle off the hot side, and check it first, and then figure out why the cold is so low. I thought after all these years, i was really handy, with plumbing, electrical. etc. I even rewired my whole house that I am in, and did all the plumbing. i feel like I am learning all over again at 44 years old......

Yanita: A vapor Barrier? I am sure I don't have one. And I sure as heck have no idea what that is....LOL I will start another thread on that. There's all these new things I have to do. But I want to make sure I get everything done while the weather is nice over the summer. Once winter hits, I don't want to have any suprises...LOL