What is an Air Lock in Plumbing?

Air locks are obstructions in your piping system. They form when pockets of air build up inside of them. Because air is lighter than the liquid it is surrounded by, it can incorporate smaller bubbles of air, making the air pocket larger and more difficult to pass. The resulting obstruction prevents the liquid from moving through the system. This type of blockage is common in hot water pipes and is especially likely to occur if you have drained your water heater recently. An air lock in your plumbing system is the main cause of water spouts. When the valve is fully opened, water will either sputter out of the pipe or will not flow at all. It is especially common in hot water spouts, but it can also affect mixed faucets as well. To determine whether you have air lock problems, you must call a plumber to inspect your piping system. An air lock can be tricky to remove without a plumber’s help. It may take anywhere from three seconds to a minute to unblock. In one case, a Manchester emergency plumber called Martin Smith went to a mansion house to address a leak in the mansion’s plumbing system. Within two minutes, the plumber had cleared the airlock and the water flowed in two minutes. To avoid this type of plumbing emergency, call a plumber immediately. Another way to break an air lock is by opening all faucets at once. This will generate augmented pressure in the pipes, shaking out the air lock. To test this method, open all sink faucets and showerheads simultaneously. This method may take a few minutes, but if it works on one pipe, it will work for all pipes. When it’s done, the water flow will be normal. After a few minutes, the air lock should be removed. When this problem occurs, the water flow through the pipes slows down or stops completely. The problem may be related to low hot water pressure. When the water pressure in the pipes is low, the water doesn’t reach the faucets. In addition to slowing down the flow of water, the hot water in the pipes is not flowing as it should. If you’re experiencing regular air locks in your pipes, you need to consider calling a plumbing company to repair them. An air lock occurs when gas is more dense than water and prevents liquid from flowing. The first sign of an air lock is difficulty in getting water out of the faucet. Even when the faucet is fully opened, water may still sputter or stop flowing. In addition, hot water may run cold, but not hot. If the water is flowing in the wrong direction, you should have the problem fixed right away. If this happens, you should call a plumber immediately. The easiest way to fix an air lock is to drain the system. This is easy to do, and involves shutting off the water supply to your pipes. To drain your entire plumbing system, you should turn on all of the taps, starting with the topmost ones. After a while, you should be able to see no water coming out of any tap and the lowest one is dripping. That’s when you know you’ve solved your problem! Click here to learn more about new boiler installation derby.