continuing spurting from hot water taps

[Bentley]

what would be the cause and cure to seemingly continuous air getting into the hot water system? It happens at all taps when you first turn them on and continues for a few moments until the water clears the system. Electric water heater, copper plumbing. Thanks in advance for the help!

[Mike Swearingen]

If you're on public water, air can get in the lines and go to the first line used in a house afterwards whenever they're working on the main line, hooking people up, etc.
Sounds like some air may be trapped in your water heater.
Turn the breaker off, and run the hot water only through a tub spout until it gets it all out.
There may be other causes, but that's the first thing that I would guess.
If you're on a private well, you may have an air leak in your pressure tank bladder or a leak on the suction (well) side of your pump hookup, which will cause the same thing.
Good Luck!
Mike

[ftz720]

I have the same problem, except that I have an oil fired hot water heater. Last fall both the inlet and oulet tubes were replaced and also the electrode elements. Would appreicate a fix.Maybe the outlet tube broke and I'am drawing water from the top of the tank instead of the bottom??

[majakdragon]

Bentley, What could be happening is air getting in through an outside faucet. Most homes have the outside faucets plumbed into the system before anything else. Then the cold water line is run to the hot water tank. Being winter, the washers in the outside faucet can dry out and suck air through them into the water system but not leak in the process. Whenever you use a fixture, there is a drop in pressure in the water system and this would allow air to get in.

ftz720
Water heaters push cold water through a diptube to the bottom of the tank thus pushing the hot water out the top outlet. What you have is not an "outlet tube" as there is none. Only an outlet pipe.

[Bentley]

Thank you both for your ideas and helping out.