Water Heaters - Water heater problem and more...

First post, been reading all night

Forgive me this may get long....

A year ago I had so plumbing work done in my 30 yr old home, added a bathroom to my basement. We had to move the water softener and re-route some lines. The plumber informed me that the the WS had been plumbed backwards and of course after he moved it he had hooked it back up right. Well....It didnt take long to figure out that it was right originally. (long story, but lines criss-crosed in a finished ceiling thru everyone off...he thought it was wrong because lines had also criss-crossed right at the WS) Anyway, The next morning while showering I was sandblasted with the red bead media from the WS....I mean a lot, it was kinda scary at first, not knowing what it was. But it actually made for some nice scrubbing action....Anyway, needless to say this stuff got into everything (me not knowing what was going on) I thought that because it was originally hooked up wrong that some of this media got into the lines and had to be flushed out.....So while it was hooked up wrong, I'm turning on all faucets, flushing all toilets, etc. I'm sure you know where I'm going with this...WE HAD A MESS. All the faucet screens pluged solid (several times) toilet tanks had a couple inches of this stuff in them.

The plumber came back right away and corrected the problem at the WS....I then flushed everything and seemed to get everything right....But was still getting some media thru the lines for a couple weeks....I flushed the water heater but really didnt seem to get much from it as far as the WS media. I decided that with the WS being quite old and unsure now if things were right with it, I switched the bypass and eliminated the WS altogether. I was planning to replace it when I felt everything was good.

Well, it been a year, I still get a small amount of this red bead mainly in the faucet screens and shower heads...Doesn't seem to bad now.....But I have other issues that have arose.

The water heater started making noise, I'm assuming due to sedment...it had never had a problem, just started grumbling one day a couple months ago...its 12 years old, gas. I flushed it again and again not really getting much out of it.

I have one upstairs bath faucet that I replaced 1-1/2 years ago that blows some air on the COLD side a couple seconds after you turn it on.....only once right after you open it, every morning and I mean every morning just like clockwork (Cold Only)....This has only done it since the plumbing work / WS mishap a year ago. And again I never really thought much about this because I figured with the problems and having the water supply on and off so many times maybe it takes a while to get air out of everything.

Also, when my wife is showering in master bath and I'm laying in bed (all is quiet) I can hear what sounds like air coming thru the lines or a line to the shower...Its weird because I can hear it come up thru the lines and can kinda like follow it to the shower and a few seconds later does it again, and again. Cant pinpoint hot or cold because oddly enough you cant tell at the shower, cant seem to hear any air.

This also seems to go on with the toilets when they refill, it seems that theres air in the lines.....All this is only since the the plumbing job a year ago. I know that for whatever reason in the past when I had the supply turned off for various plumbing jobs...The air seemed to take days maybe weeks before all air was out....dont know if this is normal.

I do not seem to have ANY leaks whatsoever...I do have a toilet that needs valve replaced....It runs every hour or so. 2 years ago I replaced the well pump (in the basement) not submersable (sp)

My main concern right now is the water heater, I am going to replace it. What I dont want to do is replace it and just slowly continue to have some of the old WS media get into it. How can I make sure its all gone?
Based on what I've explained. Does anyone think all these issues are related? Can the WH and all its gurgling have anything to do with the air in lines? I'd like to (hope to) replace the WH and all my problems go away.

My wife is on me to get the WH taken care of, I told her its not that easy with everything thats going on.....I dont want to throw $$ away and really want to make sure all problems are addressed and taken care of before I replace the WH.
I told her I need to find a plumber thats 80 yrs old that has seen everything, lol
The plumber that did the job is no help....seems hes no longer in business.
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....Quit laughing!!!

Sorry, this is so long...if anyone took the time to read this Please Help with any suggestions

Thanks!!!

I'm just going to replace the WH for now.

Does anyone know of a particular brand that may offer better flushing....One that I'll be able to get flushed clean?

I read your thesis, Can you install a 5 micron filter between the water softener and the heater? This would stop the larger aggregate from getting in the heater. At 12 years the water heater is sunsetting, so replacing it is good. You may need to install a check valve ahead of the water softener, too, as it seems air is infiltrating at some point, or water is backing down into the media.

Chandler,

Thank-you for the reply

Right now the softener is bypassed, and will stay that way until it gets replaced. Any, media I'm getting is coming thru (I'm assuming) is from whats left throughout the lines from when it originally was hooked up wrong.

I think as far as the WS media, its pretty good, I mean it seems not much is found in the faucet screens anymore or anywhere else.

But, I'm still getting air at various locations. Could air get into lines from the WH and the gurgling its producing?

Change the T&P valve. There is a slight possibility during use it could suck air. Not sure, but if it works, a cheap fix.

Does anyone know of a particular brand that may offer better flushing....One that I'll be able to get flushed clean?

Mooncake time will soon be upon us, and I've already started receiving boxes of them from all of my students- everything from red bean and double egg-stuffed to exotic fruit flavors. Last year I got huge individual dried-seafood-stuffed ones in gorgeous red silk boxes with tassels. This year I need to get a few boxes for a Taiwanese family that I'd like to impress but not sure where the best ones would be. Today after dim sum, I walked around Main Street and noticed all of the order sheets at Tai Pan Bakery and Fay Da, but was looking for something a bit more impressive.

Well, a new issue has arose....

As far as the age of my WH, I was going by the paperwork I had that came with the home when we bought it.......well it was wrong, the info was for a 12 yr old heater....Rheem

The one I have has a blanket covering it and I was assuming.......Well it turns out that the WH that is here now is a Rheem (Rheemglas) 40 gal and IS ONLY 6 yrs old.

I need to search....but is the Rheemglas a porcelain lined tank?

And if so at that age should I be having the before mentioned problems?

And now I'm thinking that my only issue was the softener media that got into it and is still collected in the bottom.

How can I do a complete flush of the WH????


Thanks

Mooncake time will soon be upon us, and I've already started receiving boxes of them from all of my students- everything from red bean and double egg-stuffed to exotic fruit flavors. Last year I got huge individual dried-seafood-stuffed ones in gorgeous red silk boxes with tassels. This year I need to get a few boxes for a Taiwanese family that I'd like to impress but not sure where the best ones would be. Today after dim sum, I walked around Main Street and noticed all of the order sheets at Tai Pan Bakery and Fay Da, but was looking for something a bit more impressive.


BTW Thanks, very informative!!!
:wall: :wall: :wall:

Youre an idiot.....If you cant help with my problem, dont post!!

Flushing the water heater will be accomplished by attaching a garden hose to the spigot on the bottom, shutting off the inbound water supply and power and allowing it to drain by gravity. After a few moments, slowly open the T&P valve and admit air to the top of the column of water. It will flow more readily. After you feel it has drained about half, open the water supply and "stir" up the bottom for a few seconds. Maybe it will help rid it of the media. Don't turn on the power or gas until the tank has completely filled after you have drained it. Let us know how it goes. And Who is that masked man, anyway????