I got a water softener and when it goes into recharge mode it drains all the water from my water heater. This happens about once a week and it causes the water heater to try and fill. Of course as there is no water being provided this just means it is sucking air. The pulling of air is so violent that it shakes the intake pipes and creates a thundering racket. [more inside]
posted by M Edward on Feb 28, 2013 - 8 answers

Can you help me to understand what the problem with my sink and washing machine pipes is? A heavy load of draining water spills out from near the U-bend. [more inside]
posted by tumples on Oct 17, 2012 - 9 answers

Came home from the holiday and one of my outdoor faucets won't stop running. What's broken? [more inside]
posted by zenpop on Nov 26, 2010 - 9 answers

Plumbing puzzle: my neighbor has what looks like find sand which collects in her *hot water* eventually clogging metal screens on faucets, etc. The obvious answer is that this is some sort of mineral precipitate as the system has been flushed several times and a filter installed on the water coming into the house. What is causing this precipitate in the hot water and why doesn't this happen with my hot water which is the same town water on the same street (same pipes) that is going into her house? [more inside]
posted by ennui.bz on Oct 11, 2010 - 10 answers

When our pool equipment runs, it triggers the sound of a leaky pipe in a wall adjacent to our hot water heater. By triggering the valve on the hot water heater when the water to the house is off, I can stop the noise. How can I fix this? [more inside]
posted by pokeedog on Feb 15, 2009 - 5 answers

Preventing my house's pipes from freezing while a few timezones away? [more inside]
posted by lisa g on Dec 12, 2008 - 14 answers

Plugged Pipes - Is there a way to clean out the water pipes in my home without spending oodles of $s to replace them? [more inside]
posted by Juicylicious on Oct 5, 2007 - 13 answers