1 Step Forward, 2 Steps Back

[rpm]

I just had my wellhouse rebuilt. The old one was in sad shape after it was tossed 185 yards by a tornado a few years ago. I decided it was time to upgrade the from duct tape and plastic and build a decent wellhouse I wouldn't have to mess with every time it got below freezing. I upped the pressure switch 20lbs, add a water softener and improved my water filter setup while I was at it. First Class all the way! The contractor did a great job and the price was more than fair.

Everything's peachy, right? Not so much...

At first it was awesome, great pressure and nice soft water for the first time since I dug the well in 2001. I live 5 miles from a half dozen limestone quarries and soft water is a luxury. Wunderbar! Then I started a load of laundry and everything turned to crap. Flecks of lime scale started breaking off inside the waterlines. My house is Energy Star compliant, which means lower utility bills. Unfortunately, it also means lower water consumption because they installed flow restrictors that reduce the 1/2" line to 1/8" at various points like the freaking washing machine. The scale has plugged at least 3 of them, washer, guest bath and master bath. Kitchen is about the only area not affected yet.

I got one of the master bath sinks unplugged then tried unplugging the washer by backflushing with a garden hose thru that sink. SUCCESS! A bunch of scale came out but when I restarted the washer it worked less than a minute before plugging up again.

I'm not sure what to do now. I don't know where all the restrictors are located and can't think of anything but flooding the system with CLR and letting it sit for a few days. Not only is that expensive, it's a huge PITA and there's no guaranteeing it will work. The only other option I can think of is replacing the entire house plumbing since I can't pinpoint all the blockages.

Any suggestions?

[Dago]

My house is Energy Star compliant

Too late, you drank the koolaide, screwed up your house, and now get to live with the results.   My opinion: find the restrictors, even if you have to open up walls,
get them out, or you will live with the problems and clogging forever. Maybe the plumbing contractor can give you a clue where to look.  Just my opinion.

[Shuffler]

Interesting their thought process. So if they restrict water to the washing machine..... it takes longer for it to fill up. It still the same amount of water but the electrical valve has to stay open longer to fill it.

With all the lines stopping up your really saving now though. Do you have a creek around your house anywhere?

Sorry but energy efficient as far as heating and cooling I get. Water conservation with shower heads, washers, and toilets I get. But chocking off you water supply by line diameter maker no sense.

[rpm]

Too late, you drank the koolaide, screwed up your house, and now get to live with the results.   My opinion: find the restrictors, even if you have to open up walls,
get them out, or you will live with the problems and clogging forever. Maybe the plumbing contractor can give you a clue where to look.  Just my opinion.

I didn't swallow the Kool-aid. The house was built this way when I bought it, I didn't request EnergyStar. If it was built to my specs it would have 1" supply all thru the house and an integral draft beer system.

[rogwar]

I didn't swallow the Kool-aid. The house was built this way when I bought it, I didn't request EnergyStar. If it was built to my specs it would have 1" supply all thru the house and an integral draft beer system.

 

[wil3ur]

[EDIT] -- (sorry... glanced over the part where you said you already added a water softener...  removed suggestion)

[Frodo]

Nothing but limestone here but we have great water. People around here go through more water heaters than normal, especially electric ones. Find the restrictors and get rid of them. Hopefully that is cheaper than redoing the whole system. Good luck. 

[bustr]

As the homeowner you should be able to goto the local government office that your house's blueprints were registered with and request copies. Then from the plumbing sheet the restricters should be locateable.

[Dago]

I didn't swallow the Kool-aid. The house was built this way when I bought it, I didn't request EnergyStar. If it was built to my specs it would have 1" supply all thru the house and an integral draft beer system.

Well then, I will step back from my fear you had gone all "green" on us.  My apology for such a brazen assumption.   But since you may be opening up a wall or two, wouldn't hurt to research the beer system.   

[Babalonian]

As the homeowner you should be able to goto the local government office that your house's blueprints were registered with and request copies. Then from the plumbing sheet the restricters should be locateable.

That's still hit or miss, not all countys keep all utility plans submitted for issuance of permit(s).  I just spent a good chunk of last week at LA county records trying to pull utility permits for a commercial retail building built in 1966.  Guess how many utility permit sets for new construction or alterations they were finally able to produce for me?  0  By the time I'm done getting all the T's crossed and I's dotted for my friend's new buisness, my friend's landlord is gonna be paying them to rent their space for a year or two.


Anywho, @OP:  Find your restrictors, get rid of them (as CAP pointed out, they're the most retarded thing for water conservation - force people to take 5-minutes to fill a bath tub, you force them to find something to go distract themselves with for the 4-minutes they're waiting, and then they forget the tub was filling).  Install at the point where the line goes into your house (or an easily accessible location with a major junction of water piping) some form of strainer or filter - I know most the scale is comming off the pipes inside your house and downstream from such a location, but they're cheap and it still doesn't hurt to catch as much of it in an easy spot as you can.  I'd have to see what is being dealt with, but some strategic installations of flushout valves where practical (after removing the restrictors) would make the chore of resolving future plugs a much easier task.  On the extreme side, there are ways we can modify and add to your current system so that most of it (90%) can be flushed with the turn of a few valves, or on the even extremer side - alterations are made to convert you from a linear delivery system to a... oh jeez, what's the term I'm too lazy to look up right now... circulating, encirculated, looped... basicly water is capable of flowing to a demand by more than one path in the entire system (other than the P.O.C./source connection), and since direction of flow can change everytime you create a new demand somewhere in the system, they tend to label it as "self flushing".

I can keep tossing ideas out, but without having a real idea of the actual system or restraints of your budget...  let me know if anything I listed you need me to explain differently (and not on a Friday afternoon, or any day that a family member is in surgery) so that it makes sence.

[guncrasher]

the least expensive thing would be to run a new line as compared to tearing up the walls.  not sure if you want to go thru attic or crawl space.  but that's what I wold do,  either that or get a garden hose and hope it dont rain or snow.


semp

[rpm]

But since you may be opening up a wall or two, wouldn't hurt to research the beer system.   

Good point.

[morfiend]

rpm,

  It shouldnt be too hard to find the restrictions but it depends on the home.

  how many stories,does it have a finished basement,crawlspace and the like.

   Usually there's a main trunkline that supplies cold water to the various areas or leads to the hotwater tank. That would be a good place to start,at the tank,check to see what size pipe is used and if any visable reduction joints can be seen.

   there's likely 1 choke point for each line,hot and cold going to the various areas.

  If you've never soldered copper pipe before then do yourself a favour and hire a plumber,if you have then see if you can run new 1/2 inch pipe to the taps.

 If it was me,i'd do the laundry room and main bath,possibly any onsuite and kitchen if needed. any guest or secondary bathrooms would be low priority.


  If your not sure,check for a retired tradesman group and have one come and check and price the job,can save some money doing the tearout yourself.I dont mean remove pipes but any walls that may need opening,etc. Sure a plumber may do that but then your paying him big bucks!

  Good luck,did my house a couple years ago,went with 3/4 and "restricted" that down to 1/2 as close to outlet as posible!   great water pressure.