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Signs of Air Loss from a Home Water Tank
How do I know if my water tank has lost its air charge?

This article describes how to diagnose the loss of and need for air in a water tank, how to add air to a building water pressure tank, and how to detect and correct air and water leaks in a building water supply system where a private well is the water source.

We also discuss how to adjust the building water pressure by setting the cut-in and cut-out pressure on the pump pressure control switch.

InspectAPedia tolerates no conflicts of interest. We have no relationship with advertisers, products, or services discussed at this website.

What are the signs of loss of air in the water tank

Waterlogged water pressure tank schematic (C) Carson Dunlop AssociatesSeveral alternative procedures for adding air to a water pressure tank are described below along with advice about what to do when things go wrong, such as finding air and water leaks.

Readers of this document should also
see WATER PUMP REPAIR GUIDE an specific case which offers an example of diagnosis of loss of water pressure, loss of water, and analyzes the actual repair cost.

The illustration at left is used with permission of Carson DunlopAssociates, Inc. in Toronto. [Click to enlarge any image]

If your water supply problem is not described by the symptoms above the issue may with the building piping, fixtures, or the well's ability to deliver water over a sustained time - the well yield. In this case see the diagnostic guide starting

at WATER PRESSURE LOSS DIAGNOSIS & REPAIR or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.

 




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Reader Comments, Questions & Answers About The Article Above

Below you will find questions and answers previously posted on this page at its page bottom reader comment box.

Reader Q&A - also see RECOMMENDED ARTICLES & FAQs

On 2020-11-01 by (mod) - running toilet caused pump short cycling?

Thank you Ray.

I have mentioned the running toilet problem but perhaps I can give it more emphasis and visibility.

That's a particular cause of intermittent pump short cycling - pump seems to run for no reason - because people often don't even realize that a toilet is running - especially if it's running slowly.

WATER PUMP INTERMITTENT CYCLING

cites running toilets as the no. 1 cause of this problem.

But I hadn't considered that some readers may use the term "short cycling" or might even encounter pump short cycling also thanks to a misbehaving toilet flush valve or leak. I'll add that note.

To be clear: short cycling well pumps are due to loss of an air charge in the pressure tank.

But a running toilet can be the trigger - the use of water - that brings that pump behaviour to notice, and more subtle, a long-running toilet might, by using a lot of water, actually speed the loss of the air charge in a bladderless water pressure tank.

Other problems with a running toilet include frozen drains and even flooded drainfields.

On 2020-11-01 by Ray E - one of the toilets was running and calling for water.

First, these are great pages - thanks. You may want to add a comment to the beginning of the article (unless it is already there and I missed it.)

We were having short-cycling with our water pump, so I did method #3, but the short-cycling did not stop. So, I checked for any unusual water usage and sure enough, one of the toilets was running and calling for water.

Once the toilet was fixed, the water pump returned to its normal self. So, the comment you may want to add at the beginning of the article is for the homeowner to check to make sure that there are no out of ordinary calls for water that may be making the pump continually turn on to refill the water tank.

On 2020-08-11 by (mod)

Shani

Where is your water tank located, on what floor. It's a pump used to move water in your building or is your water supply by gravity?

On 2020-08-10 by shani

We have low water pressure in our ground floor
we have concrete water tank the water pressure is normal on first floor

On 2020-07-26 by Kathy

Our cistern pump was installed as “high pressure” pump with a tank with bladder. If I turned on the shower, it used to run for 20 minutes straight before turning off. Now it runs a minute and then shuts off for 30 seconds before repeating. I’ve looked at the tank and it’s heavy so I know it has water in it. There’s no condensation and the tank feels the same temperature from top to bottom.

On 2020-01-15 by Anonymous

Ronnie

You don't have to suffer such inconvenience. Just turn the system on, use water as you need, with one caveat:

IF you hear the pump cycling on and off VERY reapidly, such as just seconds apart, then turn it off so as to avoid damage.

Keep me posted

On 2020-01-15 by Ronni Bergman

Thank you for your response! I decided to turn pump power on, and quickly shower and do dishes, then go cut the breaker to pump again, so as not to harm pump or anything. This weekend, as funds allow, the husband will return from working out of town, and we can fully pressurize that tank. I just wanted to make sure I wouldn't hurt anything in the system, if I run it about 15 minutes a day, until then. I have a jug with a spout for the kitchen sink, so it's not too inconvenient for a few days. 😏 Lol. I sure appreciate the feedback!

On 2020-01-15 - by (mod) -

Ronni, your water system will work, but the draw-down water volume you will get before the pump turns on will be less than optimum.

I think things will work as follows:

Tank is at 28 psi air charge.
Pressure control CUT-IN is at 40 psi

As soon as you turn power on, the pump will turn on and pump up to 60 psi and turn off.

When you then turn water on in the home, compressed air in the tank, now at 60 psi, will push water out into the home;

Pressure in the tank will fall just to 40 psi and then the pump will turn on;

But because the pre-charge pressure is low, that turn-on will happen sooner than otherwise; long term that works the pump harder and could shorten its life.

Keep me posted.

On 2020-01-14 by Ronni Bergman

We had to replace our water tank with a used tank, and the pressure on that tank is 28 PSI empty. Our water pump is a 40/60 regulater. We have no way to put air in the water tank at this hour, what will happen if we turn the power back on and fill the tank up, and try to take a shower or do dishes? We need showers, but don't want to harm the tank or pump or switch

On 2018-10-22 by Anonymous

Yes sir I did took it off to blow compress air and clean it up

On 2018-10-22 - by (mod) -

Mark,

When you changed the pressure switch did you also make sure that the tubing or small diameter pipe that conducts water pressure to the switch was also clear? If not, check that.

On 2018-10-22 by Mark

I have a well been working fine. Recently I have had problems I first notice temporary loss of water pressure. I heard air bubbles and system lost pressure while not in use. So I pulled pump 180 ft installed check valve. Solved bleed off problem. But not when using water when pressure drops to 30 it should come on it sounds like it try’s but then when pressure drops to zero it kick on and goes to 30 then finally back to 48. Shuts off I changed the pressure switch and still won’t kick in at 30 psi like it should. What can it be. Only thing left is tank with bladder. Help


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