Resolved-Thanks. They are working on the water main here

[Curmudgeoness]

Last edited Fri Aug 23, 2013, 07:06 PM - Edit history (1)

and they shut off the water. Whenever this has happened (a few times already this summer), my faucets sound like they are going to explode when I turn them on, and I worry about the toilet parts getting damaged because of the explosiveness of the water coming into it when I first flush it.

Is there anything that I can do to prevent damage to the toilet? I don't think that there is anything that can be damaged from the faucets and I can just let them sputter (well, now that the screens on all my faucets have already been blown out from earlier water main work). But I do not want to damage the toilet.....what should I do?


On edit: they are done finally, and water is back on. I ran the faucets in the bathroom, turned off the water to the toilet, flushed it, then very slowly turned the water back on. Just a little sputtering that was not explosive. Thanks.

[Warpy]

1. No. Your faucets will sound like they're going to explode

when you turn them off after the water is back on and then they do, sort of, pushing a lot of water out at once. You'll want the kitchen faucet to run for a minute to flush the line, then all will be well.

It won't hurt the toilet. It won't hurt the tub. It just comes back on a little enthusiastically, so be careful how far you open the taps.

[Curmudgeoness]

3. Enthusiastically! LOL, that is a great explanation.

But what you say is not what my experience has been. I turn on the faucet in the kitchen and let it sputter and convulse. Then I do the same in the bathroom faucet and the tub, and let them run until they stop acting up. But I still have that popping and sputtering with the toilet the first time too.

Does it help to shut the valve to the toilet halfway to slow the water the first time? I swear, one of these times, this is going to mess my toilet up.

[PoliticAverse]

2. If you are really worried you should be able to turn off the water via a valve near the toilet...

and not turn it back on until the water is restored and you run it for a bit.

The problem probably is air that gets in the pipes and gets compressed, it can seem explosive when
it reaches the faucet and uncompresses.

[Curmudgeoness]

4. I figure it is air in the pipes.

If I turn off the water to the toilet and wait for the water to come back on, then run the sink faucet and tub faucet for a while, will the air in the pipe to the toilet get out too, or is there no way to prevent that pounding on the first flush?

[PoliticAverse]

5. I'd say it would depend on where in the line the toilet and the tub and sink are.

(is the toilet after the sink and tub or before).

But if air is still stuck in the pipe by the toilet after running the sink and tub, you can flush
the toilet then gradually open the valve by the toilet releasing any air pressure slowly.

[Curmudgeoness]

6. Thanks, that was what I was thinking of doing.

I didn't know if it would matter, but that was the only option I had in mind.

[Auggie]

7. You might want to have a plumber check the water pressure

coming into the house. It might be too high, or higher than necessary. I did and I had it lowered. Less strain on old pipes.

[Curmudgeoness]

8. I did see something about that

when I was doing a futile search...I should have come here first. It sounds easy to remedy---for a plumber.