Solving a Spitting Faucet Mystery | Ask This Old House

Ask This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey diagnoses and repairs a water system with air in it.
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Skill Level: Expert
Tools List for Fixing a Spitting Faucet:
Pipe cutter [amzn.to/2QlA1qn]
Blow torch [amzn.to/30dqjdb]
Shopping List:
Ball Valve [amzn.to/30x7q0Z]
Solder [amzn.to/34WE7sf]
Flux [amzn.to/2LDXJcT]
Radon test kit [amzn.to/2O9XFTV]
Steps:
1. When dealing with water issues, start from the main water shut off and work your way back. Identify any areas where air is introduced to the system.
2. Check any potential obstructions in the water line. If there’s a filter, a pump, or anything other than a water line, check to make sure it’s working properly.
3. Water filters are naturally designed to clog, so be sure to check them often and change them regularly, as that could cause obstructions.
4. It’s also possible to put flow restrictors on the water line, which could be a simple ball valve with the handle removed, to control how much water enters and leaves various parts of the system, like a radon mitigation unit. Cut the line in the desired area and solder the valve in. Once the valve is set to the desired setting, remove the handle to prevent accidental changes to the valve.
5. If water flow is an issue, identify appliances that use an excess amount of water and consider replacing them with water conserving appliances.
Resources:
Richard added a ball valve [amzn.to/30x7q0Z] to act as a flow restrictor, which can be found at home centers and plumbing supply stores.
Richard recommends that homeowners test their water for radon. Those kits [amzn.to/2O9XFTV] can be purchased at home centers and have easy-to-follow instructions.
About Ask This Old House TV:
Homeowners have a virtual truckload of questions for us on smaller projects, and we're ready to answer. Ask This Old House solves the steady stream of home improvement problems faced by our viewers-and we make house calls! Ask This Old House features some familiar faces from This Old House, including Kevin O'Connor, general contractor Tom Silva, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, and landscape contractor Roger Cook.
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Solving a Spitting Faucet Mystery | Ask This Old House
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[@purenupe1]

Absolutely the most complex home water supply systems I've ever seen

[@justayoutuber1906]

I had one more complex

[@adamkazarian7409]

@@justayoutuber1906 I had one more complex than yours.

[@HSAC.WDTK.DTKT.LFO.]

Let me just grab this random radon mitigation system that I just have in my truck...

[@ozziesheppard17]

Ik, its the same as the "eye ball" perfectly fitted trim, exact right plumbing part.

[@NarwahlGaming]

"When I run into this problem I just pull out my $3,000 tool that everybody has in their back pocket..."

[@andreyyaromich8277]

Lol

[@ToqTheWise]

You never know when you need a radon mitigation system.

[@tommymatthews4984]

onecomputerkid I like how nothing is dirty and everything looks freshly installed lol

[@cberh]

Christmas morning 2019, been at my families for 2 hours. Sat down and watched a 10 minute video about radon and plumbing..I dont own a house, nor know how to plum... Merry Christmas

[@zoiks6631]

Tests the water: “3.6 roentgen. Not bad, not great.”

[@NeverEnoughPyro40]

That's what you get when you have well water that is dirty as hell!

[@VanceRefrigeratn]

*throws radon mitigation manual at customer* “There - review it”

[@charlest.velten6983]

NO WONDER THE PRICE ON THE HOUSE WAS SUCH A GREAT DEAL. GUYS GOT CHERNOBYL UNDER HIS BASEMENT !

[@willpitts9957]

Charles Velten gay

[@wizard3z868]

Lol happens a lot in new england my house as a kid no problems tested once a year neighbors had radon in basement's and another's had it in their well also

[@jayyoutube8790]

Common in the northeast. Anywhere that has granite bedrock..

[@tullgutten]

Well radon is a big issue in the whole world. And especially if the house is placed over rockbed

[@koekum2142]

@@tullgutten when my bed rocks i'm having fun

[@Mrmudbone_gaming]

“Water is on” “Water looks normal” Me: the water is coming out white...

[@SirFloofy001]

Microscopic bubbles usually caused by dissolved gasses like Co2 or by having a good water heater causing microscopic bubbles of steam.

[@willierants5880]

@@SirFloofy001 and unfortunately Radon.

[@JungleYT]

Thought it was just me... LOL

[@millomweb]

If the hot water heating system doesn't have an air vent in it, that's what happens. Seems strange they're bothered about radon - and have an opportunity to remove dissolved gasses and don''t use it !

[@johnwquick3616]

Water saver faucets have built in aerator, thus water appears white

[@Iamkitkatbar]

Radon in the water. Everytime he drinks the tap its +3 Rads

[@rpriesol]

Probably Fallout fan :)

[@tresslerj1985]

@@rpriesol Exactly what a synth would say.

[@MadTrump]

make sure he stocks up on radaway

[@80fordmustang6]

Just go to diamond city pick up some radaway and all is good

[@kalijasin]

He's got a pretty good setup for removing radon and sediment. Its an outdated system though. These days you can get an whole house three stage filter system that removes radon, sediment, organic chemicals, etc.. and mounts right to the wall (filters are 20 x 4.5").

[@canuckloyalist4681]

Wow I'll never complain about my hard water again!

[@RossMalagarie]

hard water? Could be worse your water could have a cancer causing gas in it, or be flammable. Flint Creek we will remember you...…..

[@olddawgdreaming5715]

Thanks Rich, you are quite the problem solver. You've helped me a lot thru the years with your great videos. Thanks for sharing.

[@acoustic4037]

Richard Trethewey is a genius! I wish I could hire him.

[@Carpet-Safari]

This is the first time I ever heard and saw anything about the well water radon extraction device. Thanks George for such simple explanation of the residential well water distribution system in general and the radon extraction device in specific. I learned something new and useful today.

[@zachikhothingo1]

Richard is awesome. I love this show.

[@NumberSpace]

Richard's brilliance and expertise never ceases to amaze me

[@agatocle11]

You are so good to explain problems.👍

[@johnvalentinocruz4467]

Richard is very knowledgeable!

[@DuramaxL5P]

It looks like milk coming out of that faucet

[@stifflers69mom1]

pashastookie 😆 lol it’s air in the water , so many tiny bubbles, that it turns it whiteish color ....pretty funny tho

[@gtasandman]

I stared at it for a bit till i remembered it had an aerator

[@DuramaxL5P]

Jeremy Beesley you believe what you want to, I still say it's milk.

[@GeorgeLockwood]

gtasandman it doesn’t have an aerator. It is a waterfall style faucet.

[@Astinsan]

Have you ever been to Long Beach ca? It looks like milk.. and that’s city water

[@beotheguitarist]

Richard is a genius. Not sure how many people could have figured that out!

[@nickdesert7304]

0:16 lmao you got startled

[@WayneWBishop]

He crushed it with the liquid mask. Outstanding!

[@dandeleona4760]

I laughed out loud when the faucet spit at the user. I love these sink fixtures but something to think about when high end restaurants have this in the bathroom and you know you'll be expected at table, dry or not. :D

[@spinb]

The first thing I'd do is get rid of that faucet.

[@murkstalinskitm5334]

I used to think they looked cool. After seeing the water shoot out instead of down, I'll never own one.

[@Justin-C]

They look cool, but stuff can collect in the channel and they lack the pressure to blast toothpaste out of a toothbrush. Hard pass.

[@dfresh1524]

Justin can't have any toothpaste left on your toothbrush.

[@acoustic4037]

Lol... Problem solved...except for the radon gas in the house

[@mouaxiong8618]

These type of faucets are expensive

[@HJCF0520]

Very interesting. Seems like a lot could go wrong and bad planning for order of filtration devices. Cool Radon mitigation system, never seen one.

[@Gamerz00760]

I like having a well...very cheap to maintain overall. Spent 800 on new well pump and 200 on pressure tank couple times... Not bad for 20 years.. and maybe pumped septic 5 times about a $1000 total. So $2000 and around $600 for softner, and maybe $1000 in pellets. Compared with $60-$100 a momth water bill. Which is $720-$1200 per year times 20 is $14800-24000. Costs balance out at the end of it, I like having constant water available without concern of unexpected water bills.

[@brandonfrancey5592]

There is benefits both ways. Your water bill is going to be fairly consistent every month unless you fill a pool or develop a leak you never notice. The surprise of a slightly larger water bill is nothing compared to the surprise of finding out you have a bad well and need to drill a new one. Not everyone has that $5,000 to $10,000 just sitting around. Or finding out your water is contaminated and need a UV filter or Radon diffuser. In the long a well is probably cheaper but it comes with a lot of large up front costs and any well problems are your problems. Being on city water you might pay more overall but it's the same consistent amount and if the water stops, you call the city to come out and fix it.

[@RossMalagarie]

@@brandonfrancey5592 yep if the price is the same on one hand you just pay a bill and get a minimum standard of pressure, quality, and unlimited water on the other its a large upfront cost, repairs, replacements, area to house equipment, all which you are responsible to pay someone to fix/replace. SO if they come out to the same 20yr price I would say it would only be feasible in areas that have no city water option. But that's just my 2 cents.

[@pavelow235]

I average 50 a month for municipal water, or 1200 dollars a year, two full bathrooms, no gardens.

[@RossMalagarie]

@@pavelow235 wouldn't $50 per month be $600 not $1200 a year?

[@RossMalagarie]

@@pavelow235 yeah my water bill averages $12 a month, ($144 year average) for one person, one full bath, and no other extra water usage like gardens.

[@morphorod]

That was fascinating.

[@GamerTeju15]

Richard is smart & genius

[@76biggdogg]

Looks like a lot of stuff to go wrong.

[@DarkRaptor99]

Oh I'm sure he's putting a plumbers kid through Harvard.

[@johnperdue7541]

DarkRaptor99 What's wrong with a plumber kid going to Harvard?

[@DarkRaptor99]

It was a joke about how much the guy probably charged to do the job. Nothing is wrong about a plumber or a carpenters kid going to Harvard.

[@askurmom1]

@@johnperdue7541 he's probably pretarded due to the water.

[@magicdark725]

@@DarkRaptor99 not with all thru sharkbite, that's home owner junk

[@VCGConstruction]

Great video guys!

[@DanBurgaud]

9:18 "....is actually radon..." BINGO! good thing Richard fixed it!

[@looncraz]

A proper solution would have been to increase flow INTO the radon remover instead of restricting flow afterward. That guy had so little volume left over coming out of that faucet it makes me sad.

[@fortunado_]

looncraz would that require replacing the pump underground with a higher rated gpm?

[@tommytmt]

looncraz - I don’t know man, 5gpm is a lot of water. I have a huge tub with a very large faucet to satisfy that tub with a flow of about 4gpm. When it’s flowing at its maximum of 4gpm it just gushes out, it seems to be a ton of water.

[@ShyMplsMale]

Those faucets aren’t supposed to have a ton of flow. It looked normal to me.

[@pavelkolp]

Most faucets are designed for 1-2 GPM Shower heads around 2 GPM. 5GPM is more then enough

[@deanrapp5658]

Paul M the problem is when 2 sinks and the washer are on or someone is in the shower the dishwasher is running and someone else flushes a toilet. The more gpms the better

[@evanstopnik6741]

That was literally a perfect description

[@duo315]

i work in dialysis, we have a pretty cool water room for purifying tap water. I always enjoy seeing people's cool water setups

[@_A_343]

Excellent

[@jdcisneros9023]

That was amazing

[@systematic101]

what's with all the sharkbite? you're already using PEX. Just do the crimping or better yet let the PEX do the compression.

[@F14koFreegun]

Its staged they wanna make it look as easy as possible they dont care about longevity..

[@silvergrizzly316]

Ya gotta want to live in that neighborhood to buy a house with that much damn plumbing! GEESH!!!

[@GreatDivideSven]

Thanks, Richard, for your best

[@JimmyTurner]

I'm pretty sure I saw this on TV a few months ago. First time I've seen a clip on here that I saw on tv too lol.

[@notyou1877]

That's an easy to get to and service kind of system.

[@keathflott3736]

I can't wait to see Kevin in Omaha, NE!

[@carmelonavarro7327]

Who has an extra radon mitigation device?

[@merlinious01]

A semi-scripted plumbing video

[@johnperdue7541]

carmelo navarro Dumbasses who have money and no common sense, believe in global warming, and that plastic won't leach into the drinking water........

[@nerfinator6]

TBH I'd prefer plastic to radon

[@kalijasin]

Anyone who does not want too get cancer from.

[@l337pwnage]

@@kalijasin Meh, I smoke unfiltered Plow Boy hand rolled cigarettes. Bring in on, Radon! Show me what you got!

[@TheInroad]

As a home buyer I am taking one look at that rats nest of a water system and saying “I’m out”

[@fd3871]

i'm more concerned with well water having radon in it. i wouldn't trust a radon mitigation system as the last step between me and my family and potential health issues.

[@trademanZzbloodzZ]

I’m a plumber, stay away from wells $$$$$$$

[@dodgeplow]

You don't get a choice depending where you want to live

[@bacwoodsgospel6879]

Its a manifold so he can turn off sections of his home similar to a breaker box

[@ronamer1]

@@dodgeplow but you DO have a choice of where you live.

[@anthonyjimenez9260]

This question is for me

[@trickster_qc]

Such s small repair for a system so complex!

[@gustavocervantes5435]

Great video!! Can you tell us to how take air out of water lines?

[@raybonz7939]

Richard what do you think about sharkbite fittings?

[@lambert1702]

Nice Speed Queens!

[@ForsakenTempl]

That's one smart plumber

[@woof3598]

knew about Radon, didnt know it was in water too...something else to buy

[@iuploadstuff5806]

That laugh at the end tho 😂

[@nebtheweb8885]

Lol, he shakes the bucket at 6:36 as if he were "shaking the dew off his lily" 😅

[@alexn9775]

This comment deserves more likes

[@waldotrueb6081]

When we bought our place , we hired a home inspector to give us a detailed report on all the systems. The roof, electric, windows, insulation, drainage, framing-foundation. And well, plumbing. 250 $ and worth every penny..

[@fasteddie4145]

the RN-222 decay chain does start with U-238 but Alpha decays directly from Ra-226.....

[@Doorkicker505]

That water system was crazy !!! My life is very simple.

[@youngrav2311]

Dude that’s a complex system!

[@johnbecich9540]

I would have installed an electrically-controlled shut-off valve, instead of a flow restricter, at the feed line into the house and washing machine. That valve would shut on any occasion when the supply in the black radon-abatement tank goes too low. Further improvement might be afforded by a larger filter surface area on the supply side of said tank.

[@LtMuraida]

Love the videos. We learned in class, however, not to use a ball valve to meter the water supply. The proper valve would be a gate valve

[@lnk4328]

No way would you ever use a gate valve to meter with. Maybe a globe valve.

[@mikeclarke3005]

would the Radon be harmful to wash cloths in ? could run the washer before the Radon Mitigation ?

[@BUEAU]

@0:15 Try not to get any on ya, Richard LOL

[@1806StoneHouse]

Lol. That would wake you up in the morning! Haha

[@nighthawkj30A4]

Radon is in Granite counter tops but its look excellent. So I don’t give the radiation to much though

[@Wingsrangee]

Holy Sharkbites Batman!

[@tonybaggett1984]

Trey Andrews I was thinking that to. Never seen so many in an install. Nothing wrong with it just bumps up the cost quite a bit.

[@volvo09]

Tony Baggett - I don't see anything wrong with them if a homeowner does it, but I'd expect a pro to crimp it... Just my non pro opinion, but I really don't see those as a way to install _every_ connection unless you are a homeowner without the tools. Copper to pex I may be ok with them using one but I'd still want a solid soldered or crimped copper fitting from a pro installer.

[@tonybaggett1984]

volvo09 they are great for repairs or connecting non-similar material. Even adding the valve like he did is good. But when the installer of the system used that many, wow! For the cost of all those shark bites you could have bought a very nice crimping tool and enough fittings and crimp rings to plumb an entire house!

[@itech301]

Tony Baggett the guy that installed that was a fitting supplier

[@volvo09]

iTech - he certainly supplied the homeowner with some :)

[@kenc2257]

Richard solved the mystery--he's the Agatha Christie of plumbers. I'm glad his explanation to Kevin included the tidbit that the "faucet spitting" was radon-air! That wasn't good, and it's a safety issue for the homeowner to make sure it--the radon-air--get's properly exhausted above the house, and doesn't enter the living spaces (or basement).

[@SaltySparrow]

That water system is insane. This is why I made sure I had city water, lol.

[@moisty254]

The faucet was just excited to see the boyz

[@robertmccabe2993]

I see you used my favorite valve Shark bite

[@TwoToedSloth]

why not move the sediment filtration downstream from the radon mitigation system

[@calledout8665]

On a regular water system could no anti knocks at water lines ends have the same symptom?

[@bryanmitchell5728]

Do you have to worry about radon with a concrete slab?

[@RandomPsychic]

6:57 FFS you changed the filter...at least clean out the housing before reassembling...floaties

[@markbernier8434]

Both pressure accumulators are too small for a normal house. Crazy system installed like that.

[@jessejohnson159]

And the filter housing still had contaminates floating around (6:58) when he installed it with a new filter? Why?

[@jaimerobles4228]

Got's the distance like mine. Same color too.

[@MrJoeyplatinum]

This guy has been there, and done that.........well versed at his trade.

[@soyeljefe8502]

I'm confused why he didn't try to fix the amount of water entering the radon mitigation system. If there's a restriction on the flow, seems like you'd want to try to fix that first before reducing the outflow to the house.

[@jnagle351]

How did Annette restriction or changing the flow affect water pressure throughout the house?

[@davidriley7659]

If it were me, i'd just add an extra tank after the radon air thingy. That acts as "surplus water" to supply to the pump, and allow for natural sediment settling (and gas removal). He's short 1-2 gallons/minute, so a 60 gallon tank would give him 30 minutes of continuous flow before the gargling occurs

[@promisedlandadventures3617]

just a question and I'm by no means a plumber, but wouldn't the radon mitigation systems pump shut off when the water is low? I thought I saw the float valves in the tank when he took the lid off. I know that would stop all water flow out, but allow the tank to catch up...

[@dmo848]

Prime example of why you pay your plumber allot of money. No regular guy can figure that 1 out even after being shown pictures and all. WOW that is a smart man

[@benjimcdowell1627]

Don't you just love all of the freaking experts that thinks they know it all. Yes sarcasm. Come on people These guys are professionals so they must be doing something right

[@stephensnell1379]

People in the comments think they know what they are on about when in fact they know absolutely nothing compared to Richard in the video

[@charlesxix]

Glad my water comes from a local water utility.

[@wesnoble510]

Why not increase flow to the radon separator or restrict only at the washer instead of restricting the entire house? I would think it will lower the pressure in the shower in this case.

[@twennywonn]

I like that his mirror is hanging by a command hook.

[@nickm5911]

twennywonn yup

[@mantroid]

Judging by the lack of decor in that bathroom, I'd say he just moved in and is now discovering the true joys of home ownership.

[@volvo09]

About as sturdy as some of the sh*t you get at home stores I guess... I was lying in bed one night when I heard plate glass shatter. I go into the bathroom and found that the side mirror on the gheap medicine cabinet had fallen off! I could see It was held on with 3 strips of double sided tape (the white foam centered stuff) that sagged over the course of about 5 years from the weight of the glass and finally detached, letting the mirror fall onto the sink. I was shocked, a normal person would assume it'd be attached with a permanent adhesive of some sort.... But TAPE????

[@dfresh1524]

Haha good catch

[@JasonW.]

@@volvo09 someone at whatever company did a thorough cost analysis and engineering review. They determined it would be your problem and went as cheap as possible. After making all they would of that model, the money saved was effectively the cost of the reviews, so company was happy. Meanwhile, your mirror broke from cheapened installation.

[@grovecitysirens_GCS]

0:45 Him : blah hhcgcgcgcv Home owner: ok ok Camera man: right on his shoulder

[@TheFourthWinchester]

Around 3:10, you could see that guy wanted to move out of the home asap. LMAO.

[@thomasbroking7943]

Brown filter is where I will always start..radon in the water would put me off, i don't know enough about it to know if it's worth the risk & expense to live there..must really love the property.

[@Guillotines_For_Globalists]

I see that gate valve with packing nut upside down by the radon mitigation device. NO NO as sediment will build up in the valve!

[@rbsrbs5522]

Only Richard would have one of these on his truck cool

[@crumplezone1]

Blimey more pipes than a petroleum plant !

[@RossMalagarie]

His house is run by BP. Yeah I've worked at that house as a water quality tech supervisor regional manager. They didn't show you the guard shack and 5 techs that it takes to run that water system. But it is a thing of beauty. ;)

[@unused7629]

Jeff Jones more pipes than an english newspaper station

[@MJPercy]

lol that spray of water scared me xDD

[@movieguy7398]

dig a 25' cistern to hold the treated water.

[@AStanton1966]

That's what everyone used in Key West, FL before city water.

[@doylee469]

So glad im on city water. These well water contraptions are for the birds

[@xBlade_gg]

Correct me if I'm wrong because I don't know anything about plumbing but couldn't he have just put the radon system first in the chain. Like instead of having the water run through the filters as soon as it comes out of the ground, put the mitigation system first followed by whatever filters the homeowner wants.

[@EMBer3000]

Why not install a bigger reservoir or pressure tank to match the max outflow volume?

[@rjwalker6677]

All I have in my basement is a hot water heater because I get city water. I have no filter, no cleaner, no neutralizer, no stabilizer, no pump, no radon remover, no pressure adjustment and no Water softener. And I'm glad. With all those gadgets, i would be afraid something would always break.

[@crissd8283]

Why didn't they just put the water softener before the pressure tank that way the water gets treated before going to the pressure tank thus it is easier for it to maintain 7GPM. Also they could get a bigger radon mitigation tank.

[@chriswhite6882]

I just bought my first compressor

[@kennyvelez8060]

So my water pipes cracked and during inspection I found out they are poly b (gray pipe), I want to take it all out and redo it with 3/4" CPVC on both hot and cold sides, i have a sta rite jet pump with a galvanized water tank out side, any suggestions on how to modernize the system to today's standards, keep in mind I am disabled on a fixed income, "fixed" more like "A Broke Income",

[@Vandy5000]

Why not install a bigger reservoir after the radon mitigation system?

[@MrGigaHurtz]

Should swap the well tanks so the bigger one was on the filtered side

[@wallacegrommet9343]

Radon half-life is around four days. Wonder what his picocurie level was? Above the EPA action level, if I infer correctly from this. How about a hot shower in a cloud of radon hitting 24 picocuries every time!?