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Why Is There Air in My Lines After Maintenance?
Air in your water lines after maintenance is completely normal and not harmful. When filters, membranes, or other components are changed, air can enter the system and will need to be flushed out before water flows smoothly.
What Causes Air in the Water Lines?
Any time your water treatment system is opened for service, air can naturally enter the plumbing. Common maintenance activities that introduce air include:
- Replacing sediment, carbon, or other filters
- Changing the reverse osmosis membrane
- Sanitizing the system
- Replacing tubing or fittings
- Draining the storage tank
This air becomes trapped in the lines and tank, and has to work its way out before the system operates normally.
How to Recognize Air in Your Lines
You may notice one or more of these symptoms immediately after maintenance:
- Sputtering or spurting water from the faucet
- Inconsistent water pressure
- Gurgling or hissing sounds
- Water that starts and stops in bursts
- Milky or cloudy appearance (tiny air bubbles)
These symptoms typically resolve within a few minutes to a few hours of normal use.
How to Purge Air From Your System
Follow these steps to remove trapped air quickly:
- Step 1: Open your filtered water faucet fully and let it run continuously.
- Step 2: Allow the water to sputter and flow unevenly, this is the air escaping.
- Step 3: Continue running the water for anywhere from 5 to 10 minutes, or until the flow becomes steady.
- Step 4: If you have a storage tank, let the tank fill completely, then drain it by running the faucet until flow slows to a trickle.
- Step 5: Allow the tank to refill and repeat if sputtering continues.
For reverse osmosis systems, you may need to drain and refill the tank two to three times to fully purge all air from the system.
When to Contact Support
While air in lines is normal after maintenance, contact Crystal Quest support if:
- Sputtering continues after 24 hours of regular use
- You notice leaks around filter housings or fittings
- Water flow does not return to normal after multiple tank cycles
- You hear unusual sounds coming from the system itself, not just the faucet
Our team is happy to help troubleshoot and ensure your system is operating properly.
