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Cold water pipes plugged?

I’ll start this by saying the campground we’re work camping at this summer has low water pressure and I use a dual filter system with a water softener.
When we arrived, I noticed the cold water flow is much slower than the hot water. This is true for all of my faucets. ie kitchen, main bath, and shower. The hot side has good flow. A couple years ago, I solved this problem in the MB by replacing the faucet. The line in the old faucet was clogged with sediment.
I thought maybe it’s because of the CG low pressure, so I sanitized the fresh tank and decided to use the water pump to see if the pressure increased. On the cold side, the water pump stops and starts with barely any flow. On the hot side, the pump runs like gangbusters. And now the kitchen faucet has barely a trickle, even on city water.
1. Can the water pipes get clogged?
2. How do I un-clog the pipes?
3. Can the pipes be unclogged with air pressure?
Thanks.
 

BryanValRox

Elite Member
I’ll start this by saying the campground we’re work camping at this summer has low water pressure and I use a dual filter system with a water softener.
When we arrived, I noticed the cold water flow is much slower than the hot water. This is true for all of my faucets. ie kitchen, main bath, and shower. The hot side has good flow. A couple years ago, I solved this problem in the MB by replacing the faucet. The line in the old faucet was clogged with sediment.
I thought maybe it’s because of the CG low pressure, so I sanitized the fresh tank and decided to use the water pump to see if the pressure increased. On the cold side, the water pump stops and starts with barely any flow. On the hot side, the pump runs like gangbusters. And now the kitchen faucet has barely a trickle, even on city water.
1. Can the water pipes get clogged?
2. How do I un-clog the pipes?
3. Can the pipes be unclogged with air pressure?
Thanks.
Yes, pipes can get clogged and yes using care they can be cleared with air pressure.
You state that that the hot water works fine, so that would imply that the restriction is post the cold Water tee that feeds the heater.
The challenge is all of various splices and fittings etc in the plumbing system.
If it were me, I would disconnect all of the cold water connections at each facet and your low point drains and use 40-50 psi of air pressure to blow thru the plumbing from various points to see if you can blow something out of the system. Be sure to bypass the water heater as not to pressurize it with the air.
This could be sediment, small stones or PEX shavings from the manufacturer .
It would seem likely to me that if you traced your cold line from your heater connection towards the remainder of the system you will likely find a blockage in an elbow or tee that is fed from the main cold line.

Any chance your water softener is passing media and clogging your pipes. Not sure if you soften pre or post filter, but would there be anything wrong with filtering post softner for added protection.
 

M and E

Prominent Member
Any chance your water softener is passing media and clogging your pipes. Not sure if you soften pre or post filter, but would there be anything wrong with filtering post softner for added protection.
Never would have thought of this as a failure point. Interesting and great advice Bryan! Honestly, I would not have thought these pipes could get clogged beyond the usual suspects of mfr. debris.
 

Oregon_Camper

Forum Admin
Staff member
I’ll start this by saying the campground we’re work camping at this summer has low water pressure.........
How low? If a site we were staying is below 40psi, I simply grab a cold beer and a chair...go over to water fill area and fill the fresh water tank. Then use the water pump for the rest of the time there. The water pump in our 340RL does a GREAT job.
 
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