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How to Add Air to a Water Pressure Tank by Tire Pump WaterAPedia © Enter your search terms Submit search form   Search This Website - InspectAPedia.com

• How to add air to a water tank using a tire pump or compressed air at the tank air valve
• How to locate the air valve on a water storage tank
• Well pump & water tank diagnosis & repair procedures

This article describes 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. Readers of this document should also see Water pump and pressure tank repair diagnosis & cost 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 page top is courtesy of Carson Dunlop, Inc. in Toronto.

2: PUMPING AIR IN - Method 2: Pumping air in by using the Schrader Valve

On most water tanks there is a fitting that looks like a tire valve located on the top of the tank, possibly at the tank bottom, or on the water outlet piping which is usually at the bottom of the tank. In the photograph shown here, the red cap at the top of the water tank marks the location of the air valve for this water tank. This valve can be really almost anywhere near the water tank on a pipe through which pumped air would rise into the water tank, as it is used to add air pressure to the system. Look for a little valve stem that looks just like a tire valve. In fact it is a tire valve. These are called "Schrader valves" in case you have to buy a new one. The stem is about 3/16" diameter, and maybe 1.5" to 2" long. It might have a valve cap on it that looks just like what's on your car. That's because in fact it is the same device as used on automobile and truck tires.

If you have a bicycle pump you can simply clip the pump business-end onto this valve and pump air into the tank without going through any other rigmarole. But be prepared for having to make quite a few pump strokes.

Schrader Valve Tips for water tanks: If you've messed with this valve when there was no pressure on the tank (maybe you pressed the little pin in the top of the valve as described in Method 3 below) you might get water or air leaking out of the Schrader valve when you try to re-pressurize the tank. Usually you can stop this leak by simply pressing the little valve-stem pin down and releasing it a couple of times. (The valve stem end that you press looks like a little wire sticking up in the center of the Schrader valve.) If all else fails, run over to your car and borrow one of its tire valve caps and just screw it down tightly over the leaky Schrader valve. This will work fine to stop a water or air leak until you get around to having a plumber or handy-man put a new valve stem into the misbehaving little valve.

Replacing a Schrader valve: Actually, the internal moving parts of this valve can be replaced just as they can be on a car tire. One can buy valve stem cores (and the tool to replace them) at any auto parts store. The special tool, sometimes simply a special valve stem cap, has a protruding tip with a slot in it, used to unscrew and remove the old valve (located down inside the valve stem itself and ending with the little pin that you see when you look into the top of the valve stem) and to screw in a new valve stem core. The internal valve stem part (valve stem core) that is replaced can be purchased with different spring strengths for different pressure ranges, but in fact, given that the pressure range of a typical water tank is 20-70 psi (like a car tire) almost any common tire valve stem core would work fine as a replacement if your valve stem won't stop leaking.

Water Tank Maintenance & Repair Chapter Index

Use links just below or at the left of each of the pages at our website to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.

PLUMBING TOPICS
OIL TANKS
SEPTIC SYSTEMS
WATER PRESSURE REPAIR GUIDE & COSTS
WATER PRESSURE LOSS DIAGNOSIS GUIDE
  WATER PUMP PRESSURE CONTROL ADJUSTMENT
  WATER PUMP PRESSURE CONTROL REPAIR
WATER PUMPS & TANKS & WELLS
WATER PUMP CONTROLS & SWITCHES
PUMP TYPES & LIFE EXPECTANCY
WATER PUMP & TANK SAFETY
WATER SUPPLY & DRAIN PIPING
WATER TANK TYPES: WATER, OIL, EXPANSION, ALL
WATER TANK LIFE EXPECTANCY
WATER TANK REPAIRS
  CONTROLS & SWITCHES on WATER TANKS
  INTERMITTENT CYCLING WATER PUMPS
  SHORT CYCLING WATER PUMPS
  SHORT CYCLING DETECTION
  SHORT CYCLING CAUSES
  WATER TANK AIR LOSS SIGNS
WATER TANK AIR, HOW TO ADD
  WATER TANK AIR VOLUME CONTROLS
  WATER TANK AIR ADD AT AIR VALVE
  WATER TANK AIR IN BY DRAINING
  AIR HOW MUCH TO ADD
  AIR HOW OFTEN TO ADD
WATER TANK REPLACEMENT
WATER TANK PRESSURE CALCULATIONS
WATER TANK SIZE & VOLUME
WATER TANKS HOW THEY WORK
WATER TESTING
WELLS CISTERNS & SPRINGS
WELL LIFE EXPECTANCY

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