hard water deposits

[shop hermit]

We bought my daughter a used mobile home several years ago and moved it next door. I think it must have been on a well system because she has trouble with what I presume are lime/calcium buildup in the pressure water piping. When I replaced the guts in one of her toilets last year, I had to partially close the shutoff valve to cut back on the flow because the tank valve would plug up with little white sandy granules. Now she is having problems throughout the house with low pressure and flow and I am sure it is the same problem. I have had to clean the faucet screens frequently, but now that doesn't help...the problem is probably sediment in low spots or elbows in the lines. My question is.....what can I do about it? I read through a dozen pages of posts and the closest thing I could find to a solution was disconnect at the meter and blow back with compressed air. Do you think this would work and would it be more than a temporary fix. I certainly don't relish the idea of cutting into the undercover and replumbing it!

[Greg]

Hi & welcome. There are no easy ways to solve this type of problem. TRY the air, but I doubt it will help. You could start by replacing all of the shut off valves. Do not cheap out here, Brass or Stainless only. Install a main valve INSIDE the home in an easy place to get to in an emergency.

If that does not help you will need to go deeper, Faucets and lines. If you end up doing lines, PEX is the only way to go.

Don't forget the water heater also. Try flushing it, but Plan on replacing it. Greg

[Barb P]

I can tell you only our personal experience. I had the same problem for several years. We assumed it was the fault of the cold water....excessive minerals, etc. We bought new faucets more than once.
Many people told us it was coming from the water heater. I didn't believe it, because it was the cold water....not the hot.
Turned out, in my 1978 water heater, the cold water came in at the bottom. The water for the rest of the house, also came in at that point, and somehow stirred up the sediment at the bottom of water heater, then went on to the house faucets.
I got a new water heater, that fills at the top, and never had another problem with clogging faucets.
Now I'm not so good at describing these plumbing things, but I hope I made sense.