How to Bleed Air From RV Water Lines: 5 Helpful Tips
When it comes to air in the water line you will need to bleed the air out. It is not a difficult task to do. It just takes a little time. Once you have the air out, your water pressure should be fine.
How to Bleed Air From RV Water Lines: One simple way to bleed the air from your RV’s water line is to fill your water tank with water. Then start pumping up the system. You will have to open the faucets a couple of times but that is okay. The air should be out of the system quickly.
Bleeding air out of a water line doesn’t take a lot of mechanical know how. To learn how you can do it quickly, just continue to read our article. It is filled with tips to help you have a good water supply every time you turn on your RV’s faucets
Tip #1: You should turn your water pump on or off only once a weekend. The light on the pump switch does not draw a lot of electricity and you should keep the pressure on even when you are not using the pump.
Tip #2: Air in the water line can be caused by loose connections or a crack in the hose. Double check your connections and tighten any that are loose. Also, duct tape works well to plug holes till you can replace them.
Bleeding RV Water Lines
To effectively bleed air from your RV’s water line, you will need to connect the line to a water source already under pressure. This is better than using your water pump. Also, you will need to open your faucets to let the air out.
Once you get the air out. Disconnect from the pressured water source and start your pump. The pump should prime without any hassles.. After this is done don’t forget to close your RV’s faucets.
Tip #3: to protect your RV’s overall water system, it is a smart move to use a water pressure regulator. These have a gauge so you do not put too much pressure on your water system
How to Bleed RV Water Pump
You can just open the furthest faucet away from your pump and waiting for the air to come out. Once you get a steady stream of water, then you know the water pump is free of air.
Another way to do it is to prime your water pump. Here are those instructions:
- Locate your water pump and disconnect the water outlet line
- Attach a rubber hose and make sure it is long enough to avoid kinking
- Then fill a 12 ounce jar or can with water
- Hold your end of the hose up above the water pump and pour the water in the hose
- Place your thumb over the hose end and turn your pump on. After about a minute, you should feel the water against your thumb. When you do, turn the pump off
- Disconnect the hose and replace it with the outgoing water line
Tip #4: You can drain the fresh water tank to save on weight but do not drain the whole system. Leave the rest of the RV’s water system pressurized so you do not have to bleed the air from the line every time you turn the pump on
How to bleed RV hot water heater
You may not have to do this very often but at some point you will have to bleed the hot water heater in your RV. The process is quite simple to do and it might take about 1 to 1 1/2 hours to complete.
Turn off the hot water heater
Let the water cool down first- this may take about 30 to 40 minutes. When you can touch the sides of the water heater without feeling any heat, then it is safe to begin
Now turn off the water supply and open a faucet to relieve pressure
Next, open your pressure release valve until all the water is gone.
Once that is done, close the valve and the faucet
Turn the water supply back on
When the tank is full turn the heater back on again
Tip #5: When you are checking for leaks do not forget to check the filter. If it is dirty this can allow air into your water lines. Also, double check the little plastic bowl. If it is cracked then air will get into your water line as well.
Cleaning the RV Water Heater Tank
To help maintain your hot water tank and prevent air from getting inside, it is a good idea to clean it about once a year. Empty the tank and check the anode rod first. If it is deteriorating then you should replace it. Use a rinsing wand to flush it out completely.
Sometimes when you are in hard water areas, the inside of your water heater tank can get clogged up with calcium and other mineral deposits. To handle this issue, just add a little vinegar mixed with water to your fresh water tank and pump it into your water heater tank.
Or you can remove the pressure relief valve and use a funnel to pour the vinegar and water mix through the top poof your water heater. A third way to handle this cleaning issue is to use an RV winterizing kit. This is the easiest way of all three
Some Final Comments
As you can see, bleeding the air out of your water lines is not that difficult. It shouldn’t take you a lot of time to do it and sometimes you can clear the air just by opening a faucet.
Air gets into your water line in several ways and the most common ways are through loose connections and leaks. It is a good idea to do regular inspections of your water lines, pumps, tank and all the connections to make sure they are secure and do not have leaks.
