Master shower drips after sprinkler run

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Old 04-22-2024, 01:10 PM
fritzgb1 fritzgb1 is offline
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Default Master shower drips after sprinkler run

Having an issue with the shower in my master bath drips water for about 15 mins but only does it after my lawn sprinklers run any one got any ideas
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Old 04-22-2024, 01:19 PM
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Sounds like shower valve need rebuilt or replaced. If it’s one that has handle that sweeps back and forth it has o-rings and springs to control setting. I guessing when sprinkler system running it’s causing surge/fluctuation in water pressure as it runs through zones. This surge probably cause if spring unloads seats/ o-ring to leak?

Last edited by Topspinmo; 04-22-2024 at 04:18 PM.
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Old 04-22-2024, 01:20 PM
Bill14564 Bill14564 is offline
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When my shower was dripping it turned out to be a deflated expansion tank. My irrigation system is separate but if yours uses potable water then it *might* be the tank.

Try tapping on the side of the tank lightly with a screwdriver. The sound near the bottom should be noticeably different from the sound at the top.

I was lucky and just needed to add air to my tank. There was another thread on here that said replacing the tank was easy also if you determine that is the problem.
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Old 04-22-2024, 03:35 PM
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Originally Posted by fritzgb1 View Post
Having an issue with the shower in my master bath drips water for about 15 mins but only does it after my lawn sprinklers run any one got any ideas
No idea where you live, but only the historic area uses potable water for irrigation, the rest of TV has reclaimed water for irrigation which is a completely separate water supply and could not affect the shower head. If you are in the historic area, then a failed expansion tank (if you have one) could cause the problem.

Now if you are in the newer section of the villages, run your irrigation and go to the area closest to your shower and see if the sprinkler head is working properly. I have seen the sprinkler heads pop off and the stream of water goes into the soffit, and then gets into the house.
Hope this helps, let us know what you find.
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Old 04-22-2024, 04:20 PM
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Originally Posted by villagetinker View Post
No idea where you live, but only the historic area uses potable water for irrigation, the rest of TV has reclaimed water for irrigation which is a completely separate water supply and could not affect the shower head. If you are in the historic area, then a failed expansion tank (if you have one) could cause the problem.

Now if you are in the newer section of the villages, run your irrigation and go to the area closest to your shower and see if the sprinkler head is working properly. I have seen the sprinkler heads pop off and the stream of water goes into the soffit, and then gets into the house.
Hope this helps, let us know what you find.
I pretty sure everything above 466 on potable sprinkler water? That would include district’s 1,2 ,3 , 4? I live in 4 and on potable sprinkler water.
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Old 04-22-2024, 04:29 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by villagetinker View Post
No idea where you live, but only the historic area uses potable water for irrigation, the rest of TV has reclaimed water for irrigation which is a completely separate water supply and could not affect the shower head. If you are in the historic area, then a failed expansion tank (if you have one) could cause the problem.

Now if you are in the newer section of the villages, run your irrigation and go to the area closest to your shower and see if the sprinkler head is working properly. I have seen the sprinkler heads pop off and the stream of water goes into the soffit, and then gets into the house.
Hope this helps, let us know what you find.
Not so.
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Old 04-22-2024, 05:51 PM
RICH1 RICH1 is offline
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Expansion tank bladder blown
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Old 04-22-2024, 07:23 PM
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Default The Drip may be due to thermal expansion of your potable water Supply

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bill14564 View Post
When my shower was dripping it turned out to be a deflated expansion tank. My irrigation system is separate but if yours uses potable water then it *might* be the tank.

Try tapping on the side of the tank lightly with a screwdriver. The sound near the bottom should be noticeably different from the sound at the top.

I was lucky and just needed to add air to my tank. There was another thread on here that said replacing the tank was easy also if you determine that is the problem.
Refer back to a thread "PVC outlet on house" which goes into a discussion which includes the bladder tank and the Thermal relief outlet on the side of the house.
Thermal relief today is handled by the bladder on the water heater as per above or eventually the thermal and pressure relief valve on the water heater. This change was made about 2006 based on replies made by RG123 I believe. Previous to that, a relief valve was installed near the inlet water supply to the house and the water exited through a drip line to grade. Some people wrongly installed caps on the line that then made the line unprotected.

Thermal relief is required since water expands when it is heated either by the water heater or underground irrigation lines with no flow conditions. The water distribution system at the meter is designed to prevent backflow to prevent water from a dwelling to get back into the water distribution system in case it gets contaminated in the dwelling system. As water expands and no expansion bladder is available to reduce pressure increase, water line pressure will increase until something gives ...hopefully the water heater pressure relief and not the tank itself. The shower drip may actually be a form of thermal/pressure relief since the shower valve relieves some of the expanded water pressure buildup.

The questions to answer to try to determine what to do if anything are:
1. When was your house built?
2. Is your irrigation water from the potable water system?
3 Do you have a bladder tank on top of your water heater?
4. Do you have one of the "PVC" outlets on the outside of your house?
5 Have you checked the bladder tank as recommended above to confirm that the bladder tank is working?

Hopefully all you need is what Bill 14564 did to add air or get a bladder tank replacement.

Good luck! PM me if you have questions.
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Old 04-23-2024, 07:55 AM
nn0wheremann nn0wheremann is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by villagetinker View Post
No idea where you live, but only the historic area uses potable water for irrigation, the rest of TV has reclaimed water for irrigation which is a completely separate water supply and could not affect the shower head. If you are in the historic area, then a failed expansion tank (if you have one) could cause the problem.

Now if you are in the newer section of the villages, run your irrigation and go to the area closest to your shower and see if the sprinkler head is working properly. I have seen the sprinkler heads pop off and the stream of water goes into the soffit, and then gets into the house.
Hope this helps, let us know what you find.
Homes in CDD4 use potable water for sprinklers.
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Old 04-23-2024, 08:18 AM
retiredguy123 retiredguy123 is offline
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I would suggest that all homeowners buy a pressure gauge so they can monitor the water pressure in the house. They cost about 10 dollars on Amazon, and you can screw it onto any outside hose bibb. The pressure should be about 60 psi. If it is over 100 psi, you have a problem.

Just because your expansion tank is defective, doesn't mean that you have water pressure problem, but it is a good idea to check it periodically, and replace it when it fails. One way to test it is to tap the bottom part of the tank with a screw driver, and you should hear a dull thud. Tap the top part and you should hear a hollow sound. If you hear a dull thud on both parts, the tank is full of water and it is defective. Another way to test it is to remove the plastic cover on the top of the tank and attach a regular vehicle pressure gauge to the valve. If water comes out, the tank is full of water and defective. Expansion tanks last about 5-7 years, which is less than the water heater.
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Old 04-23-2024, 08:27 AM
VNO8333 VNO8333 is offline
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Old 04-23-2024, 08:44 AM
ton80 ton80 is offline
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Default Great Idea! Use pressure gauge to monitor Pressure During Irrigation and Shower

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Originally Posted by retiredguy123 View Post
I would suggest that all homeowners buy a pressure gauge so they can monitor the water pressure in the house. They cost about 10 dollars on Amazon, and you can screw it onto any outside hose bibb. The pressure should be about 60 psi. If it is over 100 psi, you have a problem.

Just because your expansion tank is defective, doesn't mean that you have water pressure problem, but it is a good idea to check it periodically, and replace it when it fails. One way to test it is to tap the bottom part of the tank with a screw driver, and you should hear a dull thud. Tap the top part and you should hear a hollow sound. If you hear a dull thud on both parts, the tank is full of water and it is defective. Another way to test it is to remove the plastic cover on the top of the tank and attach a regular vehicle pressure gauge to the valve. If water comes out, the tank is full of water and defective. Expansion tanks last about 5-7 years, which is less than the water heater.
Great Idea! Use pressure gauge to monitor Pressure During and after Irrigation and Shower. The pressure changes can provide some clues as to what is really happening.
If you do not have a bladder tank (pre 2006 construction) there should be a slow pressure buildup in the water line caused by water expanding as it is heated and not being compensated by the bladder tank which is not there. This can continue until the thermal relief valve starts to drip water unless someone has capped the valve outside.
If you have a bladder tank with a failed bladder or insufficient air in the bladder section, the pressure build up will be similar to above but there is no outside relief valve outlet. So pressure build up will
continue until some water is relieved through the shower valve or the water heater Pressure/Thermal Relief valve. The non return design on the water supply prevents backflow which would control pressure increase.
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Old 04-23-2024, 09:54 AM
NoMoSno NoMoSno is offline
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Old 04-23-2024, 10:23 AM
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The expansion tank air pressure should be same as water pressure usually around 60 PSI, unless you checking early in morning when everybody running irrigation the pressure drops if on potable water? Good ideas to check expansion tank air pressure every few months
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Old 04-23-2024, 10:46 AM
retiredguy123 retiredguy123 is offline
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Originally Posted by Topspinmo View Post
The expansion tank air pressure should be same as water pressure usually around 60 PSI, unless you checking early in morning when everybody running irrigation the pressure drops if on potable water? Good ideas to check expansion tank air pressure every few months
Yes, and if it is low, you can increase it with a handheld bicycle pump.
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