No Water Pressure In A 1971 Doublewide Gets Worse When A Metal Piece Snaps Off, So The Owner Heads To Lowe’s For SharkBite Fittings To Rebuild The Pipes Around The Water Filter

Few home problems are as maddening as turning on a tap and getting a sad little trickle. In a 1971 doublewide that @taybrice is remodeling, that trickle was the project of the day.

The owner says the issue was simple to state: no water pressure. What followed was a repair that got worse before it got better, with a trip to Lowe’s in the middle.

@taybrice

Step One Was Turning The Pump Off And Grabbing An Old Bucket

The first move, she says, is to turn the pump to off. Then put an old bucket underneath the filter to catch the water that will come out.

She warns there will be so much pressure built up that the filter housing is impossible to turn by hand. The housing comes with a special tool for exactly that, and she slides it up from the bottom.

“That Metal Piece Just Broke Right Off”

Then came the setback. She cautions not to turn too hard, because you do not want to break any of your pipes, and yet a metal piece snapped right off anyway.

Her reaction was honest: she had no idea how she was going to fix it. So she did the sensible thing and took the broken piece off, planning to head to Lowe’s for parts.

Before leaving, she pulled the filter off the line too. Looking at it, she decided it was definitely time for a new filter.

That kind of sudden loss can have many causes in an older home, from a clogged filter to worn fittings, and a filter that has been in place a long time is a common spot where flow gets choked. Replacing it as part of the repair was a smart way to deal with one suspect while she was already working there.

Doing both jobs at once also meant she only had to drain the line one time. Every time you open a pressurized line you invite a mess, so combining the filter swap with the pipe rebuild kept the cleanup to a single bucket.

A Lowe’s Run For Three-Quarter Inch Pipe And SharkBite Fittings

Back from the store, she says she thinks she has everything she needs. That includes another SharkBite fitting and three-quarter inch pipe.

SharkBite is a brand of push-to-connect fitting. Instead of soldering or gluing, you cut the pipe cleanly and push the fitting on until it grips, which is why the fix suits a beginner with a bucket and a pair of pipe cutters.

She put the bucket underneath everything again and cut the pipe in two spots.

Three SharkBites, Each One Pushed In Tight

SharkBite number one is a three-quarter by three-quarter by half-inch fitting. She says she has to face it the right way so she can reconnect the pipe, then push down tight.

Number two goes on the half-inch pipe. She needs to run the line from one point to another, so she cuts the pipe where needed and pushes each end in real tight.

For the last SharkBite she uses the three-quarter inch pipe. The elbow goes right where it belongs, she pushes it in tight, and then adds the final fitting, making sure it faces toward the filter.

The Moment Of Truth Was Turning The Water Back On

With the new pieces in place, she put the filter back on and tightened it down very, very carefully. Then she turned the water on and checked for drips.

Her result, in her own words, was that there was not a single freaking leak. After a repair that started with a snapped part and no idea what to do, that is a pretty good ending.

What To Know Before You Try A Push Fitting Repair

Her fix is a good example of a job many homeowners can handle, but a few habits make it go smoother. Here are the basics worth remembering.

Shut off the water supply first, and in a home on a pump like hers, turn the pump off. Open a faucet to relieve pressure.
Keep a bucket and towels underneath. Even a closed line holds water that will come out when you cut.
Cut the pipe square and clean. A rough or angled cut is the most common reason push fittings leak.
Push each fitting on firmly until it seats fully, and mark the pipe beforehand so you can check the depth.
Turn the water back on slowly, then look and feel along every joint, and check again an hour later.

It also helps to buy a little extra. She mentions needing another fitting and more pipe, and one more elbow or short length in the cart can save a second trip to the store.

Finally, respect the age of the plumbing. In an older home, parts can be brittle, and a gentle hand with that filter tool matters, as her snapped piece shows. A filter that has gone untouched for years is often stubborn.

The bigger lesson is that a breakdown mid-repair is not the end. She stopped, took the part off, made a list and went shopping, and by the end of the day the water was running again.

Doublewide remodels like hers are full of small jobs like this one. Learn a few of them, such as swapping a filter or joining pipe with push fittings, and you will save real money on plumber calls.

Willow and Hearth