Clogged hot water sink inlet

[Bandion]

What is the best way to clean out a clogged inlet pipe?
I recently changed out my angle stops to my bathroom sink, and the hot water side was clogged with sediment. 1/2 inch copper piping.

One of my 1st steps will be to flush the hot water heater, after that, i am guessing to try to snake out the inlet pipe somehow?
Thanks
Carl

[gear junkie]

The only thing you changed was the angle stops? How old is your water heater? Your dip tube might be bad. Flushing the water heater won't take care of the plugged angle stop. You might have to remove it and turn the hot side back on slowly(have the gas or electricity shut off when you do this) to flush your system.

[drtyhands]

When you get the angle stop off you can put a length of 5/8" hose and hose clamp on the copper and put the other end into a 5 gallon bucket and flush it out.Then put on your new angle stop.

[Bandion]

When i pulled off the old angle stops, there was alot of sediment and there already. I had to turn it off to change out the faucet and discovered it would not turn off all the way. The sediment was the reason.

i was by myself, so didnt want to try to turn the water on with the angle valve off. Didnt think of the hose/clamp and bucket.

No idea how old the water heater is. The dip tube might very well need replacement.

[gear junkie]

Can you take a picture of the sedimentation? This would tell us if it's the dip tube. Flushing your water heater is in order.

[Bandion]

Here are the links to what the inside of the angle stop looks like.
Hot side
http://www.ridgidforum.com/photoplog/index.php?n=221

Both angle stops
cold then hot
http://www.ridgidforum.com/photoplog/index.php?n=222

[gear junkie]

Wow, that's with copper lines?! Are you positive you don't have galvanized. Definently need to flush your lines and water heater. Thanks for the pics. I don't think it's your dip tube so that's good news.

[westcoastplumber]

That looks alot like stops replaced from a galvanized system, you may have copper in the house, but your service may be galvanized.

Hot and cold, so the debris is coming from the cold and feeding throught the hot water heater.

[Bandion]

my GF says yall are "Wiase in the ways of wata" :bow-down:

and yes, there are galvanized pipes from the copper risers to the angle stops.

should i just flush it, or add any chemicals to help... now that i read it, it sounds like a bad idea... but i am a noob.

That is good news that it isnt the dip tube...
Thanks
carl

[drtyhands]

I'm not aware of any chemicals.

[gear junkie]

Not really good news at all. You can flush the system out but it's only a temporary fix. You're going to be looking at a repipe of the house. Not cheap.

[westcoastplumber]

No, there are not any chemicals to flush it out, about the only way to get ride of it is to either re-pipe, or re-line the water system.

There is a company here in los angeles, still a pretty new idea.

In my book, you are better off with a re-pipe, maybe you only need verticles, your horizontals could be done already.

Cost of copper is really high right now, good luck.