Q. The water-works in my house act so singularly that I would like very much to have the opinion of some of your readers versed in such matters as to the real cause of the trouble before I attempt to do anything to remedy it. I inclose a sketch of the boiler and kitchen-sink, with its hot and cold water-supply, which I hope will be of service. The difficulty is:

First - The water rises to the second floor only for a short time during the night, although the houses on each side of me have it all day on that floor.

Second - On opening the cold-water faucet of the kitchen-sink the water runs cold for an instant, then hot for a little time, and then cold again; and this thing goes on as long as the faucet is open.

Third - The hot-water faucet delivers a strong stream at first, then reduces to a mere dribble, then strong again, and so on.

You can imagine how annoying this is, and if you can do anything to solve the problem you will greatly oblige.

A. The conditions of your house-plumbing presents a singular combination, noticeably as respects the second and third difficulties.

In answer to your first point, the pipe from the street (if it is the same apparently as your neighbor's) must have at some part of its length a greatly reduced area, so that when there is a decreased pressure in the main (in the day-time) enough does not force through to give the required head within the house when a lower faucet is opened, or there is any steady drain, such as a leak, between the house and the contraction.

The second difficulty is a result of the first. When you open the cold faucet the water within the pipe (cold) runs out; then in consideration of the very small passage in the pipe, the head of water which has accumulated in the pipes above the boiler runs back through the boiler and through the cold faucet. When the water has thus run down to the top of the boiler, cold water will come again slowly in the intended direction; but it will not again repeat the operation unless the pressure within the service-pipe is subject to fluctuations, which are not likely to take place during the day, and which only can be accounted for on the supposition that you and your neighbors - one or both - are branched from the same tap, and that you alone have a stoppage inside the junction with their branch. The explanation just given applies also to the third question. The hot water flowing downward from the pipes in the house, passing through the boiler a little strongly at first until the head is gone, then reducing to the amount of water which will pass the obstruction - fluctuations being attributed to the same cause as before. If there is sufficient pressure in the street-mains to raise the water at all times in the house, as indicated by your neighbor, large piping will cure the trouble with a tap to yourself.

Figure 55.