What is a common symptom of an air leak in a line?

• A. Steady high flow with no pressure loss.
• B. Continuous water hammer without any flow.
• C. Pulsating or sputtering flow and loss of pressure at the nozzle.
• D. No audible or visual change.

Answer: (C)

Air in a hose line creates air pockets that compress and expand as the pump pushes water through. This makes the flow at the nozzle fluctuate, so you see pulsating or sputtering spray, and the pressure at the nozzle drops because part of the pump’s energy is used to compress and move those air pockets instead of delivering a steady stream. In a healthy, air-free line, the flow would be steady and the nozzle pressure would stay relatively constant. Other scenarios described—steady high flow with no pressure loss, or hammer-like effects without sustained flow, or no audible/visual changes—don’t match what happens when air leaks are present. So pulsating or sputtering flow with loss of nozzle pressure is the telltale sign of an air leak.