Question: The water inlet valve that supplies cold water to our washing machine drips slowly and water accumulates on the round handle. I see a hex nut at the base of the stem that connects the ...

That’s the ball cock, or water inlet valve. ... The cracking noise is the result of expansion and contraction of the PVC pipe as it heats up and cools down--when hot water is run through it.

Bob put some water gauges on the inlet and the outlet to the pump and said, “The inlet is in a vacuum and the outlet is reading 50 psig. You were right, the vacuum would pull in air if the seal leaks.