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James
Guest
 Nov-06-02, 11:49 PM (EST)
 
"Water Pipe Noise"
 
   Someone told me that the banging that I hear in my pipes when I turn a faucet off is bad for my pipes. Is this correct and if so what can I do about it.

Thanks


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John Franklinadmin -- USDA Zone 5
Member since Feb-2-02
20 posts		 Nov-06-02, 11:53 PM (EST)
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1. "RE: Water Pipe Noise"
In response to message #0
 
   The noise you are hearing is called “Water Hammer” and it can be damaging to your water supply system. The noise is the result of your pipes being jarred due to an abrupt stop in water flow. This shock to the pipes is often enough to cause them to move and strike objects in your walls or floors such as studs or floor joists. The movement and the impact can eventually cause joints to leak or may even cause pipes to fatigue and crack. This shock can also cause damage to valves and other parts of the plumbing system.

The remedy is to install “Water Hammer” suppressors at each faucet in your house. This should include all hot and cold faucets, all toilets, and laundry water supply lines. In new construction this is a fairly easy task but in an existing plumbing system it may be next to impossible.

A “Water Hammer” suppressor is usually nothing more than a vertical length (10”- 12”) of pipe with a cap on the top. Trapped air in this pipe acts like a cushion and helps absorb the shock produced when the flow of water is stopped abruptly. There are also manufactured units available that contain pressurized bladders that can be installed at any angle. For best results both of these types should installed at the end of the pipe with the supply line feeding the faucet coming off a Tee just before the suppressor.

In an existing house the areas that still should be relatively easy to get to would be the kitchen sink and bathroom sink. If by chance one of these are near the area that is causing the problem you’re in luck. If not, installing suppressors wherever you can may help some anyway. Other areas to consider would be in water lines that might be accessible in a basement or craw space. If this is an option using the manufactured units and installing them toward the end of the water lines (furthest away from your pump or city water supply line) might be helpful.

I hope this has helped. Please let me know if you need more information.

John


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Barbara Vlass
Guest
 Nov-06-02, 11:56 PM (EST)
 
2. "RE: Water Pipe Noise"
In response to message #1
 
   After the water fills up the toilet tank the pipes bang. If I run the water in the sink while the tank is filling up the pipes do not bang. What is the problem? Thank you in advance


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John Franklinadmin -- USDA Zone 5
Member since Feb-2-02
20 posts		 Nov-07-02, 00:05 AM (EST)
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3. "RE: Water Pipe Noise"
In response to message #2
 
   Barbara,

Please look at my response to James concerning “Water Pipe Noise”. I feel that same information applies to your situation. The reason it doesn’t bang when you have the water running in the sink is because the open faucet and the running water helps relieve the shock caused by the closing valve when the toilet fills up.

John


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Simon Blint
Guest
 Jul-08-05, 10:58 AM (EST)
 
4. "RE: Water Pipe Noise"
In response to message #1
 
   Hi,

Not knowing what it was, I cut the water hammer pipe for my sprinkler system down about 4 inches and re-capped it. Now all the pipes in my whole house shake and make a large banging noise everytime the sprinklers go on and off.

What can I do? Will just replacing that small section of pipe with one of the original size, plus a cap, fix the problem, or does my system need "repressurized."

Thanks,

Simon B


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Canuck Plumber -- USDA Zone 1234
Guest
 Jul-09-05, 11:39 AM (EST)
 
5. "RE: Water Pipe Noise"
In response to message #4
 
   It sounds like you need to install a better water bumper. You can (and appears to have been using)install a copper riser with a cap on the end. This will trap a small pocket of air inside the riser and provide some relief of your symptoms. The trouble with this is that over a short period of time, the air will absorb into the water and the hammer noise will resume. Personally, I would buy an anti hammer device that has a rubber baffle inside that prevents the water from absorbtion.

See here

Cheers


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Simon Blint
Guest
 Jul-09-05, 01:50 PM (EST)
 
6. "RE: Water Pipe Noise"
In response to message #5
 
   Thanks, that's exactly what I'll do.


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Fi -- USDA Zone 4567
Guest
 Aug-19-05, 03:59 PM (EST)
 
7. "RE: Water Pipe Noise"
In response to message #6
 
   I think i may be having a similar problem to Barbara.
AFTER I flush the toilet, there is a single banging noise. It seems to come from under the floor, but it doesn't happen every time. Usually first thing in the morning or after work when the toilet hasn't been in use for a few hours.

Is this a hammer or something else? It was suggested that it might be air in the system and that draining it and for "aeration" might be the answer.

Any thoughts?
Thanks.


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Canuck Plumber -- USDA Zone 1234
Guest
 Aug-21-05, 02:37 PM (EST)
 
8. "RE: Water Pipe Noise"
In response to message #7
 
   Its water hammer..install a bumper or change out the float valve to something that closes more slowly.

Cheers


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Rosie -- USDA Zone ?
Guest
 Jan-31-06, 11:12 PM (EST)
 
10. "RE: Water Pipe Noise"
In response to message #1
 
   I have the same problem,our house is 46 years old, and in the mornings when we open the hot water in any of the 2 bathrooms, the hammering noise starts. I went to Home Depot and found the "Mini Rester"-Water hammer arresters, but "Washing machine connection" is the only one that they have, and even do not know what is it! Any way, could I install that type in the bathrooms, or only in the W/D machines?
Thanks
Rosie
Northen California


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Gary Bailey -- USDA Zone 92586
Guest
 Dec-13-05, 08:53 AM (EST)
 
9. "RE: Water Pipe Noise"
In response to message #0
 
   I had a hammering noise in two bathrooms when I used the hotwater in the basin but not in the showers? And for years I had heard that a pipe full of air would stop this so I placed one six inch pipe above the hot water heater on the hot water supply line above the line vertically. I was a genus ... there was no hammering noise. However the next morning the air in the six inch pipe must have been replaced by water and the hammering was again present. I Searched the Internet and found this site that recommended a Anti Hammer device, Water Hammer Suppressor or a Water Bumper.

Next step Hardware store and Anti Hammer Devices .

Thanks for the advice hope it works.


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latinoqt -- USDA Zone 85018
Guest
 Aug-22-06, 03:37 AM (EST)
 
11. "RE: Water Pipe Noise"
In response to message #0
 
   i had recently remodeled the bathroom. it was beautiful, and so worth it. well since i had to change the the old faucet and showerhead with a new one, i had to learn how to solder to finally trying out a copperbond adhesive. i was finally able to connect the old pipes to the new faucet. it was finally done and then a few months the 'pipes' were banging every time i opened a faucet, flushed the toilet, or sometimes even in the middle of the night on its own. anyway, after months of putting it off and enduring the banging (which was so loud that it literally woke me up on several occasions) i torn down some of the wall on the other side of the bathroom. i still could not find it. I even bought a listening instument to try to "hear" the location of the banging, but since i lived on my own i couldnt open the faucet and then run and go to listen, just not enough time. finally one day in frustration i pulled too hard on a pipe and a joint began to leak. i went to Home Depot and for less than $3 i could have replaced the leaking section. but i decided to call a professional plumber and see what he could do for the banging as well. I had thrown in the towel. he came out, charged me $200 bucks to replace the leaky section, he soldered it, was done in less than 20 minutes. he, after 20 years of plumbing, was dumbfounded on the banging. he even replaced one of the chambers to see if it reduced the noise and to no avail. then finally he suggested that i remove the front plate of the NEW shower faucet revealing the valves. He said to look for two valves. they kind of look like screws attached to the faucet. i got a big screwdriver and turned it till it was tight. turns out one was loose. Halleluah!!!!! no more banging!!!! although the plumber was gone in less than 30 minutes, he saved me hours of unrest. well worth the $200!!!! hope this is able to save you big $!


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