Hammering Sound When Turning on the Faucet
Homes are filled with noise: Windows and doors creak, walls sigh and plumbing can make quite a racket. Water hammer — that persistent percussion that occurs so often in pipes — creates annoying noises and can also damage your plumbing system. This noise arises from problems with pressure in water systems. Pipes can also produce knocking noises, if not properly secured. You can contact a plumber for help solving your water hammer problems. Does this Spark an idea?
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Water Hammer
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Water hammer arises from high water pressure and sudden pressure changes. It most commonly occurs when you turn off a water supply in a high-pressure system. For instance, if you run a tap for a minute and turn it off, all the water rushing toward the tap at high pressure slams to a stop, causing vibrations that create a hammering sound. Water hammer occurring when you turn on a tap results from a pressure change to a high-pressure system. Each tap technically serves as a valve. When you open a valve, it suddenly changes the pressure in the system, potentially causing a hammering sound. Water hammer weakens pipe joints, damaging your plumbing.
Loose Pipes
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Loose pipes may also cause a hammering sound in a high-pressure system, though this sound does not technically qualify as water hammer. This occurs most commonly when a pipe hangs from a V-shaped wire or similar bracket or brace. When you turn on water, the high pressure of the system sends large volumes of water rushing through pipes at high speeds. This causes a swaying motion in pipes not properly secured to a wall or ceiling. Swaying can cause pipes to slam into walls or surrounding pipes, resulting in a hammer sound.
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Replacing a Valve
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If water hammer only occurs when you turn on a specific faucet, that faucet is the problem. Something about that faucet or valve upsets the pressure within a high-pressure system. The easiest way to deal with it is to replace that faucet with an appropriate one. If you lack knowledge of faucets, plumbing and pressure systems, hire a professional to ensure a proper solution.
More Solutions
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Water hammer and hammering noises from loose pipes only occur in high-pressure systems. The easiest way to deal with these problems, then, lies in reducing your overall water pressure. If you live in a naturally high-pressure area, such as at the bottom of the hill, this may require installing pressure-reduction measures to the pipes feeding your home supply. Always contact a plumber to help assess and repair your problems. You can also take measures like installing larger pipes to reduce the force of water rushing through your system and securing loose pipes with tighter fittings.
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References
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