What is water hammer?
A water hammer tends to make a lot of noise, hence its moniker. The loud clangs or bangs that you hear is a result of a sudden cut off of the water flow in your pipes. This sudden stop or cut can cause a pressure spike that will then cause noise coursing through the pipes.
Water hammer should not be ignored, because it can cause leaks and burst pipes in your home. If you hear this kind of noise in your pipes, then you need to give it your attention.
But what are the sources of water hammer? There are a lot of them, including:
- Appliances and fixtures (taps, toilets, washing machine, dishwasher, etc.) with quick-closing valves can cause water hammer. In the event that you have newly installed appliances or fixtures, check the pipes to see if they’re loose.
- Loose pipes can also cause water hammer, especially parts like the plumber’s tape, ring hangers, brackets, and other straps that are used to secure the pipes.
- Toilets are prone to water hammer because of the toilet fill valve. A faulty valve either closes too quickly or does not close completely at all, so it can cause sudden water stoppage inside your pipes. What you can do is to replace the entire stem to fix the problem.
Loud banging or clanging noises inside your plumbing fixtures can lead to bigger problems. The louder they are, the bigger the future problem will be. Don’t hesitate to call on professional plumbers when you are faced with water hammer issues.
