When an appliance pulls water or a faucet is turned off, it’s not unusual to hear the metal pipes in your home’s plumbing create loud banging noises. Unfortunately, this noise, sometimes known as “water hammer,” isn’t just annoying; it may also harm your plumbing system. A water hammer is an effect of water stopping or abruptly changing course, and it is also known as a hydraulic shock in technical circles. This causes your pipes to move, shake, and slam against one another as a shock wave travels through them.
When Roman architect Marcus Vitruvius Pollio observed them in the public water system in the first century B.C., water hammers in pipes were already a known phenomenon. Thankfully, we’ve learned how to deal with them since then. You may learn all there is to know about hammering pipes, including the potential issues they can lead to and how to put a stop to them in your house, by reading the information below.
A water hammer: what is it?
When a fluid is compelled to abruptly stop or change direction, a pressure surge known as a “water hammer” results. Shockwaves are produced by this abrupt shift in momentum, which causes pipes and water to shake and slam. The sound of water “hammering” through pipes and valves is how water hammer got its name.
We should point out that water hammer can occasionally occur for quite straightforward causes, like excessive water pressure. Check your water pressure gauge and make any necessary adjustments to see if your water pressure is the issue. If you’re unsure about the water pressure in your home, a qualified plumber from BJC Plumbers North Bergen can test and adjust it for you.
How Harmful is water hammer?
Over time, pipe joints and valves can become worn down by water hammer damage. Older pipes may crack, begin leaking, or separate from their connections. Additionally, there may be a risk to your health if your surge results from excessive water pressure. People who don’t anticipate a hot or strong shower can suffer physical injury from high water pressure.
ways to fix the water hammer.
There are several methods for resolving water hammer and stopping water pipes from slamming each time you turn on the faucet. The most popular and successful options will be listed.
- fixing unsecured pipelines. Even modest water pounding could cause your pipes to tremble and bang if they are not secured. The quickest and most affordable solution to the issue is to secure any loose pipes. Install additional straps or hangers, tighten any loose pipe hangers or straps, wrap exposed pipe sections in pipe insulation to serve as shock absorbers, or tighten any loose pipe hangers or straps. This will secure your pipes at the stud or joist. Extreme problems won’t be fixed by this method, but moderate cases will be protected from harm in several ways.
- Set up an air chamber. When flowing water in a pipe abruptly stops, it causes a water hammer. A shockwave that travels back through the pipe is produced when the water slams into the pipe valves that were just closed. When the valve closes, the water will not slam against the valve wall if you install a different path for it to rebound. Located next to potentially problematic valves, an air chamber is a small vertical pipe segment. When your valves are closed, it provides a location for water and extra force to travel. The installation of pipe air chambers can be done swiftly and easily by a qualified plumber.
- Set up mechanical water shock abortions. In cases where installing an air chamber is not an option, mechanical shock arrestors are the best option for solving severe hydraulic shock issues. You put them around the harmed plumbing joints. They are a gadget made up of an air bladder and a spring. Mechanical water shock arrestors perform the exact function that is implied by their name. When water slams against closed valve walls, they absorb and stop the shockwave that is produced, neutralizing it before it can echo through your pipes.
Cut Down on Home Water Hammer Noise
Small plumbing issues that are left ignored only become bigger issues later. Give BJC Plumbers North Bergen a call if you’re unsure how to get your water pipes to stop banging. You and the plumbing in your home will benefit from treating the water hammer noise and any potential damage it may be creating. To identify and resolve your problem as fast and effectively as possible, we’ll dispatch one of our professionals.
