Do you get a “hammering” or banging sound when you turn off a faucet or shower? This is known as “water hammer” in the plumbing world. Water hammer usually occurs when a water valve or faucet is shut off quickly. There are several potential causes of water hammer and several potential cures.
Common Causes of Water Hammer
- A pipe strap or anchor may have broken in the wall. This will cause the pipe to vibrate when water is shut off.
- Your water pressure is too high.
- You may have a loose washer or faulty seal on a faucet or toilet, causing a vibration when the water is turned off quickly.
- Some plumbing fixture may not be shutting off entirely. Usually it’s a toilet, but faulty irrigation system valves can also cause water hammer.
Solutions to Water Hammer
While these are not all of the solutions available to remedy this common problem, these are the solutions that are the easiest, cheapest, and most practical. If these solutions don’t work, it’s definitely time to look for professional help.
- Try draining all the water out of your water system, starting with the highest fixture in the house. You’ll need to shut the main water shut off valve at the front of the house before you can do this. Drain all the water lines until no more water comes out, shut off all the faucets and turn the main water shut off valve back on. Go to each faucet and fixture and turn the water back on. While this may solve the problem, it is usually only a temporary fix.
- Install a water pressure regulator. If your water pressure is above 85 pounds, plumbing code requires a pressure regulator. Sixty pounds is an ideal pressure although in many areas as low as 30 pounds is considered acceptable working pressure. High water pressure is a mortal enemy of plumbing fixtures such as water heaters, dishwashers, and shower valves. Lower water pressure will extend the lives of these fixtures. We recommend Wilkins Water Pressure regulators; they are economical and repair parts are readily available.
- Search for and repair that leaking toilet fill valve or loose washer. While this may sound easy, that’s not always the case. A plumber can help you solve water hammer by locating and resolving the problem.
- Install a Sioux Chief Water Hammer Arrester or a mini-hammer-arrester. Some of these are placed under a faucet or valve; some you must mount inside of a wall.
If you’re experiencing water hammer and live in the Phoenix metropolitan area, contact us for a repair estimate. We’ve helped many of our customers locate and solve this annoying problem.