Understanding Water Hammer And What Your Plumber Can Do
If you hear a sudden bang or thud resonating from your plumbing system, that frustrating phenomenon is known as a water hammer. The noise is disruptive and can cause damage to your pipes over time. Understanding water hammer issues and what a plumber can do for them is important. Here are some things you should know.
What Is Water Hammer?
Water hammer refers to situations when the flow of water in your plumbing system is interrupted or redirected and the pipes make a loud knocking or banging sound from the abrupt flow change.
What Can Cause Water Hammer?
Water hammer results from many different plumbing situations. Valves that close too abruptly, such as those in water-using appliances, can cause your water flow to suddenly stop. This often causes water hammer issues.
Water pressure problems also contribute to water hammer. Excessive water pressure intensifies the water flow, making it more likely for water hammer to happen. Unsecured pipes also increase your risk of water hammer issues because the pipes shift when the water flow changes.
Can a Plumber Help with Water Hammer?
A plumber can help you with a diagnosis of your water hammer issue. They can trace the problem to its origin and recommend a fix that addresses the root cause. The plumber will install a pressure regulator if necessary to prevent pressure problems from causing water hammer issues.
A water hammer arrestor can absorb the shock of water movement, so you can reduce the noise. Sometimes your plumber will have to place several water hammer arrestors throughout your plumbing system to target the sources of the problems. Another common fix for water hammer issues is valve adjustment. When you have a valve that's closing too quickly, your plumber can adjust the valves so that they close in a more controlled manner.
Finally, adding reinforcement, anchor straps, and similar hardware to the pipes will reduce the risk of pipe shifting, which contributes to water hammer issues. Your plumber will test the valves to ensure that everything functions properly.
Water hammer may start as an annoyance, but it has the potential to develop into a serious plumbing issue. Understanding what water hammer is, how it occurs, and what a plumber can do to help you address it will give you the tools that you need to protect your plumbing when it needs it the most. Talk with a local plumber today for more information.
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