Water Hammer | Plumbing Arlington
When your pipes experience loud banging after closing a tap you are experiencing water hammer. Water hammer occurs when rapidly-moving water comes to a sudden stop in the pipes due to shutting off the tap. This produces a loud banging noise in your plumbing in Arlington, similar to the sound of the pipes being hit with a hammer.
Water hammer can be a single loud bang, or multiple banging noises starting with a loud bang followed by several “echoes”. When the noise occurs as you open a tap, it is probably air in the pipes. However, if the noise occurs when a valve is closed, it is probably water hammer. If water hammer is occurring in your plumbing in Arlington a Benjamin Franklin plumber can provide the required plumbing repair to stop water hammer.
Water hammer isn’t a normal condition of plumbing. When it abruptly begins to occur in a home’s pipes it indicates that there is a problem with the plumbing system. The homeowner should have this problem addressed, as left untreated water hammer can cause damaging to the homes plumbing in Arlington.
How Water Hammer Can Damage Pipes
The loud banging noise is often the first symptom that there is a problem in the plumbing system. Over time it will cause erosion and damage to pipes, valves, fittings and can cause pipes to burst in a home’s plumbing in Arlington .
Modern pipes are designed with chambers of air to ease the damage caused by water hammer. Over time, the air chambers can become waterlogged, reducing their ability to neutralize the effects of water hammer. This is why water hammer sometimes will occur suddenly in pipes that had previously operated normally.
Treating Water Hammer
Managing water hammer will depend upon the cause. The following actions may help to reduce the damaging effects of water hammer.
1. If you are able to identify the section of pipe where water hammer is occurring turn off its water supply.
2. Open the valve where water hammer is occurring.
3. Allow the water to completely drain through the open valve, allowing air to be restored into the chamber protecting against water hammer.
4. In some plumbing systems, the air chamber will be located below the water source, in other words, the shut off valve for the affected tap. If this is the case the water source should also be drained by turning off the main shut off valve, or at the water meter to prevent the chamber from refilling with water. In older piping lacking air chambers these solutions will not work.
An additional potential cause of water hammer is piping that is clogged with rust and/or lime scale due to age and/or corrosion. Corroded pipes will eventually leak, and once leaks begin the situation will worsen. The solution for corroded pipes is replacement of the piping.
High water pressure is also a potential cause of water hammer. High water pressure is potentially damaging to pipes, fixtures, faucets and water using appliances. A Benjamin Franklin plumber can install a pressure reducing valve between the water meter and the homes main water line. This will protect the home’s plumbing in Arlington fixtures and appliances from excessive water pressure. The installation of a pressure reducing valve will involve cutting into the homes main water supply line. Due to the potential for leaks if not properly installed, it is a job that should be provided by a professional plumber.
The installation of new pipes by a qualified plumber is an option for eliminating water hammer. Other options include the installation of air chambers into the plumbing system at various locations can often solve water hammer problems.
When water hammer threatens the integrity of your homes plumbing in Arlington call Benjamin Franklin Plumbing for a professional resolution. We provide Fort Worth, Arlington and the surrounding areas with prompt, reliable plumbing services by the plumbers considered among the best in the nation. Benjamin Franklin Plumbing backs all its repairs with a 100% satisfaction guarantee. We are a member of the BBB with an A+ ranking.