Generally, you don’t expect to hear anything happening in your plumbing pipes. They don’t have any moving parts, after all, and it seems like they should work easily: moving water into the home with water pressure and out of the home thanks to gravity.
But many homeowners experience water hammer at some point in time. A loud banging noise in your pipes may not cause any serious trouble immediately, but it could do some major harm to your pipes over time. Find out more below!
What is water hammer?
Water hammer is what happens when the flow of water is suddenly forced to a halt. So, when you shut off a tap in your home, water is suddenly stopped, and it can lead to shockwaves that sound off near the source of the problem.
How do plumbing systems avoid water hammer?
From the description above, it seems as though every pipe in your home could be subject to water hammer. After all, you turn the faucet on and off rather frequently.
Thankfully, there are air chambers in place in most plumbing systems that form a sort of cushion to stop this very event. It’s possible that the pipes leading to that particular faucet have become water logged. If this is the case, the fix may be simple:
- Shut off the water leading to that faucet (or throughout the house, if necessary.)
- Open up the tap and let water run continuously until it’s out.
- Restore water.
If this doesn’t work, however, you likely need to call a plumber.
The pipes could have a buildup of minerals or they could be otherwise clogged. In many cases, a pressure-reducing valve of some sort needs to be added into the plumbing system, or else the pipes need to be extended to accommodate air chambers. Your plumber will decide on what’s right.
Admiral Plumbing Services, LLC offers plumbing repair and more in Lake Worth, FL and the surrounding areas. Call our super friendly team for exceptional service!
