Monday, December 15, 2014

Water Hammers: What You Need to Know About Them

Turning on your faucet and hearing a loud banging is a bad sign. That loud banging sound is known as a “water hammer”, a characteristic noise that points to a possible problem with water pressure. It happens right after you turn off a faucet, and the fast moving water comes to a quick stop. This creates some kind of “shock wave”, which causes the hammering sound.

Proper plumbing comes with air chambers or cushions that soften these shock waves. If you are unsure if your plumbing has these, call reliable Edmonton plumbers to check, as these could save you a great deal of trouble later on. If the problem has been building up for some time, however, the air chambers could eventually fail.

Water hammers may develop as a result of water logging in your air chambers, or a build-up of chemical or mineral residue in the water. They are dangerous because, while they’re already potential signs of a failing plumbing system, they can aggravate the problem further by loosening pipes from their supports.


Reducing (if not eliminating) water hammer typically involves three specific solutions: securing the pipes, installing water hammer arrestors, or mounting a pressure reducing valve. A simpler fix only involves a handful of sturdy clips or tape—merely to secure all loose pipes to the walls so as to quiet them down; or if you know that your plumbing system has aged air chambers, draining the entire plumbing system and recharging it may solve the problem. 

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