How Do You Stop Water Hammer?

Are your internal pipes making new banging sounds when you turn taps on and off? If so, you’ve got an issue that professionals refer to as water hammer.

This sounds isn’t just annoying – it can also cause damage to your pipework if it is ongoing. At Carrick Plumbing & Roofing, we understand the annoyance and concern that water hammer causes homeowners and the importance of putting things right – that’s why we’ve put together this guide to how you can reduce the noise and maintain quiet, quality plumbing throughout your home that lasts the distance.

Causes And Consequences

Before we dive into how to manage water hammer, it’s important we know why water hammer happens in the first place and what the consequences might be if we don’t address it.

Water hammer usually starts when water movement in your pipework rapidly changes. It’s usually caused by a tap or faucet opening or closing very quickly.

Water hammer is an annoying, unpleasant sound, but it does more than just make an annoying noise. Increased water flow, banging pipes and even burst pipes can all result from water hammer.

So, how do you stop it?

Manage Air Pockets

Air pockets in your pipes are one of the main causes of water hammer. If the noise starts as soon as you turn on a tap, it’s likely an air pocket is to blame. You can manage air pockets by turning on the closest tap to your water meter, followed by the remaining taps throughout your home until they’re all running. Once the pipes are flowing, turn them off in reverse order. This might sound a bit laborious, but it’s a good way of releasing air pockets in your pipes.

Don’t Open Taps All The Way

Water hammer is usually caused by shut-off valves in dishwashers, washing machines, or mixer taps closing quickly. Try not to open your taps all the way – even halfway can be enough. This isn’t a long-term or permanent fix, but it will help until you can arrange a more permanent solution.

Secure Your Pipework

Sometimes, you might be able to tell which pipe is the culprit. If you can, and if the pipe looks loose, secure it straight away.

Use A Pressure Limiting Valve

A key cause of water hammer is high water pressure, so a pressure limiting valve fitted to your meter by a professional plumber can really help. They’re great if you find your water pressure is fluctuating and can limit your water pressure to part or all of the system.

Use A Water Hammer Arrester

Water hammer arresters are a great way of resolving water hammer or noisy pipes, particularly when you’ve got several appliances hooked up to one tap. They’re efficient devices which help stop your pipes from shaking and are usually available from hardware shops.

Replace Your Intake Connections

Think about replacing the intake connections of notorious water hammer culprits – your washing machine and your dishwasher. Replacing your intake hose with a wider product will ensure better results. There’s no real guarantee this will stop water hammer sounds completely, but it’s definitely worth a go.

Install Soft-close Taps

Mixer taps are all the rage, but if you’re battling water hammer it might be worth considering replacing your current tap with a traditional dual tap. As all you need is a finger flick to turn off your mixer tap, it usually changes the flow rate of water so quickly that it creates water hammer.