| The sound can reverberate throughout your house | | | | against the closed valve can actually damage the |
| and be loud enough to scare your pets. Water | | | | connections throughout the pipe over time. |
| hammering typically manifests through a loud initial | | | | Most homes today have air chambers built into certain |
| noise followed by thrumming vibrations. Noisy water | | | | locations throughout the plumbing to prevent the valves |
| pipes are a common problem that can usually be fixed | | | | from closing so quickly. The air chambers are |
| easily. But, fixing them requires knowing why the | | | | supposed to provide a cushion between the water |
| problem is happening in the first place. In this article, we'll | | | | and the pipes. Unlike water, air compresses easily. |
| describe what factors in your home's plumbing are | | | | When water is shooting toward a valve, the air in the |
| causing your noisy water pipes. Then, we'll tell you | | | | air chambers absorbs much of the impact by |
| what you can do to quiet them down. | | | | compressing around the water. |
| What's Happening Down There? | | | | Fixing Your Noisy Water Pipes |
| Usually, noisy water pipes happen when the water that | | | | The best (and easiest) way to fix the water |
| is shooting through a pipe comes to a sudden stop at | | | | hammering problem is to refill the air chambers. It's not |
| a valve that is closed. While fluid, water isn't flexible | | | | as hard as it may sound. Though the air chambers are |
| when it comes to a grinding halt in your pipes. It isn't | | | | typically located throughout your house and are difficult |
| able to compress (like an marshmallow, for example). | | | | to see, you can do this without getting near them. First, |
| So, when the water meets a closed valve after | | | | turn your house's water supply off. Then, turn on a |
| shooting at high speeds down a pipe, it crashes into | | | | few faucets throughout your home in order to drain |
| the valve and creates the initial loud thud. Plumbers call | | | | the pipes. If possible, try to locate the faucet at the |
| this event "water hammering." | | | | lowest point in your home. Turn it on and let gravity |
| The valves at the end of your pipes aren't supposed | | | | drain the last of the water from your pipes. |
| to close quickly. They're designed to close slowly, | | | | Draining the water automatically fills the pipes with air. |
| specifically to prevent water hammering from | | | | In effect, draining the pipes refills the air chambers. |
| occurring. But, the gaskets that close the valve can | | | | Once you've drained the water, turn your home's |
| deteriorate. If they become brittle, they may stop | | | | water supply back on. When you do this, you'll |
| working altogether. When that happens, the gaskets | | | | probably hear the air being forced from the faucets |
| are unable to prevent the valve from closing quickly. | | | | that were left on after initially draining the pipes. |
| As a result, the water that goes through the pipe | | | | Chances are, once you do this, you'll have resolved the |
| slams unexpectedly into the valve, causing the loud | | | | water hammering problem. Of course, if the issue |
| thud. Unfortunately, the problem can become worse if | | | | persists, call a professional who can help. If allowed, |
| it's not fixed. The repeated impact of the water | | | | water hammering can severely damage the pipes. |