A Guide on Water Hammer: Major Plumbing Causes & Fixes

A Guide on Water Hammer: Major Plumbing Causes & Fixes

Are you tired of facing water hammer issues? Is the thudding noise getting on your nerves? Do you feel helpless? Fortunately, The Drain Surgeons’ local plumbing services are at your service to put you out of this misery.

This water thudding can not just cause severe headaches, but can also cause many additional problems that you definitely do not want to deal with. As soon as you hear these noises, address the fact that you need a plumber to stop the water hammer or fix a water hammer phenomenon right away before things get out of hand and ruin your entire water system.

This is not just a malfunction, but it can also give birth to some unhealthy living conditions. If you’re new to this problem and have no idea what to do, this article is the best informative piece for you.

What Is The Water Hammer Phenomenon?

Any piping system that is responsible for controlling the flow of liquids or steam can end up exhibiting the Water Hammer. As the name suggests, it is a thudding sound that emerges from your pipelines and can be very scary or may generally sound abnormal to you.

This takes place when the fluids or steam in the pipes start moving in the opposite direction instead of their natural flow. This can happen when the pressure in these pipes and valves is not only high but continuously increasing.

The increasing pressure pressurises the fluid to now move in a different direction. These high-pressure shockwaves are very lethal for your piping system and can even cause them to burst.
Commonly, these high-pressure shock waves or sudden changes are also referred to as a hydraulic shock or hydraulic surge, which is the quite literal meaning of it.

When an open valve suddenly closes or the pump shuts down the flow out of the blue, the water is forced to lose its intended movement and this is what causes all the havoc. Water cannot be compressed.

Therefore, the impact of the disturbed motion of water results in a high-pressure shock wave that can easily propagate the speed of sound between the valve and the next turn or direction change in your piping system.

Probable Water Hammer Causes:

  • Poorly secured pipework. You need to make sure your pipe work is done efficiently. Negligence is the worst when it comes to the water supply of a property.
  • Ball and float valves.
  • Valves that are fast-acting.
  • Worn stop valves.
  • Trapped air.

How To Fix a Water Hammer?

The best way to fix a Water Hammer is to install air chambers unless the system is too old and it won’t hold the pressure of an air chamber. A short vertical pipe installed right behind, but a little higher than a valve is known as the air chamber. It is pretty self-explanatory what air chambers can do.

Water Hammer is caused by high air pressure and these air chambers will act as shock absorbers for your gas hot water system and retain the air, thus preventing the Water Hammer phenomenon.

You must be thinking what happens when water enters the air chamber? This is a very common issue that renders the entire setting of a ‘shockproof’ device useless. Just shut off your home’s main valve and turn it on at the highest and lowest speed to drain out all the water.

READ MORE:-  HOW TO FIX A LEAKING HOT WATER SYSTEM

The Drain Surgeon Perth is your best bet for any plumbing-related issues. Whether it’s maintenance, repairs, or even installations, we provide pocket-friendly rates and highly qualified technicians for all! Fix your Water Hammer issues today by calling us at 0437 000 257.

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