Questions · Leaks and pipes
Why do my pipes bang?
That bang is water hammer: moving water stopped suddenly by a fast closing valve, with nothing to absorb the shock. It is common at washing machines, dishwashers and toilets. High pressure and loose pipes make it worse, and it is hard on joints, connectors and appliance valves.
Where it usually comes from
- The washing machine, whose valves snap shut
- The dishwasher, for the same reason
- A toilet fill valve closing hard at the end of a fill
- A single lever faucet closed quickly
- Pipes that are not strapped properly, so the whole run moves and knocks
What actually fixes it
- Water hammer arrestors at the fixture causing it, which absorb the shock where it happens
- Bringing house pressure into range, because high pressure makes every stop harder
- Securing loose pipe runs so the line cannot move and strike framing
- Checking the expansion arrangement, because pressure with nowhere to go makes everything worse
Why it is worth dealing with
Each bang is a pressure spike traveling through the system. Over years that is what loosens joints, tires connectors and finishes off appliance valves. The noise is the warning, not the problem.
Arrestors at the washer valves are the usual fix, because the washer is the single most common source in a Valley house, and the cheapest moment to add them is when those valves are being replaced anyway.
From the job log
Work we’ve done
Answers
Is water hammer dangerous?
Not in the moment, but it is wear you can hear. The failures it contributes to, particularly washing machine supply hoses and valves, are the kind that flood a laundry room.
Will an arrestor on the washer fix the whole house?
It fixes that source. If the toilets and the dishwasher also bang, they each need attention, and house pressure is worth measuring either way.
My old house never did this. Why now?
Usually a new appliance with a faster valve, or pressure that has crept up because a regulator is tired.
If you need this done
- Water pressure and regulatorsPressure checked with a gauge, and regulators repaired or replaced when the house is getting more than the plumbing should take.
- Valves, hose bibs and water hammerShutoffs that won't turn, washer valves, outdoor hose bibs, and arrestors for pipes that bang when a valve closes.
- Pipe and leak repairDamaged, corroded or leaking pipe repaired or replaced, including hidden leaks behind walls, with as little disruption as possible.
- Where we workEvery town and ZIP across the Valley we cover.
In-home estimate
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We come out, look at the problem and explain what it needs before any work starts. For something urgent, calling is fastest.
Rather talk? Call or text (602) 833-4133.