What is Water Hammer?

Knock knock! Are you hearing a loud banging noise from the walls when you flush the toilet or when you start up your washing machine? It could be water hammer – and it can be frustrating when it occurs. But why does it happen?

Water Banging? It’s Probably Water Hammer

Imagine your water is a train, travelling along at full speed. All of a sudden a large object appears on the track, and the train crashes into it, resulting in all of the carriages crashing calamitously into each other. This is similar to what is happening in your pipes. When you flush the toilet, water runs quickly through the pipes. Once the toilet has finished filling a valve closes, and all that water crashes against it. This can be the source of the noise and vibration. The water hammer can cause pipes to bang against the wall.

How to Get a Water Hammer to Knock it Off

Fixing a water hammer depends on what is causing it. Often, you can fix the problem simply by turning off the water supply, draining the pipes then opening all of the taps, flushing toilets and turning the water back on. That should clear any air out of the system and stop the noise. Air in the water system can cause all kinds of problems, and if it won’t knock off the noise when you empty the pipes, then there could be a leak somewhere in the system.

Still Having Problems?

If there is not an airlock in the system, you may need the help of a plumber. L&W Heating and Plumbing are here to help. Simply call us, and we can sort all your heating and plumbing related problems. You can trust our team at L&W Plumbing and Heating to take care of any heating, plumbing issues you might have. Call us today for more advice.

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