Ducati Sporting Club UK > General > Idle Chat > Help Plumbing

[GsxrAge]

Need some advice from you clever people.
Two days before christmas our water system developed a hammering sound but it intermitent if we fill the bath and flush toilet at same time or bath/washing machine it starts, but not every time it's got to the point were affraid to use water late at night.
Have been told different things from a tap washer to the rising main.
Can anyone help? don't want to get a pro in as I keep spending my money on me Duke's.

Thanks AGE.

[Glyn]

sounds like an air lock some where in the system to me, but then im an upholsterer
fordie is the plumber

[Fordie]

Sounds like the Main Storage tank Ball Valve in the roof space need replacing. One of the Newer Part2 Valves( £5 )are less noisy. As you draw water through your hot tap/washing machine it drops the ball valve to replenish the tank.The noise is the ball valve partly closing and it can resonate through the pipes causing a banging sound. To replace it just crack the large central nut to split the valve in two, then replace just the working parts and not the whole thing i.e. threaded pipe and lock nuts make sure you fit the red fibre washer that fit between the main body and the spigot. Oh turning the water of first helps 4D

[Edited on 4-1-2005 by Fordie]

[888heaven]

AGE996
Does it happen all day or at night,the mains water pressure does vary according to consumption.
water pressure vary's region to region and the time of day it is normally high late at night and early afternoon when everyones at work or a sleep at night.
it could be your ballcock shutting off too quickly or your automatic washing machine valve.
the knocking noise is water under pressure hitting a dead end ie a valve stopcock etc.
you could have a blocked pipe but I think you would have noticed that.
hope this helps
ian

[Shazaam!]

It's actually called water hammer.

It occurs when you abruptly start or stop the flow of water in a pipe. It's caused by the pipe's movement, and its cure is to add a pipe support at a location that will oppose the direction of motion. First check for a support that may have loosened or developed a gap between the support and the pipe. If it's behind a wall it's obviously more difficult to fix. First try clamping the pipe where it penetrates the wall. Just a wooden wedge between the pipe and wall opening might be enough. Not to worry though, it's noisey but only in severe cases is it a threat of damageing the pipes and leaking.

[GsxrAge]

Originally posted by Shazaam!
It's actually called water hammer.

It occurs when you abruptly start or stop the flow of water in a pipe. It's caused by the pipe's movement, and its cure is to add a pipe support at a location that will oppose the direction of motion. First check for a support that may have loosened or developed a gap between the support and the pipe. If it's behind a wall it's obviously more difficult to fix. First try clamping the pipe where it penetrates the wall. Just a wooden wedge between the pipe and wall opening might be enough. Not to worry though, it's noisey but only in severe cases is it a threat of damageing the pipes and leaking.

Pipe by sink has no brackets on it so i found out when sink came away from wall.it feeds bathroom sink then out to kitchen sink and washing machine (down stairs bathroom) and the bloke that owned our house before us was a bodger so we found out when we started to decorate.

[guest1]

Some causes/cures for water hammer:

http://www.diydoctor.org.uk/projects/noisypipes.htm

[gasmanrus]

age, 4D & Shazaam! are both correct. water hammer can usually be cured by fitting a part 2 or euquallibirium ball valve to the cold water storage tank in the loft/airing cupboard. this has a softer closing action and prevents the float bouncing on the surface of the water, opening & closing the valve rapidly which makes the hammering noise


if this does not cure the problem, turn off the water and where the cold main connects the the ball valve cut a 15mm compression tee into the pipewith a short stub of pipe with a 15mm compression cap on the end.
this gives a cuisioning effect as the stub stays full of air which should eliminate the problem.

hope this helps

rus

[Edited on 4-1-2005 by gasmanrus]

[Edited on 4-1-2005 by gasmanrus]

[rockhopper]

Yep, if the noise is coming from up in the loft then its yer ball cock mate.

[GsxrAge]

Cheers guys you have all been very helpfull
Tried to get it to hammer earlier but to no avail
so will keep all you ideas in my head and will keep you posted.
The thing is why has it suddenly started never had any probs before and have done nothing to the water system as I never disconnected the water supply when I fixed the sink???????????