What Is A Water Hammer And How To Stop It?

When you turn your taps on, you expect the quiet and soothing sound of water flowing from the fixture. If you get a sound like a death metal drummer has set up camp in your pipes instead, you may be the victim of a water hammer.

It can vary from a loud bang to several loud bangs, each preceded by an echoey sound through your household. If you hear noise when opening a tap, this is most likely the sound of air in the pipes.

Bangs are caused by shockwaves that cause pipes to move and strike each other or adjoining frames. When the pipes are not adequately supported or the valves wear out, the banging gets worse.

However, the noise isn’t merely annoying. A water hammer is an indication that your plumbing system may be damaged. In order to avoid permanent damage, you must fix the water hammer causes.

What causes water hammer?

Your mains pressure is a high-pressure flow of water that is halted whenever you turn off a tap. This causes the water to rapidly return back through your plumbing. If there are any existing problems, this to-and-fro process of pressurised water can lead to air pockets and the banging noise that you hear.

There is a range of different causes for water hammers, including loose or damaged pipes, work stop valves, clogged air chambers, water ripples caused by your float valve or even new appliances that may be causing issues with the solenoid valves.

To discover the cause of the banging in your pipes, a professional plumber will need to inspect all of the potential problems, isolate the issue and repair it.

Can a water hammer damage your pipes?

A water hammer, also known as surge flow, occurs when the volume of fluid in the pipe changes dramatically. The pressure in pipes can be extremely high, causing tremendous pressure on pipe supports. It can even cause sudden reversals of flow.

This serious problem causes erosion, damage to the pipes, valves, fittings, and can cause a pipe to burst when it occurs. If left unchecked, it can lead to damaged pipe racks and supports, as well as leaks at joints, which can cause catastrophic damage to your house or business.

What does a water hammer arrestor do?

There is a method you can use to stop or reduce the impact of a water hammer, including the installation of a water hammer arrestor. Devices such as these absorb the shock when rapid closing shutoff valves, dishwashers, and clothes washers suddenly interrupt water flow within a piping system. Taking this action prevents water hammers from damaging your property.

Fix your water hammer issues and prevent them from occurring again with Plumb-Jet & Gas-Jet

We can diagnose, limit, and eradicate your banging water pipes with our expertise at Plumb-Jet & Gas-Jet.

We are able to provide a repair service for water pipe noises for many suburbs near Tweed, Byron Bay, Gold Coast, and Brisbane.

To schedule an appointment with your local plumber, call us on 1300 881 902.

Signs you need to call an emergency gas plumber in Tweed Heads

Though natural gas provides almost 70% of Australians with cooked meals and hot showers, there is always the potential for it to go wrong; when that happens, you will need an emergency gas plumber. This can be nerve-wracking whether or not it ends up being a false alarm, but it’s always better to be safe than sorry – and to know the signs of a potential gas leak.

Our top 3 signs:

1. Use your senses

Gas is odourless, and so the smell of sulphur (routinely compared to rotten eggs) is usually added to make sure that people are aware of any faults when they arise. Carbon monoxide is never scented, however, so it’s important to regularly test your carbon monoxide detector or to purchase a new one if you need it.

You will likely be able to smell the gas at least a short while before a situation turns critical, but that doesn’t mean you can wait to address it. You might also hear a hissing sound from a burst pipe, but not always – the two in conjunction, however, is a sign of definite danger.

2. Personal symptoms

If there’s a gas leak in your home, that means there’ll be less oxygen in the air, and that can result in flu-like symptoms, such as breathing difficulties, fatigue, disorientation, and headaches. Carbon monoxide poisoning also manifests similarly, and your pets are not immune, so watch out for any changes in behaviour or any sudden spells of illness that you both share.

If you feel these symptoms and others, then you might have a gas leak, especially if they completely (or even mostly) go away when you leave the building. Even then – and even if the leak gets confirmed and fixed by a plumber – you’ll need medical attention afterwards, just in case.

3. Environmental symptoms

There are other small signs that (though they may seem innocent enough in isolation) can coalesce to mean something’s up. Outside or inside, plants fare even worse than humans or pets when it comes to a gas leak. Plants die for any number of reasons, but if this happens suddenly and without an obvious cause, it can be because the gas has blocked off their oxygen supply.

Also, if gas appliances have a differently coloured flame than normal, this can mean there is an excess of gas drowning out the oxygen needed for it to reach full power. Finally, though it might sound superstitious, it is possible to identify a leak by applying soapy water to a suspect pipe; if the water bubbles, this can indicate that the gas is escaping.

Call us today if you’re experiencing an emergency gas fault

If you think there’s a gas leak, you must turn off your gas supply valve (only if it’s safe to do so) and evacuate the building.

Plumb-Jet and Gas-Jet are available at any hour of the day (or night) to talk you through this, and can quickly send a plumber to ensure the safety of you and your family in Tweed Heads, so don’t hesitate to call us on 1300 881 902 if you need assistance.

Category: emergency plumbing tweed heads