How To Stop Water Hammer in Sydney?

What is Water Hammer?

Water hammer is the term given to a particular noise that occurs within a plumbing system. When abrupt changes occur to the flow of the water supply on a property, the shock wave is what you're hearing. The sudden changes in the flow of the direction of the water may stop but the water pressure continues, resulting in water hammer. At Network Plumbing, our water hammer plumbers near you are experienced in fixing water hammer issues, day or night.

How To Fix Water Hammer?

Do you hear noisy banging and shuddering in your pipes? Wondering how to stop water hammering? Here's how:

1. Drain waterlogged air chambers: If your home is older, it might have air chambers integrated into the taps, identifiable by an upside-down 'T' joint. Over time, these can become filled with water and lead to water hammer. Draining the air chamber could well solve the issue.
2. Lower the water pressure: Water hammer is often caused by excessively high water pressure. While water pressure tends to be fairly consistent from one household to another, it can vary from one tap to another. Reduce your water supply pressure to the building by installing a pressure limiting valve. The pressure limiting valve will help to control the pressure found within your home. You can measure the pressure at individual outlets using a water pressure gauge, and if it's too high, it can be adjusted at the pressure limiting valve with a few turns of a screwdriver. The Australian standard is 500 kPa.
   
3. Fit a water hammer arrestor: As an alternative, you could fit a water hammer arrestor at the affected outlet to reduce the shock waves throughout the pipework. The air chambers found within the arrestors create a safe space in your plumbing for the shock wave to reduce. You'll be taking care of your pipes and your plumbing appliances.
   
4. Replace defective old plumbing taps and valves: The issue may not lie with your plumbing system as a whole, but with specific faulty fixtures, such as leaking taps or shower heads. Often, the problem lies with the valve springs, which are supposed to maintain the direction of water flow. Not only are they susceptible to leaking but they are likely to burst under pressure.
   
5. Securely fix loose pipework: The hammering or knocking noise is frequently due to the physical movement of your pipes against other pipes or nearby structures. If you can pinpoint the noisy pipe and secure it, this might resolve the problem. Insulated and/or preferred pipe material can be used that has been manufactured to reduce water noise through a pipe can also help. Plumbing installation is important. Doing it correctly, even more so. Our Sydney plumber can investigate if you're concerned your plumbing pipes aren't secured properly.

By acting fast when you hear that loud and consistent banging noise on your property is ideal. Our local plumber is ready to service any loose pipes, a blocked drain or blocked toilets. Call our professional plumbers to discuss booking a water hammer job today!

Causes of Water Hammer in Sydney

There are a number of potential causes to water hammer within your house. Our licensed plumber will be able to determine if one of these listed is the cause. Being able to investigate is a crucial part of pinpointing the water hammer to not only stop the symptoms but the problem as well. 

Is Water Hammer Dangerous?

Water hammer problems can affect your hot water system, washing machine, gas line, plumbing appliances and your plumbing service in general. While hearing water hammer isn't an emergency plumbing situation, leaving the water hammer issue could result in an emergency when the symptoms evolve and the pressure becomes too great. Water hammer, dangerous situations might occur. You could be at risk of dealing with burst pipes, reduced lifespan of your plumbing appliances and placing more stress on your plumbing system than is needed.

In our experience water hammer is the most common complaint with strata plumbing but all residential and commercial properties are at risk of water hammering. If you have pipes for either gas or water, you might have water hammer. Sometimes the hammering can be silent. Our Sydney plumbers near you are experts at stopping that banging and reducing your risk of dealing with a serious emergency plumbing situation.

Water Hammer and Your Hot Water System in Sydney

Water hammer can affect your hot water heater too. When you have a new hot water system installed, a licensed plumber will perform a water pressure test to safeguard your new hot water system. Excessive force will negatively impact your system. The tap connection will be placed under even more stress and in some cases, a high water pressure supply might void your manufacturers' warranty. This might even apply to all your plumbing appliances, from a washing machine to taps in your house. 

Why does Water Hammer seem to be more prevalent today? With the recent developments in tapware, we are now seeing many installations using quarter-turn operation or single lever mixers. Along with solenoid valves, found in automatic washing machines and dishwashers, the effect of water flow being rapidly shut down will increase the occurrence of Water Hammer on the systems. Due to water being a good conductor of sound, worn control valves can cause a tapping sound to transmit throughout the building due to the contact of brass on brass. Once again it can be very difficult to locate the offending valve.