Tips For Stopping Water Hammers From Dubbo's Experienced Plumbers

Water hammer isn't just annoying - it can also cause serious damage to your plumbing system. This article will help you understand what water hammer is, what causes it and how to prevent or fix it.

Do you hear clanks and bangs when you turn off the taps? Do your floorboards judder? Then that’s water hammer, otherwise known as hydraulic shock. It’s the type of thing you might be so used to that you just ignore it, but all that noise and vibration is the sign that something needs looking at in your system.

Water hammer is caused by interruption to the flow of water in your system. Appliances such as washing machines, dishwashers and the like shut off water very suddenly, which can cause your pipes to move in unexpected ways – clanking against each other, and even the joists or beams in your walls and ceilings.

Water hammer causes significant movement to your pipes, and this can result in repeated contact with the fabric of your home, causing damage to the pipes themselves. If water hammer is left unresolved, it could lead to leaks, cracked pipes, damaged walls and joists and twisted pipe supports. This damage is bad in itself, but if ignored, you could end up with undetected damp spots in your home or unseen structural problems, both of which can be expensive to fix. 

Now, here’s the good news – water hammer can be stopped pretty easily. Here are five simple solutions that should see your pipes running smoothly and silently. 

Older properties often have a type of fitting called a T joint. The chamber of the T can fill with water, which then causes water hammer. Emptying the chamber regularly will solve the problem. 

If you have higher than standard water pressure, then you may be at more risk of water hammer. You can use a pressure gauge to check the outlet pressure and adjust it at the pressure regulator. The standard Australian water pressure is 500 kPa.

A water hammer aerator can be installed at a particularly troublesome outlet or even for your whole house. This is useful in properties with high water pressure or in older properties with non-standard fixings. 

A faulty tap or shower nozzle can be the cause of the problem. It’s a simple fix that can be done in a short space of time. 

If you can find which pipe is being moved by water hammer, it’s worth securing it with a pipe bracket or cushioning it with rubber. This will reduce the ongoing damage to the other pipes in the system, reduce the impact on any nearby walls or joists, and reduce the risk of leaks.

If you have any concerns about water hammer then Nudge's Plumbing can help. We work across the Dubbo area including Cobar, Wellington, Nyngan, Bourke, Lightning Ridge and Narromine. To arrange a quote, or just to ask a question, give us a call on 0419 741 508 or get in touch using our contact form.