Picture this, it’s the middle of the night and you wake up and all you want is a glass of water. But you remember that if you turn that tap on and off, your pipes will start to sound like you’re playing the drums for a rock band.

How do you prevent this from happening so you can turn on your taps at any time you want without waking up the house?

The most common cause is a water hammer. Water hammer occurs when turning off the water at a tap and the water vibrates back down the line, causing pipes to bang and crash against each other or the wall.

In some houses there may be water chambers installed on the pipework that should have air in them. These pipes are designed to absorb the water stopping, meaning the water will hit the air cushion and prevent the loud bang. Overtime these chambers fill up with water and you lose the air chamber. The easiest way to get that back is to simply turn off your main water valve, open all of your taps and once the water stops, turn all taps back off. Then turn your main water supply back on. This will give the air chambers some air cushion and eliminate the banging.

Another cause is loose pipework. These vibrate against the clips or walls when water is turned off. Simply re-secure the pipework to make sure no pipework is loose. This will eliminate the banging sound.

To find out more contact Scott at FXD Plumbing Sydney Inner West or Call Now on 0428 795 498.