What is Hammer & How to Prevent It
Do you work well under pressure? Some people do, rising to the occasion at the 11th hour and coming through with flying colors. Others feel overwhelmed and “frozen”; not knowing which way to turn or where to start.
Your plumbing, while always ready with a steady supply of water, doesn’t do so well when pressure mounts – like the type of pressure that occurs when there’s a sudden change in water velocity when a faucet is opened or closed. Or when a water-using appliance suddenly starts or stops. The result is called hydraulic shock, or “water hammer,” a condition that can cause serious plumbing issues.
What Is Water Hammer?
Water hammer can occur in any piping system that uses valves to control the flow of water. It occurs when a fluid in motion is forced to change direction or stop abruptly, typically characterized by a loud banging or knocking sound in the pipes after they’ve been shut off. Water hammer also can occur when a valve closes suddenly or pump shuts down, causing the moving water to slam against the valve or reverse direction.
Effects of Water Hammer
While it may sound harmless, even if annoying, water hammer shock waves can cause significant damage to your pipes – over time, or even from a single powerful event. Here are a few examples of water hammer damage:
- Damage to pumps, valves, and instruments, as well as gasket and expansion joint failure
- Leaks from damaged joints, connections, and fittings
- Ruptured pipes, which can be especially expensive to repair
- Water damage to electrical equipment, building materials, and personal belongings from unchecked leaks
- Downtime to repair piping and property damage
Preventing Water Hammer
Many piping systems are designed with air chambers – short segments of pipe with air-filled chambers that serve as shock absorbers, allowing water to expand when it suddenly changes course. Air chambers reduce the magnitude of the shock that would otherwise be directed at the pipes. Other prevention methods include:
- Flushing the system
- Installing soft-close water taps at all sinks
- Securing loose water pipes
- Install a pressure limiting valve on the water meter
- Installing water hammer arrestors
You know what all this means. It means that dealing with water hammer – its causes and consequences – is the job for a licensed and experienced plumber. And that’s exactly what you get each time you call Best Choice Plumbers. We live up to our name, one customer at a time.