Water Surge Arrestor - DOit.television

Pipes can sometimes have water hammer, which is a banging or vibrating sound in the pipes.

When you turn off the tap the water crashes into the closed valve and tends to bounce or ricochet back and forth after the initial crash, vibrating the pipes. The pipe system goes from trying to collapse, to trying to explode, creating that loud hammering noise which vibrates down the pipe. It can be caused by poor or loose pipe installation, restricted flow in the pipe because of undersize pipes or faulty tap washes.

Water hammer can even cause weak or corroded pipes to burst or it can make pipes move if they’re not secured properly, which can cause severe cracking to the pipes and walls.

To fix this problem the first thing to do is make sure the pipes are securely fastened. Replacing plastic or ceramic tap washers with brass ones is also effective, or you can fit a water hammer arrester or surge arrester as close as possible to the source of the water hammering. These cost about $50 - $60 and are available from hardware stores. If they are installed correctly they will absorb the shock at the point of origin, meaning no more hammering and potential damage to your pipes.

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