Water Hammer; what’s the fix

[DirtyMike]

Basement toilet has been making a bunch of racket for a couple weeks now. Tried shutting the water main off and draining all the pipes. It’s almost getting worse. Anyone able to give me a heads up on a fix?

 

[LBrandt]

Does running water in vanity make it hammer too?

 

[CJR]

They make hammer arrestors...just put them on the water line coming into the toilet. Our washer was so bad that I actually ended up putting two arrestors on. Seems that they go bad about every 5 years or so.

Would shutting the tap down a bit on the toilet help this? Would take your toilet longer to fill, but probably not a huge issue.

 

[guywhofishes]

Basement toilet has been making a bunch of racket for a couple weeks now. Tried shutting the water main off and draining all the pipes. It’s almost getting worse. Anyone able to give me a heads up on a fix?

describe the racket

 

[RustyTackleBox]

describe the racket

sound effects please

 

[KDM]

If the toilet sounds like a jack hammer at the end of the fill cycle, replacing the guts should fix it. The valve doesn't shut off tight when the float reaches "almost" full and the water pipes flow and shut off, flow and shut off, flow and shut off and the pressure of shutting off is what is making the "Hammer" sound. I replaced the guts in one of mine and it solved the problem. Good Luck!!

 

[DirtyMike]

describe the racket

It sounds like a heavy metal band for about four seconds.

KDM, it does occur at the end of the fill cycle. When I looked in the tank previously, it has a goofy fill valve that I've never seen before. I'll give both the arrestor and the fill valve a shot.

Thanks fellas.

 

[JayKay]

Usually water hammer (in a residence) is happening when a valve is cycling off and on. If it's the toilet, the fill valve is just about shut. If it's the sink, try making doubly sure that the shut off valve is all the way open. My parents had bad water hammer at the kitchen sink, and I found that the shut off valve was nearly closed. Easiest fix ever.

 

[SDMF]

When I read this the 1st thing that’s comes to mind is that Dirty Mike doesn’t know much about shit.

 

[DirtyMike]

When I read this the 1st thing that’s comes to mind is that Dirty Mike doesn’t know much about shit.

I concur.

 

[Sub_Elect]

Hammer back!!!!

 

[huntinforfish]

 

[Macy dog]

Replace the guts or at least flapper and your problem will be solved. Had the same issue.

 

[Wild and Free]

Another thing to check is the expansion tank pressure or add an expansion tank in the main water line of the house if you don't have one, they will take up some of this as well as save your hot water heater from ballooning and dripping out relief valve constantly too.

 

[DirtyMike]

Shut off valve next to the tank was barely cracked open. Problem solved. Excuse me while I chop some wood and fix some fence.

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Thanks for the rep, Lunk.

 

[NodakBuckeye]

Dang. Now I have MC Hammer going through my head.

 

[JayKay]

Miggedy miggedy, nobody biggeden me.

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Shut off valve next to the tank was barely cracked open. Problem solved. Excuse me while I chop some wood and fix some fence.

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Thanks for the rep, Lunk.

Isn't this just funny? I fix something simple like this, and like you, I dust my hands together, and think to myself "well, what next? should I go bust some prairie?".

 

[Kurtr]

I have criss-cross going through my head.

jump jump

I missed the bus was a fav

the mac daddy and daddy mac were played a lot in the cassette boom box while shooting hoops back in the day

 

[LBrandt]

Usually water hammer (in a residence) is happening when a valve is cycling off and on. If it's the toilet, the fill valve is just about shut. If it's the sink, try making doubly sure that the shut off valve is all the way open. My parents had bad water hammer at the kitchen sink, and I found that the shut off valve was nearly closed. Easiest fix ever.[/QUOTE Customer of mine is having same problem in down stairs bathroom. I am going to call and give them a heads up. Thanks.

 

[Allen]

Water Hammer is technically a problem of momentum. As water moves through a pipe and whatever valve that's on the other end of the pipe shuts off quickly (electric valves are notorious for this), the water that is moving is still carrying momentum, hence the "hammer" effect.

The solutions to water hammer are: 1. Install a water hammer arrestor. They look like a toilet bowl float and their job is to absorb the impact, or momentum of the water by actually expanding ever so slightly in order to take the edge off of the hammer. It doesn't have to be installed on the toilet itself, simply on the water line supplying the bathroom.

2. Install a slower closing toilet fill system. Some close pretty rapidly, and while I don't know how to tell the difference between those that run full steam and then shut off too quickly vs ones that more gradually shut off the water, it's not an expensive fix to keep going through those on the shelves at Menards (or whatever is your favorite home improvement store).

Remember, you aren't likely seeing the water hammer effect from turning off your bathroom's faucets even though they are most likely on the same water supply line, so I would go with a different tank filler. If you tried really hard to get the hammer effect using your sink or tub faucets and are able to make it hammer, then I'd install a water hammer arrestor on the supply line going to the bathroom. Even if there's already one in place. Note, they don't "wear out" because all they do is expand and contract. If one does actually wear out, it will leak as it's expanded one time too many and has split open.

This is Fluid Mechanics 101.