Hot Water pipes Vibrate when Hot water faucets are turned off.


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Old 04-27-06, 04:58 PM
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Unhappy Vibration in Hot Water pipes when Hot water faucets are turned off


HELP Please! I started hearing vibrations in the attic when I turned off the Hot Water faucets in the master bath tub. The noise has gotten worse over the last two months and now most of the hot water faucets have started giving me this vibration.
Possibilities:

1. Change in the pressure of Hot Water. I did flush out the heater about four months ago and the pressure may have changed by opening the valve more than I should have.

2. Some lose clamp in the attic of walls: The hot water pipes expand and may have loosened some clamp that causes the vibration.

3. Water back flow in the main line: Just a thought.

Note: The vibration occurs only with the Hot Water when the faucet is turned off abruptly. There is no noise when faucet is turned off gently. However, I am interested in finding the root cause and fixing it. It started about couple of months ago and I use to turn off the faucets like I do today.
I am worried that this may cause joints to rupture and cause leakage in the walls.
Please help with ideas!
Best Regards
Manny
 

Last edited by singh_manny; 04-28-06 at 03:55 PM. Reason: no response yet
  #2  
Old 04-28-06, 05:52 PM
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You are experiencing water hammer, or air hammer as some call it. It happens when a column of air gets trapped in your piping and never expels itself. You could install hammer arrestors meant specifically for this purpose on a horizontal pipe, even in the attic, which will trap the air and cushion it as you turn the water off. They look like oversized CO2 cartridges, and must be soldered in line or attached at a cut off supply. I found this site which may be helpful http://www.factsfacts.com/MyHomeRepa...rArresters.htm
 
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Old 04-29-06, 10:20 AM
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Are there any means to get rid of air block

Hi Larry, Thanks for your response! Are there any means to get rid of air block from the hot water pipe system in the house -- for example air suction from the pipes or turning the lowest water pipe on in the house and let the air block travel out of the system with gravitational force? I would appreciate your comment on this approach or other approach that you could think of.

Regards
Manny
 

Last edited by singh_manny; 04-29-06 at 01:56 PM.
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Old 04-29-06, 05:59 PM
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Permanently ridding your system of all air columns will be a never ending project. Water is partially air, so as the gasses separate, you will inevitably have a certain amount of air in your system. These units I mentioned actually cushion the hammering of the water and prevent damage to pipes. If you have one or more faucets that are causing the problem, installing a hammer arrestor on the highest valve could help all of them. Sorry I didn't have the answer you wanted.
 
 

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