Pipe Noise

The noise in this video comes from within the wall at the top of a 10 ft. ceiling after you run hot water from any of the downstairs faucets. It it probably 25-30 feet from the hot water heater to any given faucet. A hammer arrester installed at the faucet shown in the video did not help at all. This is new construction. The pipe is all plastic. What is causing this noise? What might be a solution?

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Pipe
• Noise
• Plumbing
• FlowGuard
• CPVC

[tadwoods]

Yes, it was pipe expansion against too tight clamps. It is white Flomax PVC pipe.

[tadwoods]

Once again, it is NOT water hammer, and YES it was solved--the contractor came back, opened the walls, and re-installing some of the clamps. The problem is only relevant to hot water pipes because it is an expansion/contraction issue. Proper clamping of this type of pipe is one of the things the manufacturer teaches but apparently some installers think they already "know it all" and skip training.

[waeljames]

water hammer simply

[tadwoods]

It is NOT water hammer. It is the pipe expanding against too tight clamps. The contractor in fact first tried to put a hammer arrester on this sink but it did not fix it. The fix was going into the wall and adjusting the clamps. The manufacturer of Flowmax pipe teaches this in their installation classes, but in this case the installer wasn't educated.

[CindyBradyTooh]

It sounds like the pipe expanding, or something, to me. I have a wierd sound in the basement everytime I turn on the hot water in the kitchen or laundry. I have copper pipes. Always made this wierd sound when the hot was first turned on, and always will. I have lived here for a long time.

~Cindy, from MySpace! :D

[tadwoods]

The contractor fixed it last week. Cut open the ceiling and reworked one of the clamps apparently holding the pipe too tightly.

[terplaw]

Wow...I have a similar knocking sound as well. Pipe expansion maybe? I can't figure out the source though...been driving me insane.....grr

Is it the copper piping or white plastic pipe enclosures??

[hamsteradorable]

yeah the pipes does that when its very cold outside

[Maxero5]

@tadwoods

You sure it wasn't an illegal alien that did that simple mistake?

America is now built on cheap ass labor btw.

[abbey6637]

I have the same issue too! It seems to have gotten louder over the past 2 years..

[idiiidit]

dude i got this problem too, its only with hot water though, so damn annoying, wakes me up everytime, did you ever fix it?

[tag1989]

@waeljames no it isnt water hammer. water hammer would sound like a car horn mixed with vibration.

[wenyizheng]

Thanks. We have the exact same problem but could not described it clearly. I will just show this video to the management office - :-)

[syphilistic]

Spot on Tadwoods god I can't stand hearing any more people just spurt out "water hammer" whenever a pipe bangs.

Water hammer occurs when a faucet or solenoid valve in an appliance is SHUT OFF. It is caused by a pressure surge traveling backward through the pipe due to the abrupt stopping of the water flow.

What's more the water hammer bang only occurs once after the faucet is shut off.

I had this same problem at my house in the basement I ended up purchasing some silicone cushioned hangers.