When plumbing issues occur, they can be startling. It’s a good idea to have a plumber lined up and saved in your phone as a contact before anything goes wrong.
What Is a Water Hammer?
Few things can fill a homeowner with dread faster than plumbing issues. Whether it’s a dripping faucet, a toilet that won’t stop running or even a horrifying basement flood, there’s a good chance anything wrong with the plumbing will be damaging and expensive. Many Batavia plumbing companies have online blogs, reviews and contact information so you can be prepared.
One plumbing issue called a water hammer can actually frighten the entire family. It sounds like a giant is in the walls shaking the pipes and banging on them.
This usually happens when a faucet is shut off abruptly. Potentially, you could give everyone nightmares just by turning the water off after you brush your teeth at night. These horrible sounds are caused by a shockwave in the pipe that happens when water needs to suddenly change course.
In addition to the frequent “concerts,” water hammers can eventually cause damage to pipes and the valves and joints inside them.
What Can Be Done About Them?
Your neighborhood plumber can do several things to banish the giant in your walls. First, he or she can secure any loose pipes. Shaking pipes from water movements is one of the causes of the hammering sounds.
Another fix is the installation of air chambers that prevent a wave of water from slamming into any closed valves and producing another shock wave. The chambers will stop the violent movement of the water in your pipes and end the water hammers for good.
If water hammers are in your walls, don’t live with that noise for another day. Get the plumbing help you need now.