We are all used to those funny random noises around our homes, the hum here, the knocking there and typically most of these sounds are completely normal and leave you with nothing to worry about but that is not always the case. Banging water pipes are not a sound we should be accustomed to hearing and if we do there is a good chance that your home could have a serious plumbing problem. These banging pipes can be heard when the water is on, when it is shut off and randomly throughout the day/night and there is three main causes for this possible plumbing disaster.
Water Hammer is the name of the first possible reason. When you are running water and then suddenly shut it off the running water now has no where to go causing it to slam full force into the shut off valve. This may not seem like that big of an issue but over time this can damage the joints and cause harm to the plumbing connections.
Copper Pipes is reason number two. Some homes have a plumbing system that is built with copper pipes and as the hot water passes through them they tend to expand. The issue is that if they are in a tight area without padding then as they expand they begin banging against each other. Between the banging and the hot water expansion this could potentially cause the pipes to leak.
Water Pressure is the final reason for banging pipes. Most modern homes have a water pressure regulator but if you don’t and the water pressure is to high this could lead to major issues. To much water pressure not only causes banging pipes but it can also damage any water supplied appliance such a your washing machine or dish washer. It is important that your pressure is set to no lower then 40 PSI (pounds per square inch) and no higher than 80.
Don’t hesitate to reach out to Norfolk Plumbing for all of your plumbing needs.