Maddening 'water hammer'

[Peck]

Hi Folks,

I was hoping I could get some thoughts from those of you with more experience than me.

Over the last six months we've been getting random bouts of what I'll describe as water hammer. now, it's not your normal high pitch water hammer you usually get when you get air in the pipes, it's a very low frequency knocking which starts up at seemingly random times of the day. It's generally easy to stop by simply turning on the hot water tap in either the bathroom or kitchen for a minute or so. Interestingly, turning on the cold tap doesn't seem to stop it.

We have a pretty standard plumbing set up. Tank in loft feeding a hot water tank. When it starts, if you grab the main water pipe you can feel it pulsing. I've replaced the float valve in the loft tank and that's made no difference.

It's really weird. Sometimes you won't hear it for a whole week, then you'll get back from work (ie with no one in the house for ~10 hours) and it'll be 'hammering'

Any advice you could offer would be most appreciated! Thanks in advance,

Peck

 

[Nige F]

Hi Folks,

I was hoping I could get some thoughts from those of you with more experience than me.

. I've replaced the float valve in the loft tank and that's made no difference.

It's really weird. Sometimes you won't hear it for a whole week, then you'll get back from work (ie with no one in the house for ~10 hours) and it'll be 'hammering'

Any advice you could offer would be most appreciated! Thanks in advance,

Peck

Have a look in the loft tank when it's doing it - it might be waves across the tank. Are you on a meter ? That could be faulty

 

[Peck]

Hi Nige, thanks for the response. There are no waves in the tank when it's happening.

It's interesting you say the meter might be faulty. We do indeed have a meter and prior to its installation we never heard any of these noises. My question is what would go wrong within a meter to cause this (just trying to understand)?

Thanks again

 

[Nige F]

My question is what would go wrong within a meter to cause this (just trying to understand)?

I don't know exactly but I have heard that occasionally they can cause problems . Try ringing the water co they should at least come and inspect .