Water Hammer - but without moving pipes

[Oakwood]

Hi All,

We have a four storey house (inc basement) and quite bad water hammer from the upper floor taps, particularly some of the hot taps and electric shower. Ground floor and basement taps all OK.

Have read up on causes of hammer, and presume it was un-clipped pipes moving around when the flow is stopped abruptly. Tried to identify the source of the noise, but struggled.

Nevertheless, have pulled up some floor-boards around where the sound is seemingly coming from, and clipped some pipes that wobbled a bit, making them much more secure.

Unfortunately, hammer is still there and I cant see any the pipes which i have revealed move at all.

Any ideas very welcome...!

Ive read about adjusting stop-cocks as a means of stopping hammer, is that the way forward?

There are a few valves with red circular handles that I have come across - one under the floorboards outside the bathroom, another just under the hot tap under the bath itself on the very top floor, etc.

Are these the stop-cocks, should I turn them...?

Thanks very much for your help!

 

[TicklyT]

If it started recently, it could be a sign that a float valve in a WC cistern or a cold storage tank could do with an overhaul, or is nearing the end of it's useful life.

Equilibrium float valves (eg Torbeck) can cause a lot of noise and clattering if the flow restrictor has been omitted, or the wrong restrictor fitted.

Round wheel heads are usually fitted on gate valves on low pressure hot and cold supplies or heating circuits, not on the high pressure cold supply, which is usually the source of problems.

Water mains are usually fitted with stopcocks with a 'T' handle, or occasionally 1/4 turn lever valves.

 

[Oakwood]

Thanks for the swift response!

Not sure when the problem started as we only bought the house a few months ago and it has always been there.

There is no hammer when we use any of the basement or ground floor taps, washing machine, toilets, dishwashers, etc etc. The problem is only when using some of the taps (hot are worse than cold) and showers on the upper floors - not the toilets, so i dont think there is a problem with any of the cistern valves.

The central heating tank system is only a few years old so I dont think there is anything wrong with it, plus the hammer doesnt sound from the airing cupboard in the basement, where the tanks are - its coming in general from the ceiling of the ground floor / under the floorboards on the first floor (around the bathroom on that floor) and then separately from within the bathroom on the second floor.

Ive pulled up some of the floorboards around these two areas, the pipes dont seem to move, but have clipped back some of them anyway - but the hammer still sounds....

There are certainly red wheel valve taps on some of the pipes Ive uncovered - not sure if some of them are central heating pipes, but at least one of which is on the pipe leading directly to the hot tap on the bath on the top floor. Either way, they are all extremely stiff and dont easily move.

I take it these arent my stopcocks (sorry for my ignorance..!). Not sure where our stopcock is - would there only be one to whole house, where we connect to the mains water?

Guess I ought to find this...! Will have a look for it, but if you or anyone have any further suggestions on what to do to sort out the hammer I would be really grateful!!

Thanks again,

 

[Jake1886]

What style taps do you have? If they aren't the quarter turn style then they could be the problem.

 

[Oakwood]

Hi Jake1886,

Not sure what type of taps we have - but there is a variety throughout the house. However, none only move by a quarter turn from fully open to close - which i guess is what a 'quarter turn tap' is.

We are having all the 'offending' bathrooms re-done in the New Year, will ask for hammer-resistant taps, showers valves, etc.

Is there anything else I should ask for? Wouldnt want to do all the work, only to be still left with hammer (will be less inclined to rip up floor-boards then...!).

Before then, does anyone have any other ideas on stopping the hammer?

I think i have now found the stop cock, a valve with a single straight handle in the airing cupboard with a paper label saying 'cold mains' - i guess thats its? Should I try adjusting that a little?

Thanks again for all your help!