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It can be one of the most annoying things in the household – that banging, knocking sounds coming from your water pipes. It makes your home sound as if it is haunted, can keep you awake, or even ruin a peaceful day relaxing.
There can be many causes coming from the plumbing and heating in your home, some minor, easily solved while others can be serious matters that need a plumber to fix them.
We’re going to run through three most common scenarios, and what you can do. You may have heard of a thing called ‘water hammers’. If not, don’t worry. Just think about some of the largest water consuming appliances in the house, such as dishwashers, washing machines and the humble toilet. As water changes direction it ‘rattles’ about with the annoying noises.
Throughout most reasonably modern homes the water pipes have air chambers to prevent this, but over time they can fill with water. To sort this out takes a few simple steps:
1. Turn off your mains water supply.
2. Open all the taps in the house from top to bottom.
3. Close all the taps starting from the bottom and then turn the mains water supply back on.
Another common cause are loose or wobbly pipes. When water flows through these they bump on walls.
To find out where the wobbly pipes are, run a few taps until you hear just exactly where the noise is coming from. If you can see, or reach, where the loose pipe you can add a piece of rubber pipe insulation and join it with metal plumbers’ tape available from most DIY stores. Don’t use any galvanised straps or metal tape on copper pipes as the metals can react.
Of course, the rattling loose pipes may be behind a wall, and even if you are a confident DIY’er you may want to consult a plumber before attempting this as you need to be sure exactly what potential hazards lie behind the plaster.
While these are really easily resolved problems high water pressure can not only cause your pipes to knock it can wreck household appliances such as washing machines and dishwashers, creating havoc in their internal components.
If you have a water pressure regulator you can check the pressure. The normal pressure is around 50psi. If it is higher than 70psi then you can adjust it.
However, many homes do not have a water pressure regulator. Even skilled DIY’ers and handymen will struggle to install one. A properly qualified plumber is essential, and the long term savings in terms of the lifespan of appliances, peace of mind by having one installed is simply worth it.
Of course, there can be many other causes of knocking pipes other than the ones mentioned above. A well-qualified, reputable plumber in Dublin – that is a member of a trade organisation - can not only advise you, but also resolve the annoying sound before costs mount out of control.
If you need plumbing or heating specialist, we are always here to help. Contact us today!
