Water Hammer - But not your typical kind

Maybe it's caused by the pressure reducing valve itself. What seems strange to me is that you continue to hear water flowing after you turn off a water valve. Almost like that pressure reducing valve is not letting enough water in to even keep all the pipes pressurized. are you getting good flow?

Reply to
Ashton Crusher
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Excellent pressure at all fixtures.

Reply to
DerbyDad03

check the washing machine check the dishawasher ice maker? humidifier? check all faucets where there may be connection from the hot to the cold..

do you have an expansion tank or a pipe filled with air someplace in the system? sounds like you get a nice oscillation set up, that might happen if there was air trapped someplace in the system.. although air traps are sometimes installed for the very purpose of prevenintg water hammer,,,but I could see the air being compressed and acting like a spring setting up an oscillation

please do come back and tell us after you figure it out.

Mark

Reply to
Mark

Just an update...

I was home alone this weekend and tried this:

- Saturday night, I closed the main shutoff.

- I opened every faucet, outside hose bibs, flushed the toilets and turned on the washer.

- I let the system drain for at least 30 minutes.

- I closed all faucets and bibs, including the toilet shutoffs, turned off the washer.

- I turned on the main shutoff.

- I went to the farthest fixture and turned it on, waiting for the hissing and spitting to stop.

- I did the same for all fixtures and bibs, working my way back to the main shutoff.

- I opened the toilet shutoffs.

- I tested a few fixtures - No noise from pipes.

- I spent all day Sunday using various fixtures, took a shower, did some dishes, washed a car, did some laundry - No noise from pipes.

- Family came home Sunday night. They did some laundry, took some showers, did some dishes - Bang Bang Bang Bang - Noise was back.

Conclusion:

It's not my plumbing...it's my d*mn family! I guess I'll have to send them away permanently.

Reply to
DerbyDad03

lasting a

aucet) I'll

I believe I have solved the porblem.

I bought a $13 gauge and checked the pressure before and after my pressure regulator. It was pushing 85 PSI in both locations, telling me that my regulator wasn't doing squat.

I replaced the pressure regulator and now read 50 PSI inside the house. It's been over 24 hours with no banging. Previous excursions into draining the plumbing would eliminate the banging for just a few hours, so I am hoping that this time it's gone for good.

The biggest pain now is due to the fact that I had to cut into the drywall ceiling in my basement bathroom to expose the regulator. Now I have a big hole to patch - flat taping in a small space - the worst kind to try and hide!

And yes, I considered moving the regulator to a more accessible spot, but that would involved some serious modifications to the existing plumbing for something I hope not to replace for another 30 years, if ever.

Reply to
DerbyDad03

When you can't match - contrast. Rather than trying to get that ceiling looking perfect again, why not install a nice little access door? If you are not that skilled, you can buy ready made access doors complete with frame, that fit into a precut hole.

Reply to
salty

I'd like to think I'm skilled enough to trim out an access panel - even considered doing it. The problem is that the location would make it difficult to "contrast" it and make it look good at the same time. It's right near the door on one side, the fan/heater on another side - but offset a bit, not centered in the room, etc, etc. I think it would stand out even more than it should, but I'll keep it in mind.

I'm in no hurry to start mudding, so maybe a different solution will present itself in the meantime.

Thanks!

Reply to
DerbyDad03

As I predicted on the 18th.

Reply to
Ashton Crusher

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