Fixing Machine Gun (Hammering) Pipes

If you hear strange machine gun like sounds in your pipes that sound like hammering you are among a large number of people that are in the same situation. Water hammer is actually a series of pressure shocks that appear because of a modification in flow velocity of any liquid in a pipe. We need to eliminate this condition in order to not have problems on the whole wrong so let us see how to do that. Keep in mind that it will be difficult to do properly so you might want a plumber to do this for you if you feel you are not up to the task.

The first step stands in designing a system that will minimize the possibility of machine gun sounds. You will have to think about holding flow velocities at around 5 fps and this would eliminate hammering. In most cases this will practically require larger piping. With this in mind, look for all the pipes that are undersized and replace them with larger diameter pipes. Any loose pipes have to be secured to a wall. You can use pipe clamps to do this and fix the problem. Insulation needs to be wrapped around rattling pipes although this task can be hard as pipes can be located behind a wall and you can not reach them.

You need to realize that if the plumbing system you have comes with air chambers, they might get filled with water. If this is your problem you have to turn off the water to your entire house and open the outdoor and indoor faucets. Wait for the water to drain out and when you turn on the water again these air chambers will be left filled with air as water will avoid them. Also, if your system does not come with air chambers consider adding one as it is needed.

If nothing worked so far you have to install a water hammering eliminator. Also, if there is a sudden change in fluid velocity you need to increase the time of change where this appears. Quarter turn ball valves are very common in showing water hammering. Even pneumatically activated valves are a good alternative and adding a restriction to the exhaust vent is also highly effective. Every valve should also be equipped with a stand pipe up stream. It can be built with a capped length of pipe, making it come vertically off the main line. If nothing worked and you still hear machine gun (hammering) pipes sound you need to call a plumber.

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