Do You Need a Specialist Plumber in Bristol to Fix Banging Pipes?

Posted by JettBarkman on December 15th, 2020

Finding a Plumber bristol in Bristol to solve your noisy plumbing system need not be a problem. The sound of noisy banging pipes is never a healthy sound to hear especially when it is in your house. This phenomenon is known in the plumbing trade as water hammer and is especially prevalent in old buildings in Clifton, Kingsdown, Cotham and Redland with old internal plumbing systems.

Water hammer is caused by moving pipes that move and bang on under-floor surfaces or on other pipes. The sound is amplified as pipes are good conductors of sound and are often made of metal filled with water and in hollow empty spaces. Water hammer is usually found within the cold water system as this is mains fed and at a higher pressure than the gravity fed system.

As the water flow is stopped and started a ripple effect is created through the pipe thus forcing unfixed pipes to move. If there has been work done recently on the water system it is quite probable that the work carried out has caused water hammer.

Sometimes fitting new taps or valves will create water hammer on existing pipe work as the flow rate of water stopping and starting has been made more efficient therefore sharper, thus causing more powerful ripples. It is at this time whilst maintaining and repairing water systems the problem should be diagnosed and corrected. So if your home was built in the Georgian or Victorian periods, including areas such as Bedminster, Sneyd Park and Easton of Bristol ensure that your contract with the plumber includes a guarantee that if water hammer occurs he is required to return and fix it.

It is also possible for a ball valve to bob up and down on water ripples and cause the action of water hammer as the valve is open and closed in quick progression. If this is left untreated the wear and tear over a period of time will most likely fracture pipe connections causing water damage to the property. The solution is simple and can be easily remedied by correctly clipping the pipes at the correct distances as set out in UK building regulations.

The main difficulty for your plumber however can be getting to the pipes as often these are boxed in or under floor boards, and it may be necessary to lift up floors or break into a concealed box to gain access; this is a regular occurrence in the older houses of Bristol. It is often more cost effective to find the valve that is causing the water hammer and replace, adjust or adapt it.