Hey Y’all
I have banging pipes. I installed those shock absorber thingys on the hot and cold lines to the washer machine but the pipes bang anyway. Now the banging is further back than where I installed those ‘things’. What’s my solution? tie the pipes down? Install more of those “thingys”? (Note: I have access to the banging area. It’s under the crawl space)
Also, I tied some pipes down in one area when I had access to it back when I had to reapir a leak. Now whenever the hot water is turned on it expands and rubs up against the floor joists which make a bunch of noise for a few seconds. Are there ties which clamp the pipe down but allow for expansion? What do you plumbers do?
Chief of all sinners.
Replies
Every hardware store or home center has a variety of pipe supports. Many are plastic or plastic coated to keep them quiet as well as being sized to allow for pipe movement.
What do you plumbers do?
A lot of "Plumbers" create the problem of banging pipes. Here is the things to do and not do.
Don't use "J" hooks, a pipe that is tight against wood will transmit noise to the joists or studs, also when the hot water line heats up it makes creaking noise that sounds like dripping.
Any kind of pipe clamp will work if you wrap the pipe with rubber, carpet padding or fiberous material before securing.
Stuff carpet padding around pipes going thru holes so it spaces pipe away from the wood.
Grab the pipe under the floor or in the attic and shake or jerk it, it will make the banging noise become very apparent so you can secure it and sound isolate the pipes.
Thank you. Your response was very helpful. Now I just need to get down there and crawl around in the dirt......I can't wait! :-/Chief of all sinners.
What kind of banging is it?
If it is single bang followed by a rattle, rattle and then quiet when a valve shuts off then you are on the right track.
If it is a continous sound as long was water is running then you have a different problem with a "some loose" in the water flow. Most typically a loose washer at the faucet.
"continous sound as long as water is running"
Specifically when the washer machine is running.Chief of all sinners.
It is possilbe that there is something loose in the pipe, I had a head of screw break off and fall down a pipe once. Or it could be a loose washer and the main or WH tank shut off or a bad PRV.But if this is the only place that does it then the mostly likely hood is a bad soleniod vavle in the clothes washer.DUH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!LOOSE WASHER IN THE SHUT OFF VALVE FOR THE WASHER.Check that first.If you need to go past that you can verify it by hookin a hose on the HW bib and run it without the clothes washer.
Chief are they heating pipes? Biggest cause for pipes making noise in my experience is expansion and contraction during the heating/cooling cycles. Had a client who had all the asbestos removed from his huge basement. And then he could'nt sleep from the bagning. I spent two weeks reinsulating them, noise gone. This also will save you some $ in your heating bill.