How to stop a water hammer noise in your pipes 

Many thanks for sharing your expertise. Turns out that the copper coming in from the service isn't anchored to the wall. I wedged a piece of foam behind it and that took care of the problem.

Thanks for the advice! Turning the isolator valve less than a quarter worked a treat to stop my water hammer.

Wish I'd learnt a trade after school. Never seen a poor plumber or builder

The best but not the easiest thing to do is clip and secure the pipework like Al said. The turbulence causes the hammering. 👍 Great explanation Al 😜

Thanks men I turn down my toilet valve and no more knocking inside the wall. You saved me hundreds on dollar. You're the best.

Al, you're an absolute legend. Been watching your stuff for years and always know you'll have a no-nonsense solution. Thanks for all your help mate!!

found this video very informative and useful thanks a gain al.

I didn't know Sting knew so much about plumbing. Cheers!

Had this problem for a while now, especially when the washing machine was going. Turned the stopcock back a turn or two and it’s so much better. Thanks Al, keep up the good work

Wish I’d seen your video before the other two, total fix time 10 seconds

Thank you! I cut a bit of foam pool noodle and put it around the pipe as it’s not anchored to the wall. Noise stopped!

It works, so straightforward and effective, many thanks dereton33 for guiding on eliminating loud vibrating sounds from the inlet pipe to the apartment water tank ('hot press'). I turned the brass stop cock right back as you indicated, almost off (lots of pressure where we are), and the noise is gone, sparing the need for expensive treatment. Happy neighbours, happy household.

Hi Mr Dereton. I have a well pump. I'm getting hammer when the water runs, also when I turn a tap off. Would the same procedure apply please? Thank you, very informative. 👍

Thank you very helpful enjoy your day..

33, just moved into a oldish bungalow, when we use the cold water the hot water pipes bang until I run the hot tap for a few seconds, any ideas.

I discovered my water hammer was coming from an area around the on/off handle (in my utility sink). I have a ‘Gerber’ faucet/fixture that has a stem going down into it the handle. Taking the stem out, I discovered the small screw at the very end of the stem (that is pressed against the washer), had wiggled loose. I just tightened the screw up against the washer, reinserted the stem the same way I removed it....and.... no more water hammer!!!

Hi Al, if you can help out , have watch this vid , and have done near all , but there is still a noise from up stairs shower room , it only comes on when some one used the taps down stairs ,the last place is to remove the the floor tiles and see if the pipes and fix with clips / and remove the wall tiles too and see if pipes needs clips , any advice would be help full , and might save from re moving the floor / wall tiles Thanks :)

Hi, I have the pressure reducer fitted next to my water tank but still when we run hot water there is that vibrating sound in the pipes, even though the reducer is set on 2 Bars, so not high at all. What I noticed is that air pressure relief is tighten to the max. Do you think it can help if I undo the air pressure relief?

Brilliant tip, was having noisy waterhammer day and night, tracked it down using your advice, the problem was a new toilet i had fitted and the cold feed was through a full bore service valve, turned the valve down a quarter turn, so far so good, thanks mate!!👍

I had a water arrestor fitted after I started to experience water hammer when turning taps off and all it did was make the bang happen when the water was turned on instead! I then had a pressure reducing valve fitted and the problem went completely. It's great because you can adjust the pressure just like you adjust the temperature on a radiator thermostat. Apparently, water hammer is becoming more of a problem due to more people working from home which means the water companies have had to increase the pressure to cope with demand.

Hi I’m struggling to find out what my issue is called. Don’t think it’s water hammer. Whenever I turn bathroom taps on, the kitchen tap makes a REALLY loud vibrating sound. The sound only stops if I turn off the bathroom tap or if turn on the hot water on the kitchen tap. Any advice would be really appreciate. Thank you

Cannot wait to try this when I get home. I’ve been hearing insanely loud knocking in my apartment bathroom above my toilet that’s kept me up for two weeks. Thank you

I just started having really bad water hammer, three big bangs when we turned a tap off or flushed the loo. It turned out to be associated with the new 40 metre hosepipe in the garden. I've backed of the isolator valve (fitted for frost protection) that feeds the outside tap such that the flow is adequate but the hammer is stopped. Regards . . . Andy

Al, I've lived where I am for 16 years and everything had been OK, but around April this year I started having problems. There will be a sudden banging in my pipes, and often when I go into the kitchen water is 'shaking' out of the mixer tap. If I open the hot water tap, it mostly stops the banging, but can sometimes begin again within minutes. I even occasionally open the hot water tap to stop the banging, but when I close the tap, water continues to run, even though the tap is switched off!. It often seems to start somewhere between about 8am to 9.30am, and can happen quite a few times during the day. It's really strange, do you have any suggestions?.

I've got banging on incoming mains in cupboard. Installed a prv on 3 bar and it's still banging. On a shared supply with neighbour,seems to be worse at night when they open the taps. Any help guys...

My pipes have been having issues, first whistling and now water hammer, lmfao

I reduced the flow on the isolator and it worked 👍. Would have been easier if the joiner had not boxed the valve in and the tiler, tiled it though 😅

The hammer is coming fron next door. shared main. And BANG all through my house. I think it's their washing machine. So what co i do in MY property. I still get it with my stop cock valved closed off. The bang is coming from the other side of the valve. From external.

Just like to say thanks, had water hammer and turned down the stop cock and now it's gone. Water pressure doesn't appear that different so good result.

That’s a nice ass garden 👍

This is one of the best channels on RU-vid! Always my first port of call when I have a plumbing problem.

Hi, Im having water hammer issues, ever since my new next door neighbour moved (Semi detached house)in a couple of months ago. When he turns the taps on or uses the washing machine and we do the same it vibrates through my pipes. Can I place an arrestor on my incoming feed to the house. If so whats the best to use

This was really helpful thank you.

I live in a flat and I can hear water gushing when my downstairs neighbours is using her taps, also bangs violently when they stop it’s driving me crazy what can be done

Beautiful looking back garden mate

This hammer 🔨 sound in the water pipes is so loyd and bangs the whole house when I start the washer machine!

Can having the stop tap nearly closed cause any long-term issues with the reliability of the tap? Thanks.

My moms house in town didn't syart doing this intil someone remodeled a house next door now it does this everytime the toilet is flushed or the washer is turned on they redid the pipes over there and apparently messed the pressure up

I’ve got water hammer in my cold pipes at the moment, on and off for the last two months. Seems to be in different points around the house but predominantly under the kitchen sink where the mains inlet pipe is. I have a shock arrestor upstairs under the combi boiler, I recently bled some air off it via the little valve (looks like a bike tyre valve) - was this a mistake?

Thank you for fixing my problem. It cost me $400 already, and the plumber could not figure it out, and he installed an arrestor. The noise stopped after I turned cock on slowly.

You forgot to mention the water hammer ghost as one of the causes and the spell you have to say to expell them, ha ha! Great video, as always. I have learnt a lot, thank you!

function is more important than looks, how about the washing / dish washers, they can cause water hammer, because the solenoid water valves, turn the water supply, off in a flash. Sioux Chief DW660-H Water Hammer Arrestor ¾" BSP Connection, are good for - washing / dish washers for the UK

when i drain my bath i hear a dripping sound when it’s draining is that normal

Thanks for that! It was the mains turned on too far so cold kitchen tap was banging! Fixed.....ahhh, the sound of quiet running water.... perfect! 😘

I got water hammer hammer arrester at washing machine pipes. Why do I see water hammer at say bathroom. Also when I use toilet at full valve opening i hear sound in same area. Can a faulty prv cause water hammer.

Cheers for that, I have a weird problem, the house is at the end of a run to 4 houses and even with the main stop off I'm getting hammer in short stub caused by other houses in the row, which device would be best where the water enters the house? Cheers Jason

I cannot stand it since I’ve had my leaking pipe repaired it keeps banging constantly

I had this noisy issue when opening up my taps full .. but i also had an issue when I was running the hot tap upstairs for a bath it was letting by in the down stairs sink tap. Changing the ceramic seems to solve both issues which I was well pleased with. Is that something you have heard of? A valve letting by causing water hammer

Great channel. Checking out water hammer. Subbed!👍👊🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

Thank you! Just fixed mine with your first solution.

hi, why would a bathroom mixer tap make noise like as if it's vibration or spinning, only happens when the Mixer tap is OFF? mixer tap is connected to hot water cylinder (unvented system) PRV is set at 3 bar for both cold and hot? thanks

Your videos are a godsend ❤. Can you please help with a problem that I have since I had a ballcock & lever replaced in my loft cold water tank recently? The ballcock bounces when it refills, and I can see no way of adjusting anything to stop it… it makes a heck of a racket now.

I'm having a nightmare over the last few years with I think water hammer. When a toilet is flushed upstairs or a tap is turned off upstairs we hear a clunk right by the side of the bath. On top of that we get only what I can describe as a low vibration for a few seconds. No particular time of day and with no water running. Any ideas please?

I just had this noise start today and only when running the faucets on a bathtub downstairs. Any suggestions?

I've got an odd situation. Yesterday Thames water were outside and turned off the mains supply. When everything came back on water hammer started when I turn the taps off even very slowly (previously it would only happen if I turned them off quickly). I've drained the taps to try and get rid of any air but it's still happening. It's so annoying as it now happens any time a tap is used. Any ideas?

Hi, the stop valve in the house leaks if turned on or off so I have tried to reduce the water pressure coming into the house from the stop valve on the water meter, will this have the same effect?

Interesting video Al. Another cause can be the outside tap when it is turned on and plugged into a hose connected to a garden sprayer connector or timer. It seems to create a hammer noise. I was a bit confused until I realised the tap was on, and turning it off cleared the problem.

Our one seems to related to the central heating pipes. The pipes are all buried in concrete. How do i resplve this issue?

Get the hammer noise mostly when the washing machine is going, it's so annoying and also get it when I open the kitchen tap on full.

Hi recently i changed a valve cartrage to stop the dripping in the cold tap and it work a treat.. Now tho there a thudding noise every time i use the cold water tap. Im not sure whats doing it tho.

Came across this video after hearing this noise after having a new kitchen fitted and it’s solved the problem. Thank you

I get it when I use washer bath toilet and all taps it made my boiler fire up didn't realise untill I got a £175 gas bill for 1 month.. I was advised I need a shock arrester at stop tap The bang is under the toilet

Can a faulty pressure reducing valve cause water hammer. I dont see drop in pressure not sure about fluctuations.

I've tried reducing the pressure, I've also drained the pipes and refilled them from the top down, I've identified the pipe that's banging and secured it down and I still have the banging noise..... Its coming from the mains stopcock, hidden away at the back of a cupboard and the pipes going upstairs have been boxed in and plastered over 🤦‍♂️ What would you suggest?

Would you give us some advice? Our pipes bang loudly every hour or two throughout the day and night long after the water has been used. Thanks

Thing is no water is running that I know of

Hi. Any possibility of a little advice/help please. Recently, over the last few months, when a tap/shower is turned on other taps make a squeal or start to dribble/drip. Any ideas pretty please?

Hi I’ve had noisy taps got a plumber out and he said my downstairs tap needs changing I adjust the valves and it’s not making a sound any more. Could I have some advice on what to do please thank you

Glad I found this video. Was going to call a plumber.Turned down the pressure and no more knocking.

Thanks so much. You helped me solve my problem in 5 minutes!

Would love to get some advice. 3 story townhome, water hammer comes up once using the washer or the toilet downstairs at the lowest level. Nothing else causes it. After flushing the toilet or when the washer machine is filling up. Tried leaving all faucets and flushing toilet upstairs to get rid of the air in the pipes. To no avail. What would you recommend after trying the turn down the main?

Two down-thumbs from £200. an hour ''plumbers''..

As usual, a really useful video. Thanks for this.

Your videos are excellent, I have a bad water hammer after plumber did work in my house. He also did work in my friends house and he now has water hammer too. What is the plumber doing?? I have complained about him now I have also like and subscribed your videos thank you 👍🏻

Have you got a baked potato plugged into the wall socket behind you there?

Thank you for the advice

Thank you. So helpful to know which way to turn the stopcock-worked a treat.

Hi Im having issues with water Hammer from every tap, washing machine ect, ive tried draining the system and fill back up again, thos seems to work but only for half a day or so. The banging noise is coming from the kitchen un the kitchen units, tried opening up the units but cant see any pipes moving, was thinking of putting a few Hammer Arrestor around the house and near the banging noise but not sure if it would solve the problem. Many thanks William

Thanks for the tips!

Thanks. Job's a good'un 👍

Thank you so much for this video! Bought our first house (not a new build!) And within a few months we started getting this horrendous noise that would go off pretty much every morning at about 4am. Tried this and we are a good 4 weeks without the foghorn noise (fingers crossed).

Thank you for sharing your knowledge ❤️

Can't understand the dude

Thanks for the help! Good show. BTW, what language was he speaking?

Thank you, this was immensely useful!

Thank you very helpful

Hi Al, i've got water hammer when a neighbour closes a tap/washing machine valve closes etc. Its a shared supply. Someone said replacing my kitchen pipework from copper to plastic might lessen the thud/sound transmission. What say you?

Lovely garden

Thankyou

Your a star.

love the accent

Cheers Al, 👍👍

The trouble with plumbers is they never turn up!

wish washing machines had a softer intake !!! it only happens when my washer fills

👍👍👍👍👍

Although some of this may sort of work, there's a few problems here. First you should not rely on throttling isolation valves to reduce pressure - this will cause cavitation and cause the valve to fail prematurely. If throttling solves the problem, then what you need is a flow restrictor or PRV as you mention at the end. Second at 01:39, unclipped pipes do not 'cause' water hammer, they will just make you aware of it. Water hammer is CAUSED by the momentum of water being suddenly stopped, and the resulting pressure wave - rattling pipes are a secondary effect of the pressure wave. Clipping the pipes in place won't change the fact it's happening (and damaging your pipes / fittings)

Plz help.. i live in a flat 2 flats below. I had a leaking stopcock, plumber fixed that, but after i was left with bang pipes every time my neighbour below used his taps or i use mine and washing machine. Please could you help what i can do. No one with visit due to the covid-19. Much appreciated.. 🙂

My rural cottage just changed from pumped well water to a mains connection, and the changes included a real plumber installing a float valve in the upstairs tank. I have no complaint about his work, but within a few days I started having severe water hammer to the point where I feared the pipework would spring a leak. The solution (found online) turned out to be ridiculously easy: tie an upright empty 300ml yogurt tub onto the float arm, with the top of the tub just below the surface of the water. This damped out the "chatter" as the float valve is close to shutting off, and it completely cured the problem. I was expected it not to work at all, but it was cheap (literally nothing) to try so what the hey. I absolutely did not expect a complete cure! I had previously tried closing the valve a tadge, but that didn't seem to help.

With hydraulic pressure how can you reduce it? If you have say mains pressure of 2 bars in, you’ll have 2 bars in the whole system unless you open a tap. Please explain how a water pressure reducer works or does it just reduce the flow. Thanks.