{"id":1021,"date":"2021-05-10T11:00:27","date_gmt":"2021-05-10T15:00:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.performanceplumbinginc.com\/blog\/?p=1021"},"modified":"2021-05-10T14:30:33","modified_gmt":"2021-05-10T18:30:33","slug":"whats-water-hammer-why-does-matter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.performanceplumbinginc.com\/blog\/plumbing-service\/whats-water-hammer-why-does-matter\/","title":{"rendered":"What\u2019s Water Hammer and Why Does It Matter?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"plumber-fixing-pipe-under-sink\"Have you ever been alone at home, enjoying some peace and quiet when all of the sudden you hear a metallic clang<\/em> from seemingly inside the walls? The good news is, it\u2019s probably not ghostly activity or even intruders you\u2019re hearing. It\u2019s most likely something called water hammer, <\/em>which happens inside your plumber system.<\/p>\n

We\u2019re sure \u201cwater hammer\u201d may sound a little intimidating, but it\u2019s actually a pretty common occurrence. It\u2019s not a devastating problem to have, but it can create trouble in the pipes if not dealt with soon. Read on as we dive into what water hammer is, what it does, and how to get rid of it.<\/p>\n

What Causes Water Hammer?<\/h2>\n

What you\u2019re actually hearing when water hammer happens is a bit of a shockwave that\u2019s caused by the sudden stop and reversal of the flow of water within your plumbing system. This shockwave creates a vibration in the system, and therefore makes a noise similar to a hammer striking the pipe.<\/p>\n

Every time you turn off a faucet or a valve, the water makes an abrupt stop, so that can\u2019t be avoided. But there\u2019s a reason you don\u2019t want to hear water hammer happen every time. That reason is that your plumbing system is designed with water cushions designed to absorb the shock so there isn\u2019t <\/em>water hammer. However, a few things can cause water hammer to happen anyway, such as:<\/p>\n