fter flushing the toilet, you expect that the water goes down and the fill valve closes quietly. However, you notice that after the fill valve shuts off, there is a loud bang in your pipes. What is that? That is called a water hammer. Howto stop water hammer when toilet fill valve closes? It is a process that starts with opening up the cold water faucets and letting them drain. Let’s take a look at the process.
What is Water Hammer
Water hammer is water that is moving along and slams into a valve that closes. Then the water goes from the water to the pipe and into the frame of the home. Also, if the pipes are loose or not attached properly, then they will move. This sound is loud and echoes through all the plumbing in the home. This happens during the filling process of a flush.
Water hammer is found usually with washing machines, dishwashers, toilet valves, and faucets and can happen because of faucet washers that are worn or damaged. Also, when there is build-up on minerals and rust that are inside shut-off valves. These are in the walls of the home.
Let’s look at how to stop this from happening.
How to Stop Water Hammer
Shut off the main water supply to the house
Starting with the highest floor in your home and working your way to the bottom level, open the cold water faucets.
Now, flush all the toilets that are in your home.
Water will drain from the open faucets. Wait for about 20-30 minutes.
Turn the main water supply back on.
Then, wait 5-10 minutes so the faucets can create a strong flow of water.
Starting on the lowest level of your home and working your way up to the top level, close the cold water faucets and the toilets will refill.
When you have all faucets closed and the toilets have filled, flush the toilets. This will allow you to listen for water hammer.
To control water hammer, you will need to have permanent air chambers or water hammer arrestors or both of them installed.
Permanent Air Chamber
This is a vertical section of copper pipe. On the end of it is a cap and it attaches to the supply line with a T- fitting. This supply line is near a shutoff valve or appliance. Installed on hot and cold water lines, it is filled with air and absorbs the force of the water.
This is usually installed during construction of the home in the walIs, however, you may still experience water hammer. This is because the air in the chambers is absorbed by the water over time. Sometimes there are difficulties with these because of the space they take up so it is necessary to use a water hammer arrestor.
Water Hammer Arrestor
This is an alternative to the air chamber and can be installed in a home during new construction or when an air chamber isn’t working out in your home. An arrestor has an air bladder and spring and can absorb the force of moving water. However, it may not give the protection needed if there are pumps and shutoff valves on the same line. They are used in commercial and residential settings and never have to be recharged.
If this isn’t working, focus next on the toilet.
Shutoff valve must be open all the way by turning the handle counter clockwise.
Flush the toilet and see if the noise has stopped.
If you still hear the noise, turn it clockwise to close the valve.
Open the valve and flush it again. If there is debris stuck inside the valve, this will help get it out.
If this doesn’t work, it could be the washer inside the valve is damaged, or you may need to replace the shutoff valve. The fill valve in the toilet tank may need replacing as well. Replacing these may fix your problem.
How Much Does It Cost
Washer – about $8-10 for a package of 100
Shutoff Valve – about $25
Fill valve – about $12
Water hammer arrestor – $15 and up
You may be able to take care of these on your own by purchasing them at the local hardware store or online. However, you will need to know what you are doing. If you want to hire a professional to do this for you, keep in mind the labor charges can be $75 and higher per hour.
Other Recommended Maintenance
While you are looking into how to stop a water hammer, consider also reading up on why my toilet makes a whistling sound. You might be able to solve both the water hammer and whistling sound with the same repair.
Also, if you notice that the water is not flowing freely in the sink, you may need to increase the water pressure. This can be done by checking the aerator or looking for a blockage in the faucet or in the pipes.
Lastly, if you notice that there is a sewage smell in your bathroom, it may be from the Jacuzzi tub, shower drain, sink, or toilet. It is important to find out what is causing the smell and fix it quickly.
When Should I Call A Professional
Issues with plumbing and toilets, in general, is never fun. Unless you know what you are doing, it is worth spending the money for a professional. Calling a professionally licensed plumbing contractor allows you to save time and money on your plumbing projects. They will get the job done quickly, figure out what is causing the issue and correct it. Consider calling on your local home inspection team to get a thorough home inspection, which can include your plumbing.
Mold is a serious problem for residential and commercial properties. In fact, water is the number 1 destroyer of buildings and water is the source of mold.
So, how long does it take for mold to grow? What should you do about it?
In this blog post, we are going to answer just that, but first, we should discuss how mold starts.
How Mold Starts
Mold grows through two things: food and moisture. Food can be from dust, drywall, wood, or any organic substance. Moisture can be related to plumbing leaks, water intrusion, roof leaks, or even high humidity.
Therefore, mold can start growing in as soon as 24 – 48 hours of coming into contact with the right moisture level and organic substance.
Mold can easily continue to grow on materials and in the air if the conditions are right.
How Fast Does Mold Grow?
If items in a home continue to stay wet, including the air (i.e. high humidity), mold can persist and spread to other items.
Once started, mold can colonize in 3 – 12 days.From there, mold can become visible after 18 – 21 days.
What To Do About Mold
First off, prevention is key. A homeowner or commercial property owner should conduct yearly inspections. That way, leaks or moisture problems can be solved before it becomes a more serious issue.
In addition, a property owner should consider a mold test or inspection. Often times, mold can spread through the air causing a problem to go unnoticed. We conduct mold testing and inspections in the Maine area.
Before jumping in, we want to recommend to where the proper personal protection equipment. This includes a mask and gloves.
1. Find The Source Of Moisture & Make Repairs
The first step is to find the source of the moisture. Is my A/C keeping the humidity in my home below 50%? It is coming from a roof leak? Is there mold around my A/C? Or perhaps your window is leaking? Our mold inspections help you find the source of mold.
Next, you have to repair whatever is not functioning. If you do not stop the source of moisture, your mold problem will persist. Therefore, see if you can repair the issue yourself. If not, call a professional to repair it for you.
2. Calculate The Area Affected By Mold
After finding the source of moisture and creating a plan to repair the problem, you should calculate the area affected by mold. You can do this by opening drywall, removing carpet, or possibly checking inside ducts with a flashlight.
After viewing the area affected by mold, calculate the area affected. If the area is greater than 10 square feet, you will need to call a professional. If the area is smaller than 10 square feet, you can use some home remedies to clean the mold yourself. However, remember, you need to stop the source of moisture. Otherwise, the mold can return.
3. How To Clean Mold Yourself
After you stop the source of moisture (or schedule someone to make repairs) and you know the area affected by mold is less than 10 square feet, you can begin cleaning the mold.
The first step is to dry everything out. This might involve removing wet insulation, using a dehumidifier, removing wet carpet, or opening up drywall.
Next, you will want to scrub the area down with a 50/50 solution of vinegar and water. Some people might recommend bleach, however, bleach can be too harmful on us humans.
After scrubbing the area down with vinegar and water, run a dehumidifier and a HEPA filter through the room. You can purchase a nice HEPA filter/fan or just replace the filter in your air handler with a HEPA filter like this one, just be sure to purchase the right size for your air handler.
Finally, check back in with the area each day. The mold spores should gradually disappear. If after a week the problem persists or grows, call a professional.
Once the mold spores are gone, you can replace the insulation or drywall.
If the problem persists after a week or more, or the mold grows, contact a professional to help you.
