Plumbers advice: clanking sink pipes?

Erik Tracy
Erik Tracy Posts: 4,673
edited October 2012 in The Clubhouse
Any CP Plumbers got some advice?

Our upstairs sink in the master bedroom has developed 'clanking' noises when the water is turned on.

Is that a sign there is air in the pipes? If so, is there a DIY solution, or do I need to call a plumber?

Thanks,
Erik

H9: If you don't trust what you are hearing, then maybe you need to be less invested in a hobby which all the pleasure comes from listening to music.
Post edited by Erik Tracy on
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  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 1,225
    edited October 2012
    My first thought would be to look for a broken (maybe rusted) pipe mount. :cool:
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  • charley95
    charley95 Posts: 908
    edited October 2012
    Pipes leading to faucet are loosely mounted somewhere.
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  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 25,420
    edited October 2012
    nap wrote: »
    My first thought would be to look for a broken (maybe rusted) pipe mount. :cool:
    charley95 wrote: »
    Pipes leading to faucet are loosely mounted somewhere.

    yep my first step
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  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,957
    edited October 2012
    Agreed ^^^^

    Or....sounds like a case of you just needing to get your pipes cleaned. Yuk Yuk !!:lol:
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  • gdb
    gdb Posts: 6,012
    edited October 2012
    It's called "hammering". You can add an inverted air chamber to in effect, cushion the sudden starting and stopping of the water.

    http://www.google.com/search?num=10&hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1280&bih=620&q=anti+hammering+device&oq=anti+hammer&gs_l=img.1.2.0j0i24l7j0i5i24l2.1611.6183.0.10482.11.11.0.0.0.0.97.813.11.11.0.cfrsh..0.0...1.1._G-MQ4TuSl0#hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=plumbing+anti+hammering+device&oq=plumbing+anti+hammering+device&gs_l=img.12...15205.19759.0.22190.9.9.0.0.0.0.50.354.9.9.0.cfrsh..0.0...1.1.JNAjAit8WiI&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.&fp=834cc335a8e994da&bpcl=35277026&biw=1280&bih=620
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  • gdb
    gdb Posts: 6,012
    edited October 2012
    Be sure to get one construced of oxygen free, audiophile grade copper !!!!:twisted:
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  • hewlew1
    hewlew1 Posts: 154
    edited October 2012
    Hot or cold water or both.
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  • treitz3
    treitz3 Posts: 19,011
    edited October 2012
    Hello, Eric. There are two things you can do yourself. Make sure your water pressure isn't too high and since you had mentioned that it has been developing, check or replace the valves at the fixture. Many times, just doing this will solve the noise issue. Regardless, try not to use that faucet anymore until it is repaired unless you can handle a possible and unexpected "uh-oh".

    Tom
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  • SCompRacer
    SCompRacer Posts: 8,495
    edited October 2012
    Newer or real old construction? If newer, and copper tubing, they should have installed air cushions or "bumpers" in the supply lines in the wall near the sink. (Pops called them bumpers anyway, first learned of them back in the mid '60's helping him plumb new houses). This would consist of a T fitting in supply line, elbow and short piece of capped pipe alongside the supply line. IF the air has been forced out of the bumpers, you can shut the water off, drain lines on lower floor (or outside sillcock) and slowly turn water back on to get that air cushion back in the bumper.

    If copper water lines, plumbers usually flatten a piece of copper tubing at the ends and wedge it between two studs. Then they solder the hot and cold water pipes to it. If they didn't clean the pipes properly or solder it well, sometimes they break free and the pipe(s) will move when water is turned on and off. IF that happened, obviously you have to get into the wall to fix it.

    air-chamber-Layout22.jpg
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  • Erik Tracy
    Erik Tracy Posts: 4,673
    edited October 2012
    This started happening 6 months or so after a remodel of our master bathroom. I wanted a re-circulating valve put in between the hot & cold since the master shower was in the upper/opposite location of the my 2-story house in relation to the gas water heater in the garage.

    Thing is - the recirculating valve is installed on the 'his'(my) sink and the clanking is on the 'hers' side of the two sink master bath.

    My wife's sink will clank if the hot OR cold is turned on....whether fast or really really slow, but my sink is totally fine.

    H9: If you don't trust what you are hearing, then maybe you need to be less invested in a hobby which all the pleasure comes from listening to music.
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  • gdb
    gdb Posts: 6,012
    edited October 2012
    Sounds like a valid, contractor call back to me.......
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  • Erik Tracy
    Erik Tracy Posts: 4,673
    edited October 2012
    gdb wrote: »
    Sounds like a valid, contractor call back to me.......

    Duly noted...I've got the plumber's card....call in-coming....

    H9: If you don't trust what you are hearing, then maybe you need to be less invested in a hobby which all the pleasure comes from listening to music.
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  • Drenis
    Drenis Posts: 2,871
    edited October 2012
    Mine bang too... all new plumbing and they cant secure anything right. Good ol 100+ year old home.
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  • amulford
    amulford Posts: 5,020
    edited October 2012
    I don't think it's water hammer, that usually happens at the start and stop. Scomp has that covered. Sounds like a support issue. Call your plumber back in...
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  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 1,225
    edited October 2012
    Erik Tracy wrote: »

    Thing is - the recirculating valve is installed on the 'his'(my) sink and the clanking is on the 'hers' side of the two sink master bath.

    My wife's sink will clank if the hot OR cold is turned on....whether fast or really really slow, but my sink is totally fine.

    Ahhh, the real reason for this thread, the clanking is on "her" side. I'll bet if it were up to you it wouldn't be that big a deal. Certainly sounds like you need to call the contractor back. Cheers. :cool:
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  • Erik Tracy
    Erik Tracy Posts: 4,673
    edited October 2012
    I tried turning on the hot and cold taps one at a time really slow to see if the clanking was a pressure 'thing'.

    When I turned on the hot - about half way on, the hot water momentarily stopped coming out, then the clanking started, then water started coming out again.....

    Gotta find the contractor's card....

    H9: If you don't trust what you are hearing, then maybe you need to be less invested in a hobby which all the pleasure comes from listening to music.
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  • amulford
    amulford Posts: 5,020
    edited October 2012
    That's your recirc valve. It's slamming closed and causing some hammering. 3 things will need to addressed:

    1) obviously, the recirc needs attention.
    2) you need some hammer arrestors installed. ( see SComp's post, but they do have ready units)
    3) the pipes need to be secured around the recirc valve.
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