Problem with our noisy cold water pipes (Water hammer?)...

[BeastieBoy73]

Just wondering if anyone can offer up a solution to rid our house of what may be water hammer from our cold water pipes.

I recently changed a washer on cold water tap in our upstairs en suite. I switched the cold water off at the mains (by the kitchen sink) and went about changing the washer. Job done.

Unfortunately, once I'd switched the cold water back on, everything was working as before apart from the toilet in the en suite. Now, when it's flushed, it fills up and then once full it sounds like their is a pipe behind (in the wall) trying to rattle it self free.

This noise reverberates throughout out house (and probably that of our neighbours) for about 5-10 seconds.

Having looked online I wondered if there was now air trapped in the system (Water hammer?) I followed instructions of switching the cold water off at the mains and draining the system by turning the cold taps on at the upstairs sinks (x2), kitchen and the outside tap. Once the water had drained (only took a few seconds) I turned the mains back on, and in turn, shut the taps off from bottom to top once the water was running smoothly, thus hoping to have purged the air out of the system.

It didn't work. The "Toilet Monster" as it is now know refused to leave.

Couple of things I did find a bit odd. If you switch the cold tap on in the ensuite, just as you know the noise is about to start, it doesn't make the noise at all. The other thing is that when I went to drain the system, I switched the cold tap on in the bath to aid draining. The cold tap in the bath just ran and ran. Is this on a different feed to the toilets and sink taps?

Apologies if non of the above doesn't make any sense. I'm clearly no plumbing expert (hence me being in this predicament in the first place simply from changing a tap washer.)

Any advice is hugely appreciated.

[Jazoli]

Sounds like too much pressure, have you opened the main shut off valve further than it was originally set?

[megaphone]

Jazoli said:

Sounds like too much pressure, have you opened the main shut off valve further than it was originally set?

This, try turning the stopcock down a few turns.

[bazjude2998]

The cold water to the bath is probably fed from a header tank.that also feeds the hot water side of the system.As suggested the water hammer is probably to much flow,crank the stop tap down a turn at a time.

[BeastieBoy73]

Fantastic! Thanks for your swift replies.

I'm pretty sure I have turned the mains tap on too much.

I will adjust this as soon as I get home.

Thanks for your time.

[BeastieBoy73]

Damn, that doesn't seem to have fixed it... Though it does seem much quieter.

I'm wondering if any excess pressure may have shaken a pipe loose from any moorings it may have had within in the cavity wall behind the loo...

Regardless, thanks again to you all for stepping up with your advice.

[fido]

http://www.screwfix.com/p/thomas-dudley-ltd-dw660-...

maybe fit one of these near the tap / toilet ?

[Rickyy]

A worn stop tap can cause water hammer, as can a worn fill valve in a WC.

Is it just the toilet that causes it?

[BeastieBoy73]

Thanks again, guys.

It is just the toilet that is making the noise.

I will check out the link to Screwfix and fill valve ASAP.

Have a good day.

[bazjude2998]

Just out of interest and b4 you start splashing the cash go through the same senourio with the mains stop tap out on the pavement

[g7jtk]

Check the washers and jumpers on all the cold taps.

[WolfieBot]

No help but I've had exactly the same problem since moving into our house in December. Will be trying g the stopcock tip!

[surveyor]

Also. The same issue.. come to think of it happened just after a new boiler. Bet the stopcock was off....

[BeastieBoy73]

bazjude2998 said:

Just out of interest and b4 you start splashing the cash go through the same senourio with the mains stop tap out on the pavement

Cheers, was planning on popping into screwfix on the way home so will try this first, instead...

In the meantime, my wife's solution of turning the cold tap on in the ensuite (next to the toilet) just as the cistern has finished filling is keeping the pipe monster at bay.

Edited by BeastieBoy73 on Wednesday 19th July 16:56

[ironv8]

.

In the meantime, my wife's solution of turning the cold tap on in the ensuite (next to the toilet) just as the cistern has finished filling is keeping the pipe monster at bay.

Edited by BeastieBoy73 on Wednesday 19th July 16:56

[/quote]

well that means shes just reducing the pressure to that ballvalve, I'd fit another one, also I'd try opening the main stopcock fully as they can cause water hammer when half open

[BeastieBoy73]

ironv8 said:

.

In the meantime, my wife's solution of turning the cold tap on in the ensuite (next to the toilet) just as the cistern has finished filling is keeping the pipe monster at bay.

Edited by BeastieBoy73 on Wednesday 19th July 16:56

well that means shes just reducing the pressure to that ballvalve, I'd fit another one, also I'd try opening the main stopcock fully as they can cause water hammer when half open

Would the ball valve be one of these?

http://www.screwfix.com/p/torbeck-bottom-entry-fil...

Many thanks.

[BeastieBoy73]

Apologies for the delay in posting but have just got round to replacing the fill valve in the toilet and happy to report that this has cured the noise we were enduring.

Thanks to you all for offering help and advice, it's much appreciated.

[Pica-Pica]

BeastieBoy73 said:

Apologies for the delay in posting but have just got round to replacing the fill valve in the toilet and happy to report that this has cured the noise we were enduring.

Thanks to you all for offering help and advice, it's much appreciated.

The new shut-off valve you have fitted has a tapered shut-off, rather than abrupt. Similarly modern lever taps give problems that screw taps don't.

[BeastieBoy73]

Pica-Pica said:

BeastieBoy73 said:

Apologies for the delay in posting but have just got round to replacing the fill valve in the toilet and happy to report that this has cured the noise we were enduring.

Thanks to you all for offering help and advice, it's much appreciated.

The new shut-off valve you have fitted has a tapered shut-off, rather than abrupt. Similarly modern lever taps give problems that screw taps don't.

Thanks. When confronted with a choice of shut off valves in the Screwfix catalogue I went with the one that looked exactly the same as the one currently fitted. I hoped that a like for like swap would fix the issue.
So far, so good.