Washing Machine "Water Hammer"

[D45]

Do these actually work that well?

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Quiet-Pipes-Washing-Machine-Water-Hammer-Arrester-38600/100069256

Trying to stop the loud water hammer noise my front loader has

 

[FullRaceMerc]

It might help.

Usually water hammer can be cured by solidly anchoring pipes. If you can move a pipe by hand & cause it to knock it is too loose & can cause hammer. Is this a raised foundation?

 

[AndyCBR]

Do these actually work that well?

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Quiet-Pipes-Washing-Machine-Water-Hammer-Arrester-38600/100069256

Trying to stop the loud water hammer noise my front loader has

How old is the house?

If the plumbing system hasn't been drained for many years the air chambers in the copper piping (vertical pipes the plumber should solder in at vanities and water heaters) can fill up with water and reduce the vibration reduction in the system.

Solution is to drain the system as much as possible and refill to get air in the chambers again.

 

[D45]

The pipes are solid, they don't move

Looks like the PO built in some water dampeners, but it is still very loud

The washer are dryer are in the basement, and can be heard throughout the house

 

[D45]

How old is the house?

If the plumbing system hasn't been drained for many years the air chambers in the copper piping (vertical pipes the plumber should solder in at vanities and water heaters) can fill up with water and reduce the vibration reduction in the system.

Solution is to drain the system as much as possible and refill to get air in the chambers again.

Built in 1978

 

[nynexit]

The idea works but some are better then others . The ones I got at HD helped but didn't entirely get rid of the noise . I went with a set of made in USA from Amazon . These have a slightly longer pipe and I'd assume better performance - heavier too .

Sioux Chief Mfg 660-H 3/4-Inch Female Swivel Hose Thread by 3/4-Inch Male Hose Thread Mini Rester https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000H5MQNM/?tag=atomicindus08-20


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[AndyCBR]

There are multiple air chambers throughout the system. The ones at the appliance in question are not the only ones that prevent the hammer.

I would drain the system and refill and see what happens. Costs nothing to try.

 

[D45]

The idea works but some are better then others . The ones I got at HD helped but didn't entirely get rid of the noise . I went with a set of made in USA from Amazon . These have a slightly longer pipe and I'd assume better performance - heavier too .

Sioux Chief Mfg 660-H 3/4-Inch Female Swivel Hose Thread by 3/4-Inch Male Hose Thread Mini Rester https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000H5MQNM/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Looks like my local Lowe's sell these.....I will pick up two tomorrow and try

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Sioux-Chief-3-4-in-Dia-90-Degree-Copper-Air-Chamber-Fitting/3172327

 

[D45]

There are multiple air chambers throughout the system. The ones at the appliance in question are not the only ones that prevent the hammer.

I would drain the system and refill and see what happens. Costs nothing to try.

I drained my entire system actually 3 times this year.........nothing changed

 

[AndyCBR]

I drained my entire system actually 3 times this year.........nothing changed

Well then you've eliminated that as an issue....

 

[mires]

Go around to all of the valves under the fixtures (faucets, toilets etc.) and make sure they are all fully open. A partially closed valve can cause this to happen throughout the house.

 

[redmondjp]

To the OP: Check your water pressure.

If it's more than 60psi or thereabouts, install a PRV (pressure reducing valve) on your main line.

 

[excavator]

i was chasing same problem for 2 months and just yesterday I found the culprit in my upstairs bath. It was the valve inside the toilet tank and it just kept spraying a mist of water in tank every 10 minutes or so. I heard the water spray on by accident and then i took tank lid off and waited a few minutes and sure enough it did it again. I just adjusted it and problem solved

 

[545_days]

They helped us. They are not perfect, but they greatly reduced the water hammer caused by our front loading washing machine. I can still hear it, but it is quieter, and the tubing to the ice maker on the fridge no longer visibly jumps when the solenoid valve on the washer snaps shut.

 

[D45]

Strange. I guess I will try the arrestor products first

The hammering is only when the washing is on

I have a community well system in my subdivision, so water pressure varies, but is typically hovering between 50-60 PSI

 

[LS6 Tommy]

To the OP: Check your water pressure.

If it's more than 60psi or thereabouts, install a PRV (pressure reducing valve) on your main line.

x2.

Tommy

 

[pattenp]

This is the best type to use for water hammer.

http://www.supplyhouse.com/Watts-01...or-Lead-Free?gclid=CJ22_eTdgtACFQRehgodbgEOHQ

 

[risc]

The Sioux Chief worked pretty well for me.

 

[MBfreak]

Water pressure in Sweden is usually around 90 PSI incoming.
Most appliances are equipped with soft open/close solenoid valves which eliminates the problem 100 %.

I guess they must be available in the US too.

Ola

 

[bottom feeder]

My hot water system has an expansion tank plumbed in at the outlet of the hot water heater, and no air chambers or water hammer devices whatsoever. Even though our water pressure is usually quite high we've never had a problem with water hammer, so I assume the expansion tank is providing a cushioning effect.

 

[FullRaceMerc]

The pipes are solid, they don't move

Looks like the PO built in some water dampeners, but it is still very loud

The washer are dryer are in the basement, and can be heard throughout the house

Are the pipes solid throughout the house? Pressure changes when equipment turns on or off affects the entire system. A loose pipe anywhere can cause the noise.

Another old trick is to turn down the valves to the washer. To a pretty slow flow. It takes longer to fill, but sometimes reducing the difference in flow between filling & off can help. Less pressure change in the system.

 

[D45]

Pipes are solid in the basement and in the crawl, obviously I have no idea inside the walls

I have about 4 loads of laundry to run today, we will see if the $20 fix works

 

[WVBrady]

This is the best type to use for water hammer.

http://www.supplyhouse.com/Watts-01...or-Lead-Free?gclid=CJ22_eTdgtACFQRehgodbgEOHQ

The difference with this one is that it has an air valve that you can use to add air, instead of having to drain the line. Looks good to me.

 

[joeysh03]

I had the same issue with my Samsung front load for months, tried everything. Eventually found out that it was my steel braided hoses I had connected to the washer. Switched them back to the rubber lines and it quit. The sudden stop and start that the machine requires for water was causing the hoses to bang up against the washer.

 

[D45]

The Sioux Chief product seems to work very well.........reduced the water hammer noise about 75+%

Not totally quiet, but ten times better than before

 

[nh_yota]

This is the best type to use for water hammer.

http://www.supplyhouse.com/Watts-01...or-Lead-Free?gclid=CJ22_eTdgtACFQRehgodbgEOHQ

I added a couple of these to the hot and cold water lines for my washing machine last year and they silenced the water hammer. My house never had a problem until I purchased an LG front load washer with the quick-action valves.

 

[Firebrick43]

I had the same issue with my Samsung front load for months, tried everything. Eventually found out that it was my steel braided hoses I had connected to the washer. Switched them back to the rubber lines and it quit. The sudden stop and start that the machine requires for water was causing the hoses to bang up against the washer.

I would suggest that you switch back to the metal hoses and install arrestors and secure the lines. The rubber lines are expanding enough to solve the hammer problems but only last a year or two on the newer washers that digitally control the valves. Metal braided lines last about 6 years (although I have seen a bad batch that was linked to an idiot crimping the hoses). Some how remember to replace your hoses on a schedule. The also make flood check hoses the may not stop a pin hole leak but stop catastrophic flooding with a failed hose.

Water damage from busted washing machine hoses cause more claims every year than natural disasters. Rusted out water heaters are a close second but a good number of them are located where less damage occurs.

Pattenp link are good arresters. Most of the souix arrestors have bladders that eventually fail and need replaced. One could buy valve stems and solder them in to the caps of home made ones shown earlier. Remember to remove the valve cores before soldering. It would be a bi annual or quarterly thing to recharge them as the air dissolves into the water.

 

[gungatim]

shouldn't the water dampers in that photo be installed before the outlet to the washer? seems like they aren't doing any good where they are at...

 

[Trey T]

The sixous arrestor works okay. I haven't found a better solution yet. I had to use a pair on each line (4 total) to minimize the hammering at the adjacent kitchen sink.

I was thinking of putting a delay relay b/t the controller and the water valve to minimize the pulsing. I don't know if it messes up the automation but regardless, the solution I presented may uses more water than advertised, which I don't mind.

 

[ishiboo]

Those large pipes help a little bit, but since air is much more compressible than water, the air bladder units work a lot better.

shouldn't the water dampers in that photo be installed before the outlet to the washer? seems like they aren't doing any good where they are at...

No. The problem is that when the valve in the washer suddenly closes, there is a a sudden surge of water that has nowhere to go. Having them there gives it a very local path.

Surge arrestors work at some level just about anywhere in the system, but at the point of problem appliances/fixtures is the best option.

 

[redmondjp]

Has the water pressure at the house been measured yet?

 

[rburke65]

Some of us already read that in post #15.

 

[redmondjp]

Some of us already read that in post #15.

Sorry, I missed that post somehow.

I get email updates on a subscribed thread, but for some reason they are hit or miss - sometimes I get an update for every new post, but other times, I'll miss several posts before I get an email. Any ideas?

 

[kbs2244]

Those are pretty healthy cushion pipes.

I would guess an incomplete system drain.

Open ALL faucets, both hot and cold. and wait at least 30 min. to let them all "gurgle" dry.
When you turn the water back on start the closing at the bottom and wait for the "spitting" to stop.

 

[kbs2244]

Those are pretty healthy cushion pipes.

I would guess an incomplete system drain.

Open ALL faucets, both hot and cold. and wait at least 30 min. to let them all "gurgle" dry.
When you turn the water back on start the closing at the bottom and wait for the "spitting" to stop.


Those expansion tanks are a recent development to eliminant the labor of putting in cushions at every valve.
They work, but the old way does also.

 

[D45]

I will drain and purge the entire system this weekend, when I change the whole house water filter, and see what happens

Open all faucets, including outside spigots and the showers/bath tubs?

Thanks for help and info

I will update this thread this weekend

 

[WVBrady]

I would suggest that you switch back to the metal hoses and install arrestors and secure the lines. The rubber lines are expanding enough to solve the hammer problems but only last a year or two on the newer washers that digitally control the valves...

X10! I thought that they would burst only when the machine shut off, but mine burst in the middle of the night. Fortunately, I still had good hearing at the time and was able to shut the water off before it did too much damage. I should replace the metal covered lines that I replaced them with, even though I have an old washing machine ( 35 YO).

 

[D45]

This is the best type to use for water hammer.

http://www.supplyhouse.com/Watts-01...or-Lead-Free?gclid=CJ22_eTdgtACFQRehgodbgEOHQ

Looks like I need to give these a try......will they fit side by side, attached to the back of the washing machine, or are they too wide?