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Banging pipes after a toilet is flushed is a common occurrence in residential properties. Unfortunately, this banging noise is a symptom of a problem that can cause damage to your pipes. Understanding why these noises occur and knowing what you can do to stop the noise can help you take care of your property. In this post, we’ll go over the causes and solutions.
The banging noise you hear after your toilet flushes is very likely caused by a problem known as "water hammer." To understand what’s happening your plumbing, imagine that water flows through your pipes like cars driving on the freeway.
If the car at the front of the line comes to a sudden stop, vehicles driving behind it will crash. Water hammer is like a 10 car pileup on the freeway. The water inside your pipes has come to a dead stop, and then the water is hitting the wall of the pipes at a high speed, which causes a bang.
The hammer noise isn’t just a nuisance: it’s also bad for your pipes. Every time you hear the bang, the reverberations may be doing damage to your plumbing. Over many months or years, these vibrations can cause leaks and extensive water damage.
There are multiple ways that you can fix this problem. Your pipes should all contain air-filled chambers that act like shock absorbers in each corner. However, if these chambers become filled with water, that water must be cleared out before the air chambers will work again.
Luckily, emptying these chambers is generally simple. To do this, you’ll need to drain the pipes of water. Start by turning off the main water supply to your home, then flush every toilet, turn on every faucet, and run your washer for a few minutes.
Once your pipes are empty of all water, open your home’s main water valve and turn back on your faucets. To see if this has worked, flush the toilet and listen for the banging noise after the toilet stops working.
If the pipes still make the noise, try installing a new slow shut off toilet valve. This type of toilet valve can be purchased at hardware stores and home improvement centers. Read the package to be sure that the valve you select specifically states that it’s a slow shut off valve. To replace the parts of your toilet tank, follow the instructions included in the package. You can also see a demonstration of this process in this YouTube video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6CQCeK1Br0
If replacing the parts inside your toilet tank and draining your plumbing system doesn’t work, then it’s time to call a plumber. At Terry’s Plumbing, we help solve problems like this all the time, and we’ll be happy to fix your plumbing and stop the water hammer effect. Call us today to make an appointment.
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