The "Water Hammer" Effect: How It Could Flood Your Home!

Have you ever heard a sudden, dull thud or banging sound from your pipes when you turn off a faucet or as your washing machine runs? That startling noise might be a powerful phenomenon happening inside your home's plumbing. It has an intimidating name: the Water Hammer effect.

As the name suggests, "water hammer" is what happens when the normally gentle water in your pipes suddenly acts like a heavy iron hammer, delivering a powerful blow to your plumbing system. But how does this happen? 

The "Crime Scene" of a Water Hammer

• Normal Flow: First, when you open a faucet or a valve, water flows quickly and smoothly through the pipes. As basic physics teaches us, this moving water has inertia.

• Sudden Stop: Then, you suddenly shut the valve or the pump stops. The water at the front comes to an abrupt halt, slamming into the valve and pipe walls.

• The Shockwave: Due to inertia, the water behind it is still rushing forward at high speed. This water crashes into the water that has already stopped, creating a shockwave and a major fluctuation in pressure. This generates immense force against the valve and pipes, creating the "BOOM!" you hear. You could call it a case of the "later wave" in the pipe pushing the "front wave"!

• The Air Factor: The effect can be even worse if air has entered the plumbing system, which can happen when you open a faucet while the water supply is off. Since air is compressible (elastic), a mix of air and water can create a much more powerful shockwave.

Why is Water Hammer a Danger?

The instantaneous pressure created by a water hammer can be several, ten, or even dozens of times higher than the normal working pressure in your pipes! This extreme pressure fluctuation and the strong vibrations it causes can be very destructive to your entire plumbing system and water-using appliances.

This effect can occur to varying degrees every time you open a faucet or whenever your water purifier starts and stops. If the water hammer's intensity is too high, or if it happens repeatedly, your home's water pipes may not be able to withstand the stress and could rupture. The last thing you want is to open a door and find your floor flooded.

Your water purifier is also at risk. These devices contain precise internal water systems that can be easily damaged by the force of a water hammer. You certainly don't want your carefully arranged home to be soaked, or for your expensive water purifier to fail prematurely.

 

How Can You Protect Your Home?

 

From a professional standpoint, solutions like installing pressure-reducing valves, redesigning plumbing, or adding air tanks exist, but these are often impractical for the average consumer.

From a practical perspective, the best and most useful method for everyone is to choose high-quality, reliable brands when purchasing any water-related household appliances. Reputable devices are designed with more experience and forethought for real-world conditions. Furthermore, their materials and construction are more robust, making them better able to withstand the impacts of daily use.

Even in a worst-case scenario where damage from a water hammer does occur, a major brand will have a comprehensive maintenance system and professional technicians to solve the problem efficiently.

 

This is where Water Doctor excels. With 35 years of focus in the water purification industry, our technical knowledge and practical experience are second to none. Our first-class after-sales service provides a prompt response to give you peace of mind. By choosing Water Doctor, you can stop worrying about "hammer" problems and "shockwaves" in your pipes.