If you find yourself alone in the house at night, when everything is quiet and tranquil, a sudden metallic clang! from the walls is startling. But it’s not ghosts or intruders you’re hearing. It’s something inside your plumbing called water hammer.
True, the name water hammer can sound intimidating all on its own. It’s a common occurrence in plumbing and it can create trouble. However, it’s also something you can fix with the help of an Oxnard, CA plumber. We’ll look into water hammer a bit closer so you know what it is, what it can do, and what can be done about it.
We tend to think of the piping in a household plumbing system as something that will last for as long as the house does. This isn’t remotely true. Pipes age and chemicals and minerals in the water can age them faster. Older pipe materials, such as cast iron and galvanized steel, are more susceptible to failure than plastics and copper, so if you live in a home built before 1970, you may be facing major pipe problems already. In these situations, extensive repiping is the best solution.