A banging in the walls; water pipes Im sure

[larry boggs]

I purchased my new home about 1.5 years ago. During the past year Ive had an irrigation/sprinkler system and a swimming pool added to the back yard. Since those two home improvements were finished Ive noticed that the water pipes in the house are banging. The lawn irrigation pumps are located outside my my living room window and are PVC I believe. The sprinklers are on an automatic timer and when they go off, there is a one time bang either in the wall of the living room or right outside where the sprinkler pumps are. The other time I hear banging is everytime any toilet is flushed, the shower is turned on or off, the dw is running or the wash. machine. The pipe that bangs then is located in walls on the first floor bathroom which is about 3 feet from where the water heater is placed (in the garage). As a new homeowner Im wondering what kind of damage is happening or will happen; how I can resolve it. Also, 2 of the 6 lawn irrigation pumps have developed cracks and had to be replaced AND three sprinkler heads (the plastic toro type that pop up) have blown off. Any info would be greatly appreciated. Your web site is great, youve put some time into it and it shows. Thanks!

[Matt FullerParticipant]

Matt…There are two sperate problems, the one that has to do with the pipe noise in the house when ever a toilet or shower is used is due to a loose pipe that rattles around . This in time will cause the pipe to wear through from rubbing or knocking against something in the wall, and will require that you open the wall to make the repair. See if you can pinpoint the exact location, and put a much needed pipe strap on the offending pipe. As for the irrigation valves that slam shut and cause damage to the pipe and fittings, I would replace them with slower opening and closing valves so they dont cause this noise and damage (talk with the installer of the sprinkler system about this problem)…Lots of luck Bud. Suncoast Plumbing Inc. Sunny Florida.: I purchased my new home about 1.5 years ago. During the past year Ive had an irrigation/sprinkler system and a swimming pool added to the back yard. Since those two home improvements were finished Ive noticed that the water pipes in the house are banging. The lawn irrigation pumps are located outside my my living room window and are PVC I believe. The sprinklers are on an automatic timer and when they go off, there is a one time bang either in the wall of the living room or right outside where the sprinkler pumps are. The other time I hear banging is everytime any toilet is flushed, the shower is turned on or off, the dw is running or the wash. machine. The pipe that bangs then is located in walls on the first floor bathroom which is about 3 feet from where the water heater is placed (in the garage). As a new homeowner Im wondering what kind of damage is happening or will happen; how I can resolve it. Also, 2 of the 6 lawn irrigation pumps have developed cracks and had to be replaced AND three sprinkler heads (the plastic toro type that pop up) have blown off. Any info would be greatly appreciated. Your web site is great, youve put some time into it and it shows. Thanks!

[Matt FullerParticipant]

Matt…There are two sperate problems, the one that has to do with the pipe noise in the house when ever a toilet or shower is used is due to a loose pipe that rattles around . This in time will cause the pipe to wear through from rubbing or knocking against something in the wall, and will require that you open the wall to make the repair. See if you can pinpoint the exact location, and put a much needed pipe strap on the offending pipe. As for the irrigation valves that slam shut and cause damage to the pipe and fittings, I would replace them with slower opening and closing valves so they dont cause this noise and damage (talk with the installer of the sprinkler system about this problem)…Lots of luck Bud. Suncoast Plumbing Inc. Sunny Florida.

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