Banging when shower is turned on

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PhoenixPhyre

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Hi, I'm new here and I have a question about the banging noise when the shower is turned on....

My husband and I are about to purchase a house and one of the things I noticed was the loud banging when I turned on the bath water (I was diverting the handle to the shower when the banging started).

That was listed as one of the contingencies for the seller's to fix before we close and their agent is telling our agent that they had a plumber come out and tell them that it was nothing to worry about and there is absolutely nothing that could done about the problem.

After searching the web for issues with "banging pipes", I strongly disagree with their decision and feel that they don't want the added expense of fixing the pipes.

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. :)
 

Cass

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I agree with you. Ask the agent how many showers they have taken where the banging is a normal sound.
 

PhoenixPhyre

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Cass said:
I agree with you. Ask the agent how many showers they have taken where the banging is a normal sound.

Exactly. That's why I turned it on several times to see if this was a reoccurring problem (and it was). It's funny how the seller's said that this never happened to them in the several years they've lived in this house... :rolleyes:
 

Cass

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Now the decission is wether it is enough of a reason to not purchase the house.
 

PhoenixPhyre

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Cass said:
Now the decission is wether it is enough of a reason to not purchase the house.

Since it's in the list of contingencies, they can't back out and are bound by law to fix it now; the attorney will make sure of it.
 

Cass

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Be sure to check it your self. Don't take the word of anyone.
 

hj

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banging

If they can't, or won't, fix it, you have the option of accepting it or dropping the purchase. They do not HAVE to fix it. If they did, the buyer could lsit anything they do not like as a "contingency", and the seller would have to pay to have it fixed.
 

PhoenixPhyre

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hj said:
If they can't, or won't, fix it, you have the option of accepting it or dropping the purchase. They do not HAVE to fix it. If they did, the buyer could lsit anything they do not like as a "contingency", and the seller would have to pay to have it fixed.

The contingency agreement was submitted to them listing the things that needed to be repaired if we were to purchase the home...they reviewed it and then SIGNED IT agreeing to fix the items on the agreement.
 

Gouranga

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I do not think they HAVE to fix it. I am no lawyer but when we bought our current house we had 4 or 5 items on a similar list. As it was explained to me, they could decide not to fix them BUT then the contact to purchase the house was null and void, and they were liable for any costs associated with that. They had 1 item on our list they did not want to pay to fix, as a result we re-negotiated the purchase and I got a good chunk off the price. (I fixed it myself for a lot less).
Whether their plumber says it is "no problem" or not is irrelevant. If you specifically listed the banging pipes would be fixed as part of that contract then whether it is a just nuisance or a real problem, it does not matter they agreed to fix it as part of the sale.
 

PhoenixPhyre

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Gouranga said:
I do not think they HAVE to fix it. I am no lawyer but when we bought our current house we had 4 or 5 items on a similar list. As it was explained to me, they could decide not to fix them BUT then the contact to purchase the house was null and void, and they were liable for any costs associated with that. They had 1 item on our list they did not want to pay to fix, as a result we re-negotiated the purchase and I got a good chunk off the price. (I fixed it myself for a lot less).
Whether their plumber says it is "no problem" or not is irrelevant. If you specifically listed the banging pipes would be fixed as part of that contract then whether it is a just nuisance or a real problem, it does not matter they agreed to fix it as part of the sale.

That was part of the Purchase and Sales Agreement that they signed. I was faxed a letter from their plumber that stated that is was acceptable; this is what is reads:

"Called because tub and shower were chattering. Unit was checked and found no evidence of malfunction when used properly. Valve diverter should be positioned in either tub or shower mode and not in the middle; this type of valve (Symmons Temprol) can under certain conditions make a thumping sound when it is shut off, This is normal and only happens occasionally and does not effect operation."
 
V

vaplumber

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phoenixphyre said:
That was part of the Purchase and Sales Agreement that they signed. I was faxed a letter from their plumber that stated that is was acceptable; this is what is reads:

"Called because tub and shower were chattering. Unit was checked and found no evidence of malfunction when used properly. Valve diverter should be positioned in either tub or shower mode and not in the middle; this type of valve (Symmons Temprol) can under certain conditions make a thumping sound when it is shut off, This is normal and only happens occasionally and does not effect operation."

This is the diverter seat fluttering back and forth trying to decide which way to send the water. Set the valve fully to shower or tub mode, and it should not do this. If it still does this rumbling when in full shower or tub mode, then the valve needs rebuilt. If the water pressure is just right, you can make almost any of the diverter type valves chatter by not setting them fully in either mode. A warning, when you do this, you are not only chattering the diverter valve, but also are sending the pipes behind the wall into a harmonious vibrating tantrum. If this happens once to often, you will break a pipe behind the wall and re-create the world as Noah saw it from the deck of his ark! And all in your own bathroom!
 

PhoenixPhyre

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vaplumber said:
This is the diverter seat fluttering back and forth trying to decide which way to send the water. Set the valve fully to shower or tub mode, and it should not do this. If it still does this rumbling when in full shower or tub mode, then the valve needs rebuilt. If the water pressure is just right, you can make almost any of the diverter type valves chatter by not setting them fully in either mode. A warning, when you do this, you are not only chattering the diverter valve, but also are sending the pipes behind the wall into a harmonious vibrating tantrum. If this happens once to often, you will break a pipe behind the wall and re-create the world as Noah saw it from the deck of his ark! And all in your own bathroom!

At my current home and other places I've lived, I can swtich between the tub and the shower and at some point, they all are in the "in between" mode when going from one to another and I do not experience that banging noise.

The "harmonious vibrating tantrum" is exactly what we're worried about leading into the eventual bursting of the pipes.

The question is, why does this particular model do this and I've never experienced this before?
 
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vaplumber

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phoenixphyre said:
At my current home and other places I've lived, I can swtich between the tub and the shower and at some point, they all are in the "in between" mode when going from one to another and I do not experience that banging noise.

The "harmonious vibrating tantrum" is exactly what we're worried about leading into the eventual bursting of the pipes.

The question is, why does this particular model do this and I've never experienced this before?

I would check the water supply for high pressure, and check all pipes that supply the fixture to be sure they are anchored down. Be sure that they arent anchored solid though because they will need to move slightly for expansion. You may have to rebuild the valve, but that should not be too expensive. Some valves also have their own personality, and are very sensitive to water pressure changes. You should be able to move this thing from tub to shower with no chattering or noise, and if the plumber is telling you that this is normal, I would request another plumber. If you end up having to pay for your own inspection it easy could work out cheaper for you in the long run. You will have a detailed list of what is wrong to present to your agent and you could request repayment for your inspecting plumber.
 
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