Delayed Constant Banging in Pipes before PRV and After

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willsmyrnaga

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Hi all,

I am hoping one of you might have run into this issue.

When I first bought the home, about 6 months after I moved in I noticed some pipes banging when the water system was completely closed and nothing was running. It sounded like a constant hammering/pulsing sound that would last a few seconds and stop.

Fast forward to now where the hammering is constant unless cold water is running somewhere in the house.

The section of pipe that is hammering is about a 15 foot long straight run of pipe from the kitchen sink over 5 feet and then down the where the water line comes into the house.

I had a cut off valve and PRV on that section where the pipe comes in that was ancient so I figured that was probably this issue.

I had a plumber come today and replace both of them. That didn't fix the issue.

I have drained the house several times which still hasn't fixed the issue.

The PSI is 50 and I have measured it several times.

A couple things I find odd.

1. The city replaced just the dial on my water meter out by the street in April.
2. You can feel water pulsing in the main line coming into the house before and after the PRV.
3. It is only hammering in the one run from the main to the kitchen sink.
4. Turning on the water will STOP the hammering.

The plumber seems to think that it has to be something broken with the city meter/valve. It has a standard curb cut off with a 1 inch pipe. I called the city and they said it had to be my PRV and that I needed to reduce my pressure to 30 PSI which was standard pressure for a home. Nothing I have read has found this to be true.

Anyone have any ideas? I am pretty much flat out and this noise is driving me crazy. I have to shut off the water to make the noise stop.

Thanks,
Will
 

Jadnashua

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Do you have an expansion tank in your home? While a static pressure of 50psi is fine, you need to monitor it longer, say overnight, or check things after you've used some hot water and the water heater has turned on to reheat things. It sounds like the PRV's seal is failing and you have expansion in the home from the water being heated, raising the pressure, and the pulsing is from the valve opening to relieve it. A working expansion tank will restrict that pressure rise. So, if you do have on, it may be bad, and the prv, if it's working properly, may still need to be replaced because the seal is worn. Without knowing what the city's water pressure is, you wouldn't know if the prv is actually doing anything or not. The PRV might still be needed, but through time, the city may have changed things, and your supply pressure may not need one to keep your pressure within normal levels.

30psi is maybe considered adequate, but 50psi is better for most people.
 

FullySprinklered

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You'll know what it was after you fix it. These pressure/vacuum breaker/noise issues can be tough. You will have to keep trying stuff until you hit the right solution. Common sense doesn't always work on plumbing issues. I live in Metro Atlanta and did a job this week in your area down on Church street off of Cobb Parkway.
Fluttering noises can be caused by loose washers, worn out vacuum breakers on outside spigots or on hand-held showers, bad prv valves, your mother in law's carrot cake, and so on. Just work down the list until it quits.
 
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