Water meter causing noise?

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JimLS

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I have been trying to resolve some water hammer type noise for several weeks. I have checked my expansion tank pressure and drained the entire system to make sure there was air in the capped vertical pipe sections by each fixture that the plumber installed. I have shut off all the fixtures in the house and still have the banging in the main line.

Finally had the plumber come out. He said it sounded like a meter problem and to have the water company replace it. Said he had seen similar things before. Water company says meter looks fine and if I want my meter checked it will be about $400 unless they find something wrong. They recommended a PRV. Water pressure runs about 70 PSI (water company measured 67 PSI).

A PRV may help but I am not convinced that is the complete solution. I think I should put the PRV after the tap for the sprinklers - easy to do but the sprinkler line may still make noise. And I don't like the idea of my main line to the house having all that water hammer stress.

Where to go from here?

I could get a mechanics stethescope and try to see if there is similar noise at the meter.

Is there typically a tap at the meter where I could install a gauge or something similar (what?) to see if the pressure surges happen there? How to tell if they happen there or are just transmitted there from the rest of the pipe to the house?

Water company says no complaints from the neighbors. Guess I should ask neighbors about this issue and also if they have PRV...
 

Redwood

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When do you get the noise happening.
Be specific!
Which fixtures? Opening them, closing them, while running? Hot, cold or, both?
 

JimLS

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noise

It happens seemingly randomly. It happens when everthing is off or when things are on. It sometimes happens when high flows are shut off suddenly but not for low or moderate flows. But mostly it just happens when nothing else seems to be happening. The noise is loudest right near where the pipes come into the house.

I thought it happened when the pressure went up a bit but have seen it happen at lower pressures too so I have somewhat dismissed that idea. Pressure only varies about 10 PSI so the effect may be small. Have thought of trying to pressure test the line from meter to house to slightly higher than normal pressure...
 
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