Water hammer from toilet?

[Rick Maday]

1 yr warranty inspection.

After toilet on first floor fills there is a loud bang. Doesn't happen in any other faucets/fixtures. Client says that it happens also after a 20+ min shower in the master bath stand up shower (upstairs) also. Didn't want to run water for 20 min to duplicate. No problems from adjacent tub.

I know I don't have to fix it - observe and report. I'm just curious as to a fix. Air chambers on each line?

[Jae Williams]

It doesn't matter where the faucet is -- the kitchen, bath, shower, washing machine, garden hose bib, etc. If you hear a quick banging when hot or cold water is cut off suddenly, that's water hammer. Water is not compressible but air is, so installing hammer risers should solve the banging problem. Think of them as shock absorbers for your pipes.

[Rick Maday]

Thanks Jae.

I understand the concept of water hammer, just wondered if there was an alternative for the toilet (fill valve perhaps?).

Either way, the builder will fix it, I'm sure.

[Jae Williams]

http://home.howstuffworks.com/how-to-fix-pipes5.htm

Sorry it took so long to get back...had to go to the bathroom.

You can buy a product called "water hammer arrestor" at a plumbing supply.

[Scott Gilligan, CMI]

If this problem recently developed and has not been there from day one, I would check the fixtures first. In some instances I have found that when the toilet fill valve is repalced it takes care of the problem in the bathrooms. Try replacing the valve seats and orings in the kitchen before hacking into the plumbing. Cheap fixtures have a tendency to wear out orings pretty quickly for some reason. I think it probably has to do with lesser quality materials and them sitting in a warehouse for a long time before being installed. Anyways...most of the problems I have found with so called water hammer dealing with property maintenance work has been because of cracked or worn orings or worn valves. Replace with a good quality oring first and see if that fixes the problem. If not...then the more costly repair of installing hammer arrestors will more than likely fix it for good.

[Jack L. Gilleland]

If the stop in the toilet is bad it will leak through and run continuously. If the toilet is causing hammer it is usually because the pressure at the toilet is high. When the float shuts off the water it is quick, like a single lever faucet. There may even be arrestors, but the higher the water pressure the more chance of hammer. Expansion tank and/or Press. reducing valve may be called for.