What is a water-hammer?

In December I bought a new home. Over time I buy for repairs several issues discovered after purchase. When spring came, I turned on the irrigation system and had to find some problems. First, I had a leaking valve put on my list of things to do. However, the leaky valve was not very high on the list. A few weeks later I started to notice another issue. If the sprinkler system from area to area # 1 # 2 on a strong, rattling startedhappens.

The pipes in the basement were shaking and shaking the passage between areas. After some research one of the proposals was to investigate the loss as the system of air in the pipes when the pressure vacuum valves switched between fixed. The valve is leaking valve for zone 1, and so I hoped to resolve two problems with a job was: Replace the valve for zone # 1

I went to a local hardware store and purchased parts. I needed it. I replaced the valve and the rattleThe noise was gone. Work completed. Well, two days later, the noise is back and it was worse than before. I checked but did not uncover any holes. I started looking online, but I have not really found the problem. So the next night the clanking noise was so bad that I met along the steps to disable the water irrigation system. When I turned back on, valve # 2 was dead. I was able to open it manually, and guess what happened - ping.

The next day I took Valve # 2 and went tothe local hardware store again. I showed the parties and described the problem and the guy behind the counter said that noise is actually called "water hammer" or "water hammer". It is a diaphragm inside the valve caused by defective. He said that in general, you can replace the membrane, but it was in this case the valve is a) rather old and b) it is broken now anyway. Helped me the necessary parts, I needed to replace the valve and to find links.

I started the search for waterHammers and sure enough, the problem is unknown. A water hammer struck defined as a loud thumping noise and a lot of water that enters the mind when the sprinkler system water flow is turned off suddenly, as an example (between zones lights). E 'caused by a pressure wave that travels faster than the speed of sound through the water pipes in a sudden stop at the speed of water, or is Caused initiated change in the direction of water flow. The reasons couldUltra high pressure water in a house as an example. For these situations, you can install 's ram. For my situation, I probably would not need, but the membrane defect would have done the same - to create the rattling noise that would water.

I installed the new valve and turned on the irrigation system and difference. The system seamlessly switch between two different areas, which were a problem. The water hammer was gone.