I'm living in a house 3.5 years old. Over the last 2 months I've starting having a problem with one bathroom sink. It's located on the main floor. When using the hot water faucet at about 1/2 open, the pipes hammer. The pipes are hammering in the bathroom itself. It does not occur on the cold water side... only the hot. Does anyone have an idea what the problem is? I'll be attempting to fix this problem on the weekend. I hope I do not have to replace the whole faucet. If you have any ideas on how to approach this problem... I would appreciate your advice.

Thanks,
=Warren

Hey Warren,

Do the pipes bang when you turn off a hot water faucet? Is it a bang or a tapping or perhaps a knocking sound or do the pipes just vibrate ? What type of faucet? One handle or two knobs,(my bet's on two knobs). Regardes, Tom

I am thinking there is a loose bibb washer on the faucet at the bottom of the stem. Tightening the screw helps but I take the screw out and slightly pinch the threads with pliers and then reinstall it. While you there you may as well replace the bibb washer on both hot and cold.

New findings...

2 faucet handles... one hot... one cold
The problem occurs when I turn the hot side on. It only makes the noise when turning it on half way or greater.

Last night I was going to shut off the valve on the hot side... so the kids wouldn't use that side and create the noise. When I took a closer look... I saw the valve was partially shut. When I opened it all the way up. No noise. I looked at the cold valve and it is partially shut also. Shouldn't those always be all the way open?

I have no hammering anymore. I'm not sure if somebody partially closed the valves or they were always like that and a washer is creating the problem. But at wide open I have not problems.

I'm assuming all will be fine. Am I correct?

Thanks,
Warren

Yea, you are fine. That bibb washer was flutterring

We call that "seat chatter" in my area, Tom

Eastman and Brass Tech angle stops are usually my first suspects when chasing down hammering problems.

We went to full port quarter turn Aqua-Flow angle stops about 5 or 6 years ago and have yet to receive a hammering complaint since.