Ask Me Help Desk - Heard a big water pipe bang when open hot water faucet

Can somebody help me out for the water pipe banging?

Just recently, I found something very strange from water pipe in my home - big water pipe banging.

Sometimes, there is big water pipe banging in my house even no body opens any faucet, no toilet flush, no washing machine running, etc. It seems the big banging comes out for no obvious reason. The banging occurs more often in the night time(3 -4 times). I am not sure how long it has been that way, but I just noticed this only recently.

Besides, There was another problem. There was no hot water at the beginning when I opened hot water faucet. After about 2 seconds, a big banging occurred and then hot water comes out. This doesn't happen every time. So far it happened 3 times.

Any explanation and suggestion to fix is greatly appreciated.

Bill

What trype of heat do you have? Hot water , steam or warm air? Regards, Tom

Sounds like air bulding up. Do you ever get blasts of air in the cold side?
Al

Quote:

Originally Posted by speedball1

What trype of heat do you have? Hot water , steam or warm air? Regards, Tom

My heating is "warm air" type. Regards, Bill

Quote:

Originally Posted by albinfla

Sounds like air bulding up. Do you ever get blasts of air in the cold side?
Al

I am not sure if there is air in the cold side. If yes, what I should do to fix? Thanks, Bill

Hey Bill, Sure don't sound like air in your lines. If it were all you would have to do is open a faucet and bleed it off.
I should have asked earlier. Is your water heater a gas hot water heater? If it is I can tell you exactly what's happening.
Regards, tom

Bill,
Tom would know better than me. I just threw out a suggestion. You would know if you had air in the cold lines. You would get spits, sputters, or blasts occasionally coming out of a faucet that has been unused for awhile.

If you don't get air in the cold side, see what Tom has to say. It sounds like he might have an idea.
Al

Quote:

Originally Posted by speedball1

Hey Bill, Sure don't sound like air in your lines. If it were all you would have to do is open a faucet and bleed it off.
I should have asked earlier. Is your water heater a gas hot water heater? If it is I can tell yoiu exactly what's happening.
Regards, tom

Hi Tom, yes, my water heater is a gas hot water heater. Thanks, Bill

Quote:

Hi Tom, yes, my water heater is a gas hot water heater.

BINGO!! Here's what's happened. If you do not flush,(not drain) your heater on a regular basis it will build up mineral on the bottom of the tank. When the flame comes on it turns the water trapped under the mineral to steam and the steam escaping is what you hear. Let me show you how to flush your heater. Attach a hose to the boiler drain at the bottom of the tank. With the pressure on, open the boiler drain and let it run until the water runs clear. You will see a spurt of red,(rust) and some white grains,(lime or calcium carbonate). The whole thing shouldn't take more then a few minutes. Don't forget to flush it out every month. Your heater will thank you for it. You might want to consider cleaning the screens on your areators if you have a high mineral buildup. If thev problem still persists after you have flushed, you will have to drain the heater, remove the boiler drain and go up in the bottom of the tank with a wood or plastic rod, (not metal) and try to break up the mineral and flush it out. **or** you could drain the tank and dump a jug of CRL down there and let that break up the minerals that have built up. Good luck, Tom

Water heater manufacturers recommend flushing sediment from your storage type water heater periodically. How often your model needs to be flushed depends upon the quality of the water in your area. Areas with high mineral content will have to flush more often.

What is sediment, and why is it a problem? The sediment is sand or other grit from a well, or any other material that has gotten into the municipal water mains. Sediment can also come into your home after the water company flushes out their lines.
Over time, your heater can accumulate this sediment consisting of sand, gravel, grit, and various mineral deposits. This buildup can reduce the amount your water heater holds, create a variety of interesting noises, and reduce the efficiency of your unit. The buildup of sediment at the bottom can harden and sometimes clog the drain valve.
Cleaning this sediment from out of your water heater is not particularly difficult; here is how to do it.

Set the gas valve to "Pilot" to prevent the burners from coming on while you are flushing it.
Connect a garden hose to the drain valve at the bottom of the tank. Make sure the outlet of the hose is in a safe area away from pets and children. It can be very hot and can scald quickly
Close the shut off valve on the cold inlet to the water heater.
Carefully open the temperature/pressure relief valve at the top of the tank by lifting the lever. Leave the valve open.
Open the drain valve at the bottom of the heater allowing the water to flow out through the garden hose. If the sediment is clogging the drain valve then try closing the temperature/pressure relief valve and turn the cold inlet valve back on to "power flush" the sediment out.
In some cases the sediment hardens into large chunks that can block the drain valve. If so, then wait until everything cools down, remove the garden hose from the drain valve, remove the valve if necessary, and use a long screw driver to break up the clog. This is a very messy procedure.
When the garden hose runs clear you are finished.
Close the drain valve at the bottom of the tank and remove the garden hose.
Close the pressure relief valve at the top of the tank if it is still open, and turn the cold inlet valve back on.
Open a hot water faucet in your house, and let it run until no air bubbles come out.
Turn the heater back on; if the pilot is off re-light if necessary.

Note: The above is manufacturer's recommendation, some experts recommends to do the power flush (don't close the shut off valve on the cold inlet to the water heater and don't open the T&P valve) I agree with both of the

Quote:

Originally Posted by speedball1

BINGO!! Here's what's happened. If you do not flush,(not drain) your heater on a regular basis it will build up mineral on the bottom of the tank. When the flame comes on it turns the water trapped under the mineral to steam and the steam escaping is what you hear. Let me show you how to flush your heater. Attach a hose to the boiler drain at the bottom of the tank. With the pressure on, open the boiler drain and let it run untill the water runs clear. You will see a spurt of red,(rust) and some white grains,(lime or calcium carbonate). The whole thing shouldn't take more then a few minutes. Don't forget to flush it out every month. Your heater will thank you for it. You might want to consider cleaning the screens on your areators if you have a high mineral buildup. If thev problem still persists after you have flushed, you will have to drain the heater, remove the boiler drain and go up in the bottom of the tank with a wood or plastic rod, (not metal) and try to break up the mineral and flush it out.,**or** you could drain the tank and dump a jug of CRL down there and let that break up the minerals that have built up. Good luck, Tom

Thanks, I am going to try it out. Bill

Quote:

Originally Posted by afaroo

Water heater manufacturers recommend flushing sediment from your storage type water heater periodically. How often your model needs to be flushed depends upon the quality of the water in your area. Areas with high mineral content will have to flush more often.

What is sediment, and why is it a problem? The sediment is sand or other grit from a well, or any other material that has gotten into the municipal water mains. Sediment can also come into your home after the water company flushes out their lines.
Over time, your heater can accumulate this sediment consisting of sand, gravel, grit, and various mineral deposits. This buildup can reduce the amount your water heater holds, create a variety of interesting noises, and reduce the efficiency of your unit. The buildup of sediment at the bottom can harden and sometimes clog the drain valve.
Cleaning this sediment from out of your water heater is not particularly difficult; here is how to do it.

Set the gas valve to "Pilot" to prevent the burners from coming on while you are flushing it.
Connect a garden hose to the drain valve at the bottom of the tank. Make sure the outlet of the hose is in a safe area away from pets and children. It can be very hot and can scald quickly
Close the shut off valve on the cold inlet to the water heater.
Carefully open the temperature/pressure relief valve at the top of the tank by lifting the lever. Leave the valve open.
Open the drain valve at the bottom of the heater allowing the water to flow out through the garden hose. If the sediment is clogging the drain valve then try closing the temperature/pressure relief valve and turn the cold inlet valve back on to "power flush" the sediment out.
In some cases the sediment hardens into large chunks that can block the drain valve. If so, then wait until everything cools down, remove the garden hose from the drain valve, remove the valve if necessary, and use a long screw driver to break up the clog. This is a very messy procedure.
When the garden hose runs clear you are finished.
Close the drain valve at the bottom of the tank and remove the garden hose.
Close the pressure relief valve at the top of the tank if it is still open, and turn the cold inlet valve back on.
Open a hot water faucet in your house, and let it run until no air bubbles come out.
Turn the heater back on; if the pilot is off re-light if necessary.

Note: The above is manufacturer’s recommendation, some experts recommends to do the power flush (don’t close the shut off valve on the cold inlet to the water heater and don't open the T&P valve) I agree with both of the

Thanks, the procedure is very detail. Going to try it. Bill