Ongoing saga re noisy pipes

[AngieF]

About a month back had plumber / engineer replace flow switch on Worcester Bosch oil boiler as it was leaking. I had a SureStop switch fitted some time ago due to mobility issues. Always worked perfectly. When he went to switch water back on it it was only trickling from the kitchen tap and then would cut off the water with a thud. He said it had failed and went to get and fitted a new one. While doing this he had to do some pipework as apparently the new SureStop was a different size to the original, something about "the length of the tails" ? After he left a loud knock developed on kitchen and bathrooms taps. Also when washing machine, which is located in the garage was filling during a cycle. One bang, then another.

He came back and suggested fitting an expansion valve which he did, but it didn't cure the problem. He eventually removed the expansion valve and the second SureStop and extended the copper pipework to position a lever type stop tap that I can reach. Thought it had solved the problem but there is now a different noise coming from the same area.

When the toilet is flushed or bathroom, kitchen or outside tap run there is a fast, rhythmic pulsing noise, a bit like a chugging steam train ! Not loud but noticeable. This continues until the flush stops or taps are turned off. Don't know about washing machine as haven't done a wash. Another guy checked the pressure on the outside tap which is in this same kitchen area and said if was OK at I think 5 bar.

Any advice appreciated. I am at my wits end

 

[AngieF]

Perhaps I should have mentioned I am in a bungalow, no tanks in loft. Boiler is a combi

 

[AngieF]

Any help appreciated. Still have the problem. Thank you

 

[FishScreener]

Form our description, you have a water hammer. Which is a pressure wave reflecting back and forth in the line. . A bend or internal corrosion can cause enough internal corrosion, can cause enough turbulence to get one started.

With out looking at things I can’t really trouble shoot it. But you may be able to buy small hammer arrestors which screw inline at the shutoff valves for the toilet, and the sinks. Amazon has them just search for hammer arrestor.

Sometimes just changing the amount the valves are open can change things enough to eliminate the hammer. Depending n the age of the plumbing, it may have a vertical blind tee which was installed to stop hammer. Those sometimes loose the trapped air over time, and a hammer just shows up. The new arrestors have an air bladder, and last far longer.

 

[AngieF]

Many thanks for your reply. Every good wish to you