Banging water pipes

canyouhelp

Wondering if anyone can shed any light on this issue. For the past few weeks the cold water pipes in the kitchen have been making a loud banging noise when no water is running - about every 15 minutes quite a loud bang. It also makes the noise when the washing machine is used, and the cold water tap in the kitchen seems to make the pipes shake.
I've got Homecare insurance and they came out and said that the pipes behind the sink needed clipping back in and have quoted for this as it wasn't covered by the insurance.
What I don't understand is why this would suddenly start happening, I've lived here for 10 years. Also even if they are loose why would they make the noise when no water is running?
Just wondered if anyone thought this sounded like it might be the cause, I don't want to pay them to clip them back in and then find it's still happening.

grumbler

canyouhelp wrote: »

What I don't understand is why this would suddenly start happening,

Neither do I.
Pretty often pipes make noise when expanding/contracting when the temperature changes - because they are clamped too tight.

canyouhelp

thanks, so you don't think it's that they are loose then?
It's not happened previously when the temperature has changed. There were some Thames Water works going on outside around the same time it started but they came and checked the pressure and said it was normal.
It's really loud - like a door slamming, just every 15 mins or so throughout the day

grumbler

It's really loud - like a door slamming, just every 15 mins or so throughout the day

Water hammer springs to mind, but it happens only when you harshly stop the water flowing in the pipe.

Is it possible that it comes from the mains? I'd ask the neighbours.

canyouhelp

thanks, yes I've asked the neighbours and nobody else has the issue. I'm on a shared supply with the flat downstairs but she hasn't noticed anything other than possibly a bit of a noise when she uses the washing machine.

ris2015

The washing machine is turning the cold supply on/off and so is the kitchen tap. These actions are causing water hammer.
It should not be possible for the hammer to occur when no water is running, but you say you are on a shared supply so this could be the neighbours use of the supply.
Clipping the pipes is unlikely to resolve this, but you could buy some pipe clips and do it yourself.

I would suggest that this might be due to a change in pressure or flow rate of your water. Look for the stop tap and check that it is fully open (then close it a fraction of a turn to prevent it sticking in the open position. With a shared supply it could be a stop tap within your premises, the neighbours or outside before the share takes place.

canyouhelp

Thanks, I will check out the stop !!!! again which is in my flat for both flats.

I don't think it is connected to my neighbour using her water as it happens very regularly and often when she is out. the pipe that is doing it is just the one behind my kitchen sink which is after it has already separated from her supply.
the thing about clipping the pipes is that a hole would need to be made first in the board at the back of the sink, so I'm not really able to do that myself.

canyouhelp

I'm still trying to work out what this issue is and am now on my third plumber who also can't agree or don't know.


So the pipes bang on their own, sometimes every 15 mins or so when no water is running. Although the water supply is shared with another flat, this is also in the middle of the night and when she is out. They also bang when the washing machine comes on and when the cold tap is used in the kitchen. It comes from behind the sink somewhere.


Plumber 1 said it is "100%" that the pipes are not properly clipped in behind the sink.
Plumber 2 said it was due to a badly installed stop valve which he replaced, but all this did was reduce the tap pressure, and he then said the reduced pressure was due to a faulty tap and has offered to replace the tap

Plumber 3 said it was neither of the above things, it was possibly due to Thames water work / an air bubble / weren't really sure


I'm not sure what to do when I haven't had one person agree with any of the others! if anyone has any other suggestions that would be appreciated.

vw100

It will be one or more of the reasons listed by the posters. To resolve it would be to narrow down the cause by trying some of suggestions listed in the posts.

Paula_Smith

Could it be the central heating banging rather than water supply?

Try bleeding your radiators.

canyouhelp

vw100 wrote: »

It will be one or more of the reasons listed by the posters. To resolve it would be to narrow down the cause by trying some of suggestions listed in the posts.

Sorry I thought it would be clear that I have tried the things above and none have worked. thanks.