Plumbing question/issue

[deerefan]

I have a weird plumbing situation I need some input on. Anytime someone takes a shower, after some time, if I turn on the hot water at the kitchen sink or other fixture, there is a brief pressure spike and then I hear a "honking" sound. My water heater is electric if that helps. Can anyone tell me what is going on?

 

[radioman]

sounds like ones of the water shutoff valves is not open all the way, giving you the sound you are having. had same issue at my sisters house.

 

[ljohnson778]

I have a weird plumbing situation I need some input on. Anytime someone takes a shower, after some time, if I turn on the hot water at the kitchen sink or other fixture, there is a brief pressure spike and then I hear a "honking" sound. My water heater is electric if that helps. Can anyone tell me what is going on?

What temp is your water heater set at? What size? Sounds like a lot of your hot water reserve is being depleted, and when it heats back up, it is causing expansion, and increased pressure.

 

[deerefan]

What temp is your water heater set at? What size? Sounds like a lot of your hot water reserve is being depleted, and when it heats back up, it is causing expansion, and increased pressure.

Set at 125. 50 gal. Low temp setting is due to having a young one running around.

 

[plykins]

What brand of faucet do you have? I have had some faucet washers come loose do exactly what you are describing. Also it might be a loose washer on the stop under the sink.

 

[plykins]

Oh! If it is doing this at more than one fixture, it must be something else. Do you have an expansion tank on your water heater? If so sounds like it could be water logged or have a ruptured bladder.

 

[IkeRoberts]

1- Is this a well or city water? City may have increased t5heir pressure. You may now need a pressure regulater to lower your in house pressure.
2- Have you had a water hammer problem in the past? The pipes bang when the washer shuts off after it fills. The dishwasher does the same? If a plumber fixed that issue for you, he installed a capped pipe or line in your water system. Sometimes they only put one in on the main line. Other times they put then in at the top of the system. It an upward running(vertical) pipe that goes to nothing. It's just capped. It's function is to trap air at the top to absorb the energy buildup wghen the water is shut off abruptly. It may be full of water. Shut off you water supply and drain that buffer pipe. There is usually a valve with a bleeder nearby.
3- If your noise is only in one sink, then you may have a loose washer as was mentioned above. Replace the screw when you repair.
4- If you have a well system, it may be a waterlogged tank. This can cause excess pressure when the water flow is shut down. Drain the tank and let air into it.
Let us know what you find.

 

[deerefan]

1- Is this a well or city water? City may have increased t5heir pressure. You may now need a pressure regulater to lower your in house pressure.
2- Have you had a water hammer problem in the past? The pipes bang when the washer shuts off after it fills. The dishwasher does the same? If a plumber fixed that issue for you, he installed a capped pipe or line in your water system. Sometimes they only put one in on the main line. Other times they put then in at the top of the system. It an upward running(vertical) pipe that goes to nothing. It's just capped. It's function is to trap air at the top to absorb the energy buildup wghen the water is shut off abruptly. It may be full of water. Shut off you water supply and drain that buffer pipe. There is usually a valve with a bleeder nearby.
3- If your noise is only in one sink, then you may have a loose washer as was mentioned above. Replace the screw when you repair.
4- If you have a well system, it may be a waterlogged tank. This can cause excess pressure when the water flow is shut down. Drain the tank and let air into it.
Let us know what you find.

It is a rural water system not private well. It does the pressure spike at every fixture. There has been water hammer in the past. There is no water hammer arrestor in the system. The pop off valve is operable and the water heater is 3 years old. I like to make home repairs myself if possible but have been stumped on this one.

 

[Tollster]

We get air in the lines when we use the balance of the water bladder once the power goes off. Once the power comes back on, the water spits out each facet, but there is always a shot of air, combined with water hammer as the air bleeds out and the the hangers settle.

 

[Dr Dave]

I have the same problem, anytime your in the shower and somebody turns on a faucet, inside or outside, or flushes a toilet, you get a shower masage, and lots of pipe noise. This all started after installing a Marathon electric water heater and a water blader tank. We are on a well 40/60 psi. The system has been drained down twice, same problem. I wonder if the blader is bad in the tank. The shower is the closest faucet to the water heater. The bladder tank was required for water heater warranty, never had one before, and never had a problem in the past 20 years. Maybe I should remove the tank, I think it will cause future damage to pluming, if left in?

Dave