Banging pipes are driving me crazy!

[mk2phil]

Every morning without fail at around 4am onwards I hear a loud banging noise coming from either the loft or the floorbaords. It lasts for about 3 seconds then gently resonates away, until about 5-10 mintues later when the same thing will happen?

The head scratcher is that nothing is running in the house (we're all asleep - except me!), no taps, toilet, C/H, H/W etc. So I cant see whats suddenly causing the banging noise at this early time in the morning?

Because of the time it starts and the fact that it only lasts a few seconds and is random I'm having trouble locating it. Cany anyone help?

Thanks in advance

 

[chrishutt]

It could be related to the fact that mains water pressure may be significantly higher in the early morning due to the lack of demand at this time, but odd if it's really so consistently around 4 a.m. Can you tell us what sort of heating and hot water system you have? Boiler make and model, etc.

 

[mk2phil]

Hi mate,

Its a gravity HW/pumped CH. Can't remember the model of the boiler here at work, but it is a potterton make. Actually I think its a Kingfisher RL80 - will have to check that though! The bath/shower is pumped, the WC, kitchen cold, bathroom cold are all mains supplied.

I say it starts at about 4am, but thats the earliest I've heard it. It could very well be happening earlier...

 

[mk2phil]

I was in the loft the other night and moved the float arm up and down a little to see if that caused the banging - but nothing..?

Should I turn the mains stopcock down a little, or fit a 'bucket' to the float arm? I'm sure the noise wasn't there when we moved in, and come to think of it I do remember fully opening the main stopcock as it wasn't fully open...but I cant remember if the banging started around this time.

The thing that I cant get my head round is that when it happens everything is off.

 

[noodlz]

Could try changing the washer to the ball cock (or the whole mechanism) in the loft if you can't determine any other cause.

 

[Expertboy]

This may sound really silly but does your neighbour get up around this time to go to work?

The reason i ask is .... when i lived at home my mum & dad had an en-suite and their bed was on the other side of the wall to the en-suite where the toilet was fixed. Our neighbour was a milkman and he got up really early, and when he flushed his toilet you could here mains water in the en-suite whistle in the pipes. .... . Strange.

 

[mk2phil]

Pretty sure its not the neighbour - although she is a pensioner and they do get up ridiculously early!

noodlz - when you say ball cock you're talking about the float ball/arm/valve assembly right? Are the washers standard size - i.e. can I get them from B&Q?

Should I change the washer for the boiler storage tank too - the smaller one?

 

[noodlz]

That's the one! Depends on the type of float/ball cock but often standard black diaphragm washer. Personally, I'd just try the main storage tank...as ChrisH says, maybe the water pressure is higher at that time of the morning causing a slightly perished washer to give, intermittently opeing and shutting. Turn off the mains then undo the big nut connected to float (the other end of the ball) in the tank and carefully take out washer inside and replace the same way.

Good luck

 

[mk2phil]

Thanks Noodlz - I think I'm just going to get an equilibrium valve and be done with it - if I'm going to be up there messing about with it I might as well change to one of these to be safe.

 

[noodlz]

Makes sense

 

[Nige F]

Thanks Noodlz - I think I'm just going to get an equilibrium valve and be done with it -

a proper brass one ,I hope

 

[mk2phil]

yes mate - was warned about the plastic 'torbeck' ones! apparantly the brass equilibrium valves look exactly the same as the normal ballvalves, but the internals are obviously different.

 

[stevec59]

Hi, What does a 'equilibrium valve' do? What is special about it? The reason I ask is that my Toilet Cistern is going ' Clonk', I have fitted a new valve from Wickes that looks identical to a 'torbeck', please see:-

//www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=55252&start=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=

So would a 'equilibrium valve' solve my problem? I resume you can get them for a toilet?

Thanks

Steve

 

[mk2phil]

Its more capable of handling changing/high presuure I assume.

An update to my problem - I heard the noise again this morning WHILST the cold water tank was still filling after taking a shower. Is it still likely that this could be water hammer..?

Thanks

 

[meldrew's_mate]

Just going back to your original problem, could it be a water softener regenerating each night? If you have one turn it off electrically for one night to eliminate it.
As far as eliminating water related problems go turn off the water mains at night, and back on in the morning.
Likewise turn off the hot water/heating switch for a night, preferably on a night before a lie-in.