Water hammner arrester selection, installation, codes, guides:

This article series explains how to diagnose and fix banging pipes & water hammer noise in buildings and in plumbing systems.

The articles at this website will answer most questions about plumbing noise associated with water hammer or water surge, including the diagnosis and cure of water hammer noises as well as many other building plumbing system inspection or defect topics.

Water Hammer Arrestor Size & Location Specifications

Water hammer noises in plumbing is also called hydrostatic shock. Here we explain where to install a device to control water hammer, stop hydrostatic shock, and stop the horrible banging pipe noises caused by that problem.

Here we provide copies of water hammer arrester installation manuals and guides, water hammer plumbing codes, and a list of manufacturers and sources of devices used to stop water hammer and hydrostatic shock noise and banging pipes.

Page top sketch of correcting water hammer noise (above) provided courtesy of Carson Dunlop Associates, a Toronto home inspection and education company.

Photo: an Oatey "Quiet Pipes" water hammer arrestor for sale at a Home Depot supply store.

[Click to enlarge any image]

Reader Question: where do I install the water hammer arrestor?

2 Nov 2015 Andy said:

I've recently replaced a booster pump in my residence. This new pump switches on Immediately on noting a pressure drop (water being used) versus the old one which had a timer delay before powering on.

I installed a Honeywell pressure reducer on the supply side of the pump and my total pressure is around 60.

All should be good - but when water is used, there is quite a hammer going on. The hammer appears to be on the supply side of the pressure reducer/pump (because I hear a copper bang) versus on the output side of the pump (house flow which is plastic).

I thought about maybe installing an arrestor, but since the hammer is on the supply side, I have no idea where to install it. I also find it odd that I have a hammer on the supply side.

Any advice would be appreciated. The pump vendor is suggesting a pressure tank on the output side, but until I understand what is going on, I don't want to start modifying plumbing. Thanks.

Reply:

Indeed I'd install a water hammer arrestor on the side of equipment, valve, or device where the hammering appears to occur; Anywhere close to that point should work.

Usually we install the water hammer arrestor between the shutoff valve and the incoming water supply line - close to the valve. Or we may need to install a water hammer arrestor on both hot and cold water piping systems.

If that doesn't work for you I suspect the water hammer arrestor was not properly sized. Typically a smaller residential-type water hammer arrestor has 1-2 cubic inches in volume and can handle one to four plumbing fixtures. For example a Sioux-Chief 660-series water hammer arrestor contains 1.4 cubic inches.

A different model of water hammer arrestor (such as the Sioux-Chief 660-GTR-series arrestor) is designed for installation at water supply valves on hot or cold water piping systems - you should consider this option.

For severe water hammer problems or in commercial or larger installations with more fixtures or larger diameter water piping (and perhaps with faster water velocities) Sioux-Chief provides a series of higher capacity (larger) water hammer arrester devices in its 650-series water hammer arresters.

The 650-series water hammer arrester is sold in six sizes (A through F) and contains from 5 to 36 cubic inches of volume.

The smallest of the 650 series water hammer arrester contains 5 cubic inches in its pressurized air cushion and can support 1-11 plumbing fixtures while he largest water hammer arrester (Model 660-F at 36 cu. in.) can support from 155 to 330 plumbing fixture units. Even larger volume, height and diameter water hammer arresters are available for special applications.

Here is what water hammer manufacturers say about water hammer arrestor size and location:

"The location should be at the piping serving the fixture(s) and normally between the last two fixtures. " - J.R. Smith Manufacturing Co. (Op. cit.)

"Water hammer arresters shall be specifically sized and have sufficient volume of air to dissipate the calculated kinetic energy generated by closing residential or commercial faucets or valves. Arresters shall be installed on both hot and cold lines on the supply stops where applicable.

Arresters shall be approved for installation with no access panel required. Water hammer arresters shall be ANSI/ASSE 1010 2004 certified. " - Sioux Chief Manufacturing Co. (Op. cit.)

Water Hammer Arrestor Plumbing Codes, Installation Guides & Instruction Manuals

• WATER HAMMER CONTROL, SiouxChief [PDF], Engineer Report (2012, strongly recommended), Sioux Chief, 24110 South Peculiar Drive, Peculiar MO 64078, Tel: 1-800-821-3944, Website: www.siouxchief.com, retrieved 2017/04/02, original source: http://www.siouxchief.com/docs/default-source/print/print-brochures/supply/water-hammer-arresters---engineer-report.pdf
  Excerpt:
  
  The report is a technical resource for plumbing engineers that addresses uncontrolled water hammer and its damaging effects to plumbing and piping systems.
  
  The term “water hammer” is used to describe the pressure surges, noise, and destructive forces associated with the transfer of kinetic energy into the piping system due to an abrupt change in velocity of a non-compressible fluid.
  
  Water hammer is commonly identified as the loud banging sound which can result from shutting water off quickly, for example on a faucet or washing machine.
  
  “The kinetic energy formula shows us that the pressure rise in metal pipe due to a sudden change in velocity is approximately 60 times the original flow velocity in feet per second,” said Vice-President and Senior Product Group Director, Michael Meagher.
  
  “So a common half inch supply line, flowing at 6 fps, can generate a pressure rise of 360 psig above and beyond the flow pressure itself.”
  
  Since 1957, Sioux Chief has manufactured innovative plumbing products. It is a leader in providing rough plumbing solutions for residential, commercial, industrial and government applications. Sioux Chief’s comprehensive product line is comprised of three core groups: Supply, Drainage and Support. Sioux Chief products are sold to qualified wholesale distributors and retailers worldwide. The company is headquartered in Peculiar, Missouri — just outside of Kansas City.
• WATER HAMMER ARRESTOR SIZING, Watts Series 15 & LF15 [PDF], from 1/2" to 2" pipe diameters, (2010), retrieved 2017/04/02, original source:
  Watts®, Watts Water Technologies, 815 Chestnut St., No. Andover MA 01845, USA, Website: www.watts.com
  Watts®, Watts Water Technologies, 5435 North Service Rd., Burlington, ONT, L7L 5H7, Website: www.wattscanada.ca
• WATER HAMMER ARRESTOR SIZING, MIFAB® [PDF], MIFAB, Inc., 1321 West 119th St., Chicago IL 60643-5109, USA, Tel: 1-800-465-2736, Email: sales@mifab.com, Canada Tel: 1-800-387-3880, retrieved 2017/04/02, original source: http://www.mifab.com/Catalog/Library/wha-sizing-guide.pdf
• WATER HAMMER ARRESTOR GUIDE & CODES, Watts [PDF], retrieved 2017/04/02, op. cit., original source: http://media.wattswater.com/F-WHA.pdf, sizing tables for water arrestors, plumbing code compliance citations,
  
  UPC Plumbing Code Excerpt on Water Hammer
  
  609.10 Water Hammer. All building water supply systems in which quick-acting valves are installed shall be provided with devices to absorb the hammer caused by high pressures resulting from the quick closing of these valves.
  
  These pressure-absorbing devices shall be approved mechanical devices. Water pressure-absorbing devices shall be installed as close as possible to quick-acting valves.
  
  IPC Plumbing Code Excerpt on Water Hammer
  
  604.9 Water Hammer. The flow velocity of the water distribution system shall be controlled to reduce the possibility of water hammer. A water hammer arrestor shall be installed where quick-closing valves are utilized.
  
  Water hammer arrestors shall be installed in accordance with the manufacturer's specifications. Water hammer arrestors shall conform to ASSE 1010.
• WATER HAMMER ARRESTOR INSTALLATION GUIDE, Watts LF150A/LF150-HA, [PDF] retrieved 2017/04/02, original source: op. cit. (LF - "Lead Free" - Ed.)

Where to Buy Water Hammer Arrestors - water hammer suppression products

• Blacoh™ Fluid Control, Website: http://www.blacoh.com, Tel: 951-239-3930, BLACOH Fluid Control, Inc. 601 Columbia Ave, Bldg D Riverside, CA 92507 USA Phone: 888.494.3179 951.239.3930 Fax: 951.342.3101 Email: sales@blacoh.com
  
  Blacoh sells Sentry pulsation dampeners and surge suppressors that (quoting):
  ... remove virtually all hydraulic shock, enhancing all-around performance and reliability of fluid flow in industrial and chemical transfer applications.
• Douststop Anti Hammer Water Control Valve, Doust, Australia, also available online from http://www.bunnings.com.au/
• FLOMATIC FOOT VALVE INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS [PDF] Flomatic Valves, 15 Pruyn’s Island, Glens Falls, New York 12801 Phone: 518-761-9797 Fax: 518-761-9798 www.flomatic.com retrieved 2022/03/23, original source: https://www.flomatic.com/assets/pdf_files/oem/16048.pdf
  
  Note: these instructions have a helpful discussion of water hammer -
• J.R. Smith Manufacturing, 2781 Gunter Park Dr. E. Montgomery, AL 36109-1405, USA, Tel: (800) 467-6484, Email: info@jrsmith.com, Website: http://www.jrsmith.com/
• Oatey Plumbing, Website: http://www.oatey.com/ Oatey U.S., 4700 W.160th Street Cleveland, Ohio 44135, USA, PH: (800) 321-9532, and Oatey Canada: 218 Wilkinson Road Unit 3, Brampton, Ontario Canada L6P 4M4, PH: (800) 321-9532 email: customerservice@oateyscs.com
• Silverstorm Water Hammer Arrestor, Australia, also available online from http://www.bunnings.com.au/
• Sioux Chief Water Hammer Arresters (shown at left), Website: http://www.siouxchief.com,Sioux Chief, 24110 South Peculiar Drive Peculiar, MO 64078 USA, Phone 816-779-6104 800-821-3944, sold in Australia via https://www.masters.com.au
  
  Example: Sioux Chief 660-HB 3/4" water hammer hose arrestor, or Sioux Chief 660-TCO 1/4" water hammer arrestor tee for ice makers
• Watts Water Hammer Arrestors (Watt Series 05) or Watts Water Pressure Regulator (Watts Series 1156 or 25AUB) can correct water hammer water hammer-related leaks such as may occur at
  
  a BACKFLOW PREVENTER valve or temperature/pressure relief valve - Watts Water Products, 815 Chestnut Street, North Andover, MA, USA 01845-6098

...

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