Why Does My Kitchen Faucet Thump When I Turn It On?

Some people shared that they have one of those experiences when you are in a room and suddenly you hear a loud thump. Sometimes, it can be nerve-wracking and cause you to be afraid of using the water in your house. 

Have you ever wondered, Why does my kitchen faucet thump when I turn it on? and will it have any effect on the house’s system? 

Today, we will be talking about what causes this sound, so keep reading if you want to learn more.

Why Does My Kitchen Faucet Thump When I Turn It On?

Why Does My Kitchen Faucet Thump When I Turn It On?

Water hammer is most likely the cause, occurring with both hot and cold faucets. Water hammer happens when a specific flow rate in a faucet induces a resonant vibration, causing the water to bounce back and forth in the pipes. 

The technical word for this problem is “water hammer,” which is a thumping, pounding, or slamming sound that you can occasionally hear coming from the hot and cold water pipes beneath your sink. 

The sound generated by a water hammer as it surges through a pipe isn’t pleasant, and someone must take time out of their day to ensure that this constant pounding doesn’t destroy the pipes. 

Aside from being annoying, the vibrations may be harmful if they produce unanticipated leaks in your pipes. 

Many individuals try to address the problem by simply draining their pipes, but another approach to decrease the problem is to install a water hammer arrestor near where the problem appears to be occurring.

Periodic Thumping 

If you hear clunking or gurgling sounds coming from your pipes, it might be caused by water expanding and contracting in your hot water pipes. 

You probably won’t notice the noise right after turning on your hot water since it takes approximately 2 minutes for the pipes to heat up, contract, and emit their irritating sound! 

If this happens, it would be best to have a plumber inspect the situation and remove any straps that may be excessively tight around the issue location of your pipe.

Pipes Filled with Air

When you turn on your faucets at home, do you hear a clunking sound? Don’t be concerned; it might not be very serious. The likelihood is that you will require the services of a professional to inspect your home’s pipes for air pockets. 

To avoid stopped faucets or worsening air pockets, turn on all of your house’s faucets at once and wait for all toilets to flush. Contact our plumbing and heating services team if the sound persists after five minutes.

See also: How to Fix Backwards or Reversed Handles

What Are The Benefits Of A Water Hammer Arrestor?

A water hammer arrestor, formed of an air chamber linked to a guardrail, is a must-have for any house or workplace. This gadget is essential for correctly absorbing excess pressure in pipes, which is the source of your frequent pounding. 

The water hammer arrestor works straightforwardly: it employs a spring-loaded piston that travels back and forth within the steel cylinder, absorbing excess pressure in the pipes.

This device will be installed on the equipment’s pipe immediately close to the valve. However, we recommend seeking expert assistance because the task is complex and time-consuming.

Related: Should you caulk around kitchen faucet?

Is Water Hammering Bad?

Water hammer can be a pretty serious problem when it comes down to home appliances and plumbing. 

Wastes water and produces potentially harmful shock waves that cause pipes and joints to lose their seal because of the pressure change, which can all be a serious pain, especially if you’re looking at renovation costs. 

That’s why we recommend that you have your pipes regularly inspected by professionals as soon as any suspicious signs are detected. 

This will avoid you having to incur huge costs from each repair because let’s face it, it’s always easier to fix a problem in the first place than to wait until it becomes serious.

Conclusion

Why does my kitchen faucet thump when I turn it on? – this is a common question many people ask. There is a very high chance that they’re not aware of the water hammer problem with your system when it comes to this. 

This can cause some big problems: not only does the pipe suffer from being battered around, but it can become damaged beyond repair. Therefore, install a water hammer protection from scratch and routine maintenance to avoid serious problems.

Thank you for staying in tune with our instructions! See you soon!

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Edvian Berrios is a homeowner who has become a plumbing expert through self-study and practical experience. Despite not being a professional plumber, Berrios's deep understanding of fixtures and do-it-yourself techniques has enabled him to successfully handle even the most challenging plumbing problems in his own homes.