Ways to eliminate sound of water hammers
The noise is loud enough to wake a disabled family member so I have adjusted the times I turn on the washing machine and dishwasher.
[...] it is happening in another area of the house when the radiant heat turns on at 3 a.m.
Can it be caused by our appliances (dishwasher, washing machine or instant hot water heater)?
Water hammer, also known as hydraulic shock, is a pressure surge or wave caused when water moving through the plumbing system is forced to stop or suddenly change direction.
The sudden stop creates a shock wave and a booming or banging noise.
[...] you can blame the dishwasher, washing machine and water heater because they have valves that open and close.
A first-class plumbing job will have air chambers, or cushions, at each point where a water pipe discharges through a valve.
The air in the pipe compresses when the shock wave hits, softening the blow and preventing hammering.
Surge arresters are cut into the water line and act as shock absorbers, reducing the change in water pressure that is the ultimate cause of water hammer.