Actually, yesterday's Washington Post - Home section had an article on this. Here is an excerpt from that article:
Q. Is there a relatively easy and positive repair for an annoying water hammer that occurs in the hot-water line to the master bedroom bathroom sink in our house? It’s been going on for years, and I’m concerned it may cause damage. This is a three-story townhouse; the bedroom is on the top floor.
A. Water hammer doesn’t usually damage plumbing, but it can certainly be annoying. Luckily, what needs to be fixed isn’t usually tucked inside walls that would need to be opened up to make the repair.
Most often, the problem is a failed gasket in the pressure-reducing valve where water comes into the house. Replacing this valve, including the part and labor, costs less than $300, according to Connie Hodges, operations manager at Wacker Plumbing & Remodeling in Sterling (703-450-5565,
Wacker Plumbing - Plumbing and Remodeling for Northern Virginia).
There are other possible causes, ranging from things as simple as a loose washer to air trapped in piping. Like a skilled birder, an experienced plumber can listen to the noise and identify what the specific sound means. Irvin Schools, a plumber for 39 years and co-owner of H&S Plumbing and Heating in Herndon (703-437-6966), says it usually takes less than half an hour to diagnose the cause, because the sound is such a good clue.
“It depends on whether it’s a chatter or a steady thump,” Schools said. Chatter usually means a problematic washer or valve. A single thump often points to trapped air within the pipes. Fixing that can be as simple as turning off the water, draining the pipes and then refilling them.
Plumbers charge wildly different rates, but folks with the lowest prices sometimes know a lot less than those who charge more, so in the end you don’t always save by going with the lowest rate. H&S charges $120 for the first half-hour and $35 for each 25 minutes thereafter, plus parts.
How To: Repair water hammer in pipes - The Washington Post
I figure we can give this a try and then if we still have issues, we'll need to call a plumber.
