My shower vibrates loudly.
December 11, 2009 10:39 AM
How can I stop my vibrating shower pipes… in a college dorm?
My shower here at college will vibrate really loudly, seemingly at random. Sometimes if I turn the water all the way to hot or all the way to cold, it stops. This isn't a daily thing, and it does eventually go away on its own—that can take anywhere from five seconds to five minutes.
The building is brand-new this year, so I don't think it's a matter of old plumbing. No one else has this problem. It's a shower/tub combination, with a level to pull up on the faucet to activate the shower.
What might be causing this? Might I be able to fix it on my own, or will I have to submit a work order?
My shower here at college will vibrate really loudly, seemingly at random. Sometimes if I turn the water all the way to hot or all the way to cold, it stops. This isn't a daily thing, and it does eventually go away on its own—that can take anywhere from five seconds to five minutes.
The building is brand-new this year, so I don't think it's a matter of old plumbing. No one else has this problem. It's a shower/tub combination, with a level to pull up on the faucet to activate the shower.
What might be causing this? Might I be able to fix it on my own, or will I have to submit a work order?
The big question is whether or not you have access to the shaking pipe at the point where it's shaking. If so, you could easily wrap it in some kind of a rubber gasket or secure it with a pipe clip of some kind.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 10:47 AM on December 11, 2009
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 10:47 AM on December 11, 2009
Water hammer? Report it. Very common and hard to fix on your own.
posted by wingless_angel at 10:56 AM on December 11, 2009
posted by wingless_angel at 10:56 AM on December 11, 2009
Water hammer can be prevented by installing air pockets in the plumbing. They look like appendixes on the pipes. The problem is either that they weren't installed, or that they have filled up with water.
If these pockets were not installed, this is not something you can fix. If they exist, but are filled with water, then the solution is to drain the line, open the faucets, close them again, and refill the plumbing. Is this something you can do? Probably not, but ask the Physical Plant folks about it.
posted by Midnight Skulker at 12:41 PM on December 11, 2009
If these pockets were not installed, this is not something you can fix. If they exist, but are filled with water, then the solution is to drain the line, open the faucets, close them again, and refill the plumbing. Is this something you can do? Probably not, but ask the Physical Plant folks about it.
posted by Midnight Skulker at 12:41 PM on December 11, 2009
What kind of noise does it make, more specifically? Squeal, hum, thunk, clank?
posted by gjc at 5:29 PM on December 11, 2009
posted by gjc at 5:29 PM on December 11, 2009
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Inspector.Gadget at 10:41 AM on December 11, 2009