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why does my basement cold water pipe only rattle during cold weather?

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why does my basement cold water pipe only rattle during cold weather? Joe 11-06-2007
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Posted by Joe on November 6, 2007, 9:07 am
I thought I had fixed this problem last winter but now it's back
again. When water is turned off upstairs the cold water pipe rattles
against the drywall. It started happening the same time last year. It
seems that when the outside temp falls down to the 40s and 30s is the
only time it happens. Does the ground being colder have something to
do with the water being heavier?


Posted by hallerb@aol.com on November 6, 2007, 9:19 am
> I thought I had fixed this problem last winter but now it's back
> again. When water is turned off upstairs the cold water pipe rattles
> against the drywall. It started happening the same time last year. It
> seems that when the outside temp falls down to the 40s and 30s is the
> only time it happens. Does the ground being colder have something to
> do with the water being heavier?

expansion in summer, pipes tight.)

contraction in cold winter, pipes lose:(

easily solved by adding some extra hangers, for extra insurance wrap
pipe with bicycle innertube, then install or reinstall hanger.

its only a real problem if the pipes are buried in a finished basement:
(


Posted by Noozer on November 6, 2007, 9:24 am

>I thought I had fixed this problem last winter but now it's back
> again. When water is turned off upstairs the cold water pipe rattles
> against the drywall. It started happening the same time last year. It
> seems that when the outside temp falls down to the 40s and 30s is the
> only time it happens. Does the ground being colder have something to
> do with the water being heavier?

No... the pipe is smaller.



Posted by George on November 6, 2007, 9:27 am
Joe wrote:
> I thought I had fixed this problem last winter but now it's back
> again. When water is turned off upstairs the cold water pipe rattles
> against the drywall. It started happening the same time last year. It
> seems that when the outside temp falls down to the 40s and 30s is the
> only time it happens. Does the ground being colder have something to
> do with the water being heavier?
>

Its heavier but more importantly it is colder which causes the tubing to
contract which might shrink it just enough to contact something.

Posted by Phisherman on November 6, 2007, 12:39 pm

>I thought I had fixed this problem last winter but now it's back
>again. When water is turned off upstairs the cold water pipe rattles
>against the drywall. It started happening the same time last year. It
>seems that when the outside temp falls down to the 40s and 30s is the
>only time it happens. Does the ground being colder have something to
>do with the water being heavier?

Everything has a natural vibration frequency. Changing physical
properties of an item will change this frequency. The typical "fix"
is to add additional clamps or bracing close to the source, or add a
hammer arrester close to the tap. And, yes it is possible the
temperature change can cause a vibration. Cooler water is slightly
heavier and moves slower than water at higher temperatures.

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