Noisy Shower

[stewey]

For the past couple of days I have noticed a clunking noise when I turn on the hot water tap of the shower, and I have problems regulating the hot water. It doesn't happen with the hot water taps elsewhere in the apartment. Can anyone suggest the cause and a remedy for this please?

[boxtops]

Air lock in the shower in-pipe?

[stewey]

It's not repetitive sounding like what I think is called an air-hammer; it's just one or two clunks. (I like the sound of that word, but I don't like the sound of it in my shower:))

[stewey]

We live on the eleventh floor of a condo, so I guess the water is pumped up somehow. There is no problem with the cold water.

[Clanad]

Single lever water control, stewey?

[stewey]

Clanad, hot and cold water taps so you have to adjust the two until you get the right temp..

[The Builder]

That does sound like an air lock, Stewey. Possibly the roof tank that supplies the water for the hot system, has almost run dry under a big demand. With a condo that size, it may have happened in your case.

The system would then take in air. It should find its own way out soon.

[stewey]

The Builder, do you think that if I leave the hot water running for a few minutes the air-lock will go?

[stewey]

Forget that last question I asked; it doesn't make any sense as I leave the water on for a few minutes while I'm showering, yet the noise comes back the next day when I turn the tap on again.

[The Builder]

Ok Stewey. There is a possibility that there's a problem in the tap. Assuming it's a conventional one with a handwheel, then the internal valve body might have become stiff and is "bouncing" when the tap is turned on.

A simple job to dismantle the tap body and investigate.

[stewey]

Thanks a lot, The Builder. The taps are as you described, and I will take a look at the offending one.