Water Hammer: The True Cost

You’ve heard us mention water hammer before, and this won’t be the last time.
We thought it was about time, though, for an in-depth look at the risks and problems of water hammer vs. the time and effort involved in preventing it. For some time, water hammer was thought of as an unavoidable problem: irregularities in flow and valve construction would lead to the violent slamming action of the swing check valve that causes water hammer. Sometimes it’s just some loud noise; sometimes it means a cracked or burst pipe. Either way, anyone in the business of pipelines and liquid or steam delivery systems was sure to have an emergency repair plan at the ready. It came with the territory.

These repairs stretched beyond the damaged pipes themselves. The spike in pressure could damage equipment, and burst pipes obviously lead to damaged property, time spent cleaning up and possible injury. DFT Inc’s spring-assisted check valves can put an end to this problem. By relying on a spring action to control the reverse flow of water, steam, or gas, the slamming-back of a swing check valve is eliminated.

We know that retrofits and replacements can be time-consuming and may represent an unplanned expenditure. But the questions remain: Is it more inconvenient than a burst pipe? Is it more costly than damaged lines, equipment, and surrounding infrastructure? And, is the downtime in repairs and replacements after the fact, greater than the time to retrofit? And, what about the real threat of personal injury, or loss of life? We don’t have to hammer the answer home; we think you’ll find it clear.