How to get rid of water hammer

matt_31

Hi All,

At the start of each heating cycle I get about 20 fairly loud bangs from one of the steam pipe loops in my house. After reading this site I understand what is causing it but do not know how to deal with it and would like to get some advice before calling in a contractor. One of the single pipe steam loops goes in a square pattern around the first floor of the house. It leaves from the boiler and has decent pitch until you get to the first radiator that bangs occasionally and not all that bad. At that point it takes a 90 degree turn and goes about 18' and during that run it is pretty much level before another radiator and the next 90. At the second 90 degree turn the pipe is at its highest elevation and it starts to pitch downward even though there are 2 more radiators that run from the loop eventually ending back at the boiler in where there is a fairly large vent and then it drops down to the lowest point near the boiler.

The second 90 degree turn is where the majority of the noise is coming from and it is quite annoying. The other tough part is the basement ceiling isn't very high maybe 7' at most and the pipe from the 3rd corner is already a head banger. I've tried to draw a pic on the pc and am attaching it, the thing I'm trying to show is from #1 to #2 is near level. My other loop off the boiler is works great and never has any issues other than lumps on my head when I don't duck and walk into the return.

Any suggestions? or should I live with it?