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What’s Causing Loud Banging in My Pipes?

You turn off the water, and bang! The whole house jumps. Maybe it’s the washing machine. Maybe it’s the kitchen sink. Either way, that sound makes your stomach drop a little. It’s loud, sharp, and every time it happens, you wonder if a pipe’s about to burst.

Don’t panic. That noise has a name—water hammer—and it’s something almost every Tacoma homeowner hears at some point. What’s happening is simple: water is moving fast through your pipes, then suddenly gets stopped. The momentum doesn’t just disappear—it slams into the shut valve. That shockwave makes your pipes shake or knock against whatever’s nearby.

At 2 Sons Plumbing Tacoma, we get calls about this all the time.

Why It Happens

Your plumbing is always under pressure. When water stops too quickly—say when your washer finishes filling—the flow hits a dead end and has nowhere to go. If your pipes aren’t secured tightly, they’ll rattle. If the system doesn’t have room to absorb pressure, it’ll “hammer.”

Common causes we see around Tacoma homes:

Loose pipes that aren’t strapped tight to the framing
Quick-closing valves on dishwashers or washing machines
Old air chambers or arrestors that have filled with water and stopped doing their job

Sometimes, it’s just one loud thud. Other times, it’s a series of clanks that seem to echo through every wall. Either way, it’s your plumbing saying, “Hey, something’s off.”

A Few Quick Fixes You Can Try

If the banging isn’t constant, try these before you call anyone out:

Secure what you can see. Check under sinks or in the basement. Strap loose pipes with padded clamps.
Drain and refill the system. Turn off the main water, open all the faucets to empty the lines, then close them and turn the water back on slowly. This helps reset the air cushions inside the plumbing.
Go easy on the valves. When you turn off a faucet, do it gently. It sounds silly, but it can help.

If the noise keeps coming back—or you’re hearing it in several spots—it’s time to call a plumber. That usually means your home needs something called a water hammer arrestor.

What We Do to Fix It

When we show up to a Tacoma home with noisy pipes, we don’t just guess. We listen, check pressure, and figure out exactly where that hammer is coming from. If it’s loose pipes, we strap them. If pressure’s too high, we correct it. If the system needs arrestors, we install them near the problem valves.

Those little devices act like shock absorbers—they take the hit so your pipes don’t. Once they’re in place, the noise stops. Instantly.

What It Costs

Most homes need one or two arrestors, and they usually cost between $250 and $600 each, depending on where they’re installed. If it’s just loose pipes or minor adjustments, it can be less. Either way, it’s cheaper than dealing with a leak or broken fitting later.

Call 2 Sons Plumbing Tacoma

If your pipes are banging, don’t just live with it. It won’t go away on its own—and you shouldn’t have to cringe every time someone turns off the water. Call 2 Sons Plumbing Tacoma at (206) 487-1757. We’ll find what’s making the noise, fix it fast, and leave your home quiet again.

2 Sons Plumbing, Electrical, Heating & Air

4.9

Based on 3393 reviews

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Maria Kute

23:01 18 Nov 25

Thank you, Bob, for your professional, courteous, and kind service! My downstairs tub was running with high pressure due to some worn out stems. Bob was thorough—but unfortunately our fixtures are quite old, and he didn’t have appropriate replacements available the first day. However, they were able to find the appropriate stems for our tub and fixed the leak right away day 2. I cannot speak highly enough about how grateful I am for the way 2 Sons accommodated my schedule when they needed to return with the appropriate fixtures. The technician was a genuine joy to work with—and I appreciate the quick follow up and turn around. I also appreciate the way Bob walked me through the process and double checked for leaks.

Maria Kute

23:01 18 Nov 25

Evan Rose

16:17 18 Nov 25

We had a great experience. Brandon and Chris were very polite and professional. We had a massive leak under a toilet and they came and fixed it on a Saturday. They were very timely and hardworking. Ethan was another who was also very polite and professional. Pricing was also very manageable for the extent of the problem we had. I would highly recommend.

Evan Rose

16:17 18 Nov 25

YuliyaG

22:06 14 Nov 25

I had a great experience with 2Sons Plumbing. Communication was on point from start to finish. Dave arrived on time, was very friendly, and knowledgeable. He also gave me a helpful heads-up about our heater and offered great advice. I really appreciate the professionalism and will definitely use them again!

YuliyaG

22:06 14 Nov 25

Brandy Przybylak

19:28 05 Nov 25

We really enjoyed our experience with 2 Sons. We had an emergency that had water all over our kitchen and basement. They were able to send someone out later in the evening for us after several other companies either cancelled on us or said they couldn't come until the next day. Our technician/plumber Riley was great to work with - friendly, quick, and effective! They even gave us a call back a few days later to check in on our experience and to answer some extra questions we had. Highly recommend!

Brandy Przybylak

19:28 05 Nov 25

Carol Wong

19:21 04 Nov 25

I have not decided to go with 2 Sons for the plumbing issues I have yet. However, I am very impressed by the technician, Guy, who came for the appointment. He was professional, friendly, knowledgeable, courteous, and thorough. I told him that I was just getting a quote and not ready to commit to do the repair right away. He was very understanding. I have a clogged kitchen sink, disconnected washer hose causing water damage, and likely a disconnected pipe behind the wall. He explained the steps I need to take before he can help for all three issues. Like I should hire the restoration company to repair the water damage before reconnecting the pipes. He also helped to take pictures and referred me to a restoration company for the jobs outside of his scope. Before he left, he measured the water pressure to make sure the pressure is within a normal range. Just to make sure the water is not putting too much pressure on the fixtures resulting leaks. It was definitely a surprisingly pleasant and thorough experience with Guy.

Carol Wong

19:21 04 Nov 25

Joanne Chan

01:00 31 Oct 25

Excellent service from 2 Sons Plumbing – highly recommended!

We recently had 2 Sons Plumbing come out to fix several issues at our place. We couldn’t be happier with the results. Marcos and Chris were absolutely fantastic — professional, knowledgeable, and very thorough in their work. Every single job was done with precision and care.

Marcos and Chris took the time to explain what they were doing, answered all our questions patiently, and made sure everything was up to code and functioning perfectly before they left. They worked efficiently, left the area spotless.

It’s rare to find such reliable, honest, and detail-oriented professionals these days. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them to my friends and neighbors.

Joanne Chan

01:00 31 Oct 25

Jurusha Emerson

16:11 28 Oct 25

I called 2 Sons Plumbing and was able to get them to come out to the house the very next day. The over the phone customer service were very personable and friendly. On the day of my appointment, Bob was the one sent to our house to fix our kitchen faucet. Bob was extremely friendly and helpful in fixing my faucet. He was very considerate and quick with his work. I did not feel like I was being taken advantage of or overpriced as far as how much they were charging. Bob was always transparent with the cost and also trying to find the most cost-effective way to accomplish what needed to get done? I would recommend 2 Sons plumbing to anyone who needs plumbing service. 2 Sons plumbing has a gem for an employee (Bob). If I were to call 2 Sons plumbing again for service, I would definitely want to request Bob as my priority person.
Thankyou so much

Jurusha Emerson

16:11 28 Oct 25

Mackenzie Maynes

02:22 28 Oct 25

After the recent power outage I discovered that my combi-boiler went on the fritz, meaning no hot water and no heat in my home—a very chilly situation for Seattle fall. 2 Son’s was so friendly and able to send out Adam same-day which was a huge relief! Adam quickly assed the issue, fixed it and provided a thorough explanation of what he did to get the system up and running again (which I deeply appreciated). I am thoroughly impressed by his knowledge of these units; turns out the pressure reducing valve on my machine also needs to be replaced, which explains why my water pressure has always been a bit funky between hot and cold. Adam provided an affordable proposal for a future repair to my unit for optimal functioning. Would absolutely recommend Adam and 2 Sons!

Mackenzie Maynes

02:22 28 Oct 25

Amy J

01:15 28 Oct 25

Had a great experience with 2 Sons Plumbing, Heating & Air. Their scheduling system was smooth — I got a call when Carey was assigned, could track his arrival, and everything ran on time. Carey was fantastic! He inspected the garbage disposal, coordinated with my property manager for approval, and quickly installed the new system. He was respectful, efficient, and made sure everything worked perfectly. Really appreciated his help!

Amy J

01:15 28 Oct 25

Oaktree President

22:17 24 Oct 25

Our house decided to replace our own toilet, but we got stuck halfway through because we didn’t have the right tools and accidentally broke an anchor bolt. I called 2 Sons Plumbing, and they showed up within an hour to help us out. Derek, our plumber, was super friendly, explained everything clearly, and got the job done quickly and professionally. Excellent service all around—highly recommend!

Oaktree President

22:17 24 Oct 25