# Noise usually called "pipe clatter" and is distinct from 'hammer' attributed to air in the pipes

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/noise-usually-called-pipe-clatter-and-is-distinct-from-hammer-attributed-to-air-in-the-pipes/679903>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 27, 2014, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/noise-usually-called-pipe-clatter-and-is-distinct-from-hammer-attributed-to-air-in-the-pipes/679903 "2014-01-27T23:18:04Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![janeslogin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@janeslogin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/janeslogin)\
**Post date:** [January 27, 2014, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/noise-usually-called-pipe-clatter-and-is-distinct-from-hammer-attributed-to-air-in-the-pipes/679903/1 "2014-01-27T23:18:04Z")

</div>

Does the noise usually called “pipe clatter”, distinct from ‘hammer’ usually attributed to air in the pipes cause harm to the plumbing or is it just harmless noise?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Sparky812](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Sparky812](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparky812)\
**Post date:** [January 28, 2014, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/noise-usually-called-pipe-clatter-and-is-distinct-from-hammer-attributed-to-air-in-the-pipes/679903/2 "2014-01-28T13:23:28Z")

</div>

Yes, excessive pipe clatter may harm your plumbing, that stress may eventually cause failure at joints or fixtures.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![SmellMyWort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SmellMyWort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmellMyWort)\
**Post date:** [January 28, 2014, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/noise-usually-called-pipe-clatter-and-is-distinct-from-hammer-attributed-to-air-in-the-pipes/679903/3 "2014-01-28T21:18:06Z")

</div>

If it helps, I had what I think might have been pipe clatter and think I fixed it. It only seemed to happen when a particular faucet was running. I went under the sink and it turned out that the hot water shutoff was not completely open. I opened up up fully and haven’t had any noise since.