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There's water hammer at the start of the heating cycle

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Published
July 10, 2009 Subscribe to RSS feed

The pipes aren't pitched properly.
If condensate lays in the mains between cycles, it will hammer when the steam reaches it on the next cycle. Steam mains must pitch a minimum of one-inch in 20 feet when the steam and condensate travel in the same direction. If the steam flows against the condensate, the pipes have to pitch at least one inch in ten feet.

There's a concentric reducer in the steam main.
A concentric reducer will allow condensate to collect if the condensate flows from a large pipe to a small pipe. That causes water hammer at the start of the cycle. Use an eccentric reducer, or drip the main just before it enters the concentric reducer.