What is causing the kitchen faucet to shake on turn-on?

StoopidMonkey81

Hi all,

There is a single handle cartridge faucet with a hose sprayer on the first floor kitchen of my MIL's house that shakes/sputters when the water is first turned on that goes away after a second or two and I could use some help in diagnosing the problem. Here's what I know:

-it happens only on turn-on, not turn-off (which seems the opposite of water hammer)
-the water pipes from the floor are copper, which transition into flexible metal pipe (such as the kind you'd see on a toilet water line), which tie into short copper pipes again and into the faucet (strange, I know)
-this is the only fixture in the whole house that does this

Any ideas on what the problem could be?

oh'mike

Bad spray nozzle---press the bottom on the nozzle before turning on the faucet--

Bad cartridge--change cartridge--

Crud in the back flow valve--remove and clean the back flow valve--(if your faucet even has one)

What faucet is it exactly?

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StoopidMonkey81

I don't know the make/model of the faucet at the moment so I'll see if I can get that later. Did you mean press the button on the nozzle (briefly) before turning on the faucet, as in to release some kind of pressure? As for the cartridge, I thought if it was bad it would leak yet there are no water leaks. Either way, is the implication that air is somehow leaking into the system and that’s what’s causing the initial shake/sputter? I would think that any leak in a pressurized system would cause water to leak out, not air to leak in. Then again I’m new at this so I don’t know any better yet. Thanks for the advice so far!

plummen

Are the shut off valves open all the way ,clear?

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Lightfoot

I installed a new one (Brand new-out of the box) single lever kitchen faucet at my Mom's house last year. It did exactly what you say yours does-thumping. After taking it back and swapping it out, the new one did the exact same thing. Called the company (hers was a delta), they sent a different aerator-didn't help. I changed hoses, shutoffs-no help.
Finally after nobody could tell me what to do (i even came here and posted about it and got no replies), i just stood there and for about a couple of minutes and worked the spray nozzle button off and on quickly (continuously for a couple of minutes) with the water on. After a couple of minutes doing this, it kept getting better, and better, and finally it just quit thumping all together! And it hasn't done it since. This may or may not be the answer to your problem, but it certainly won't cost anything to find out.

StoopidMonkey81

Thanks Lightfoot, I'll check that out! Also, I found out the faucet is made by Wolverine Brass. Sometime I'll take it apart to see if there are any washers that can be replaced, or maybe see if I can get a replacement cartridge (or ball, not sure yet).

ben's plumbing

there is a pop it valve in spout that is controled by sprayer that makes the bumping sound ....this valve could be bleeding pressure back....and everytime you turn on faucet it fills back up... try turning on faucet use sprayer..shut it off turn it on again let come out of spout..should stop noise....

Eriktoinfinity

THANK YOU, Lightfoot!!! I was having the same problem with it clunking every time I turned it on and it was driving me nuts since the entire rest of the installation was flawless (which never happens to me) and I thought this was a mistake on my part yet again. I left the water running and quickly squeezed and released the nozzle on the sprayer repeatedly and now it doesn't clunk any more. You're a sink saver!

Lightfoot

you're most welcome!
My favorite fix is the one that doesn't cost anything.
Have a good weekend