WHY PIPES IN MY HOUSE ARE NOISY
All homes make noises naturally make noises as the air and the weather changes. What can be more concerning than the odd creak here and there is the sounds that your pipes make. Especially if they are particularly noisy. Every homeowner feels a slight sense of panic when the pipes in their home are extra noisy. The thought of spending money on home plumbing isn’t just the sound of noisy pipes to some can sound like pouring money down the drain. Here we will be able to tell you what is making your pipes noisy and when you need to call a plumber regarding the matter.
Hammering or Banging Pipe Noises
Some of the louder noises that you can hear when it comes to pipes is that hammering or banging noise of your pipes in the wall or against each other. This noise is caused by the sudden shut off of the water (turning off a tap, shower, bath, flushing the toilet). This is because the high pressure of water doesn’t have anywhere else to go and usually bangs against the shut off valve or pipe walls. The banging can be corrected if you turn off the home’s water and empty all the home faucets. If you turn back on the water, you shouldn’t have this problem anymore.
When to Call a Plumber?
If you have emptied all the pipes and you still hear banging, it may be time to call a plumber about an underlying issue. A plumber may install an apparatus to control water surges.
Whistling Pipe Noises
Let’s begin by separating the two types of whistling that can occur in home plumbing systems. The first is the whistling in only certain faucets or appliances. A faucet that whistles might have a problem with a worn out washer, a potentially loose screw or an aerator that has lots of buildup. All these are replaceable parts within the faucet and can be found at your local Lowes. If it is your toilet that whistles, try replacing the ballcock, or bending the arm down so less water enters the tank. If there is still whistling that stops once the tank gets filled, you should invest in a new ballcock valve.
When to call a plumber?
Now if the whistling is all over your home, you need to call in an expert to investigate. This may be a result of built up mineral deposits. A plumber will take into consideration many things about your home before offering a permanent solution
Dripping
Dripping could be as a result of leaky pipes or lose valves within your pipes. First make sure all of your faucets and appliances are closed and that it isnt as a result of just one faulty device. If the dripping is coming from within the walls, check out this article on LEAKY PIPES to determine your next steps. The dripping noises could also be a result of thermal expansion. To test this theory out, turn off your home’s water and empty all the appliances. If you still hear the dripping, it is probably just a thermal expansion problem rather than a leakage problem.
When to call a plumber?
You may need to call a plumber in many cases where you are hearing dripping, this could signal a leak that needs professional attention.
Humming and Vibrating Pipe Noises
If your pipes are always humming or vibrating, you probably have excessive water pressure. You can easily check your water pressure with the purchase of a pressure gauge. Any pressure above 80psi can be very dangerous to your home’s plumbing. High water pressure can lead to bursting pipes, an expensive side effect of high water pressure.
When to call a plumber?
If you test the water pressure and it is fine or that you find that even after correcting the pressure that there are problems call a plumber to prevent the potential damages to your home.
Drains Make Gurgling or “Glugging” Sounds
When water goes down your drain, you might hear a gurgling sound right after it goes down. What does this mean for you and your pipes? Chances are there is a blockage somewhere in your pipes. Similar to what happens with our own bodies when there’s extra air, our pipes work the same, it has to escape somehow. This gurgling you hear is the sound of extra air coming up from within. You can manage this problem by relieving your pipes of the blockage, check out here to find ways that you can unclog your pipes.
When to call a plumber?
You will want to call a plumber if you are uncomfortable or cannot relieve the blockage. Plumbers have the tools to take care of these problems very safely and easily to save your pipes and time.
Other issues with pipes
Having copper pipes can be an issue as they expand then hot water runs through them. This can mean that they rub up against the walls in your home creating a creaking noise. This can be fixed many times by turning down the temperature of the water even only slightly on your water heater.
Now that you have some more insight on your pipes and the noises they make, hopefully you are able to tackle the issue and rest easy at night. That being said, we absolutely recommend that you call a professional to have your pipes checked out if you hear any unexplained noises coming from within your plumbing. The Rooter Team is always more than happy to have a look at your pipes and fix any underlying issues. Give us a call or fill out a form today for your free estimate!
