The most typical noisy pipe difficulty is a water hammer. Sometimes pipe pressure can lead to serious damage in your plumbing system. The noise is a loud pounding, which occurs exclusively after a faucet or appliance has been switched off. This is due to high pressure in the pipes because the water inside bangs right onto the pipe walls.
If you want to learn how to stop this very annoying noise, try to reset the water system’s air chambers. Following you can see how to do that:
- Turn off the water main: Close the main shut-off valve at your home.
- Drain all pipes: Turn on all faucets and let the water flow out for several minutes. Don’t overlook your least-used faucets, like for example an outdoor hose bib or a basement sink.
- Turn on the water main: Re-open your water main and ensure that all faucets are open. The hammer noises should be gone.
- Check Water Supply Lines: Check the supply pipes if the water hammer does not disappear after you fix the issue on the pressure chambers’ level. Water hammers are caused by pipes that aren’t adequately secured in older homes, and these pipes move around way too much, producing waves that result in water hammers. To hold the supply pipes in position, use clips and plumber’s tape where necessary.
- Call a plumber: Finally, you may always hire a plumber to look at the pipes in more depth; in order to eliminate the water hammer problem, you might need an in-line water surge arrester.
Whistling Noises Throughout Your System
Whistling noises may indicate several issues, and usually are of two distinct types. Valve or faucet whistling or pipe system whistling.
Steam whistling out of a faucet, particularly in the basement may be due to air trapped in the water piping system. When you turn on a valve or faucet, it releases the pressure built up from the weight of all the water above it. If there is air in that part of the system when this happens then you will get a whistling noise as that air is released. In most cases, this can be fixed by releasing all the remaining water from one faucet at any given time. Closing each valve one after another from lowest elevation to highest will allow for testing for an “air pocket” in your system. Once isolated, simply open a window or vent where the test is being conducted, and while no one is in that area, quickly bleed any trapped air from the faucet by turning it on for a short time.
The other type of whistling noise may be caused due to steam or hot water pipes that are cold-water filled. A good example of this would be a shower, bathtub or sink drains where drain traps are filled with cold water instead of being vented to open-air through normal plumbing vents. Coldwater does not absorb heat as efficiently as warm or hot water resulting in reduced condensation within the pipe system which increases the pressure at every joint. Once pressure builds up enough it will cause a resonance effect- creating an audible noise that could be mistaken for a flute. The solution to this is to heat up the cold-water-filled traps until they are warm.
Determine what course of action will work based on an expert’s evaluation of the severity of each problem.
Vibrating and Thrumming Pipe Noises
Pipes can vibrate and produce a thrumming sound when water is flowing through them. However, this is not the only cause: the vibration may also be caused by pipes banging against one another or against wall framing members as they expand and contract.
If you’re hearing vibrations in your pipes, try to determine where the sounds are coming from. Also, check for loose bolts around threaded fittings that attach supply lines to metal plumbing fixtures such as sinks and tubs; consider adding rubber washers if the gaps between connections continue to allow movement.
Pipe Noises of Other Nature and Their Causes
Pipes can make other noises as well. Sloshing sounds that come from the hot water side of the pipe system are commonly caused by a change in water pressure and temperature (such as when a faucet is opened).
A ticking or dripping sound should raise suspicions. It’s possible that it’s a drain problem or a leak, and it goes without saying that both should be taken care of by an expert.
The drip-drip of a leaky faucet could be the result of an incorrect washer or worn o-rings. The sound can also come from water flowing freely through tiny holes, such as those found in aerators, where corrosion has taken place over time. In both cases, it’s best to call a plumber to fix the problem quickly and efficiently before it gets worse.
Get in Touch With Our Team For Professional Plumbing Services
If you hear any of these noises or just want to find out more about what your pipes are up to, give us a call today at (919) 688-1348. We offer a wide range of services for residential and commercial customers in the Durham area. Our team is dedicated to ensuring that your plumbing system has only the best parts and components; we also provide excellent installation and repairs for better service and maintenance. Our friendly staff can help you with whatever issue you’re currently facing, give us a ring today!
