Express Plumbing Heating & Air Blog
Noisy pipes in your home can be irritating, especially if you share your home with someone else. One moment you sit down for some peace and quiet, the next someone hops in the shower and that pesky squealing or rattling starts. There are a few reasons your pipes may speak up when the water is running. We’ll go over the most common ones today and see if we can find you a solution!
Have you ever heard of a “water hummer?” So speed and force are what pushes water through the pipe and out your faucet or showerhead. Shutting off the tap causes the water to be shut off immediately. Think of it as slamming on your brakes for a sudden hazard in the road. Normally in the wall behind each of your faucets should be an air chamber in the piping. When the rushing water stopped, it would push the water back up the vertical pipe and hit a cushion of air. That would prevent the pipes from “hammering”, or rattling.
Now, not all reasons have to sound so complex. This could be as simple as a loose pipe under the house! Flushed water moves quickly in large amounts and can cause your pipes to sway. Suspended from floor joists under the house, is where your drains pipes are. So Your fix could be as simple as stabilizing the loose pipe. To do this, you could crawl under your house (please be careful!) and have someone flush the toilet inside to see if you can find the offending pipe.
A worn-out washer could be the culprit if your pipes are whistling or squealing. So Worn or cracked washers will cause water to be forced through a smaller opening. This is what causes the offending noises. You can fix this easily. First, shut off the water supply to the offending faucet or valve. Replace any washers that look worn or cracked.
If this doesn’t stop the squealing, this could be the main shut-off valve or the water pressure regulator. When either of these is the problem, the noise seems to permeate the entire house. To repair the main shut-off, turn off the water at the street valve and then replace the house valve. It may be your pressure reducer’s manifold if you have a pressure reducer on your incoming cold water line as well.
If the noise is coming from your toilet, it could be the ballcock assembly. So This controls the filling process. If you hear a banging or rattling after flushing at the end of the filling cycle, this is likely your problem. This could be repaired, depending on how new it is and the style, or you may just need to replace it.
Remember, you should always proceed cautiously when performing any type of repair to your home. So If you feel uncomfortable or unsure, it’s best to hire a professional. Our technicians here at Express Plumbing Heating & Air know how frustrating noise pipes can be. Let us help restore your peace of mind and peace and quiet!
