Pipes Making Noise – Should You Be Concerned?
When you are washing your dishes, taking a shower, doing your laundry, or just washing your hands, you don’t expect to be hearing any noise other than the running water. Unfortunately, there may come a time when you begin hearing strange noises coming from your pipes. Since noisy pipes are something you’re not used to hearing, you may be wondering if there is cause for concern.
To find out what’s going on with pipes that are making noises and what can cause it, our Boss Plumbing pipe experts have all you need to know.
Is It Normal for Pipes to Make Noise?
Pipes that make occasional noise may not be an issue, but anything too disruptive or continuing might be a sign that you’ve got a plumbing problem that needs to be addressed by a professional plumber.
In fact, pipes making noise often indicate a home has a problem with either water flow or water pressure. Should you think you can ignore pipe noises and assume whatever problem exists will work itself out, you are wrong. In most cases, strange noises from your pipes won’t be a ghost, but instead a plumbing problem that will only get worse over time.
Different Pipe Noises and What Causes Them
Now that you know your pipes are supposed to be quiet, here are some of the most common pipe noises you may hear and their primary causes.
Banging
When you hear your water pipes knocking, this doesn’t mean your home has a ghost that is dragging their chains around making strange noises at night. Instead, the problem is much less dramatic: banging pipes come from either trapped air bubbles or when a faucet is turned off very quickly, which is known in plumbing circles as a water hammer.
Humming
When you hear humming in and around your pipes, this doesn’t mean a ghost is humming their favorite tune. Rather, the humming is happening because your home’s pipes vibrate from having too much water pressure inside them. Especially noticeable when the water is running, we find this to be a common problem in homes that rely on wells for their water.
Gurgling
If you hear a gurgling sound, your pipes are having a hard time draining as they should, meaning there is an obstruction somewhere. Unless you are sure you know the problem and can solve the situation on your own, call in the drain clog experts here at Boss Plumbing.
Rattling
When your pipes are rattling, the good news is that there is probably not an issue with the pipe itself. Instead, the rattling noise is coming from a fastener that has come loose from the pipe. When water goes through the pipe, it will make a rattling sound due to hanging loosely behind a wall, underneath a floor, or in your ceiling. In this situation, you will need a plumber to locate and secure the pipe to end the constant rattling.
Whistling and Squealing
Should you hear pipe noises that sound like whistling and squealing, it’s not your pipes throwing a party. Rather, it probably means you’ve got worn-out washers in valves near your dishwasher or washing machine.
How Do I Stop My Pipes from Making Noise?
To stop your pipes from making noise, you’ve got a few options.
Replace Faulty Parts
When pipe noises are coming from parts that are in need of replacement, be they washers, O-rings, or other components, you can replace these parts in a faucet or valve.
Keep Drains Clog-Free
To ensure you don’t hear humming noises that sound like a ghost, keep your drains clog-free. Also a relatively simple DIY project, repeated clogging means you need to call in a plumber to address the problem.
Maintain Your Water Heater
If you fail to maintain your home’s water heater on a regular schedule, this can affect water pressure and water flow, and can also make a hard water problem that much worse. These issues can lead to pipes making noise due to obstructions or because the pipes are rusty and have corrosion.
When to Call a Plumber
If you consider yourself to be anything but a home repair expert or are an accomplished DIYer who is stumped as to why you have pipes making noise, it’s definitely time to call in a Boss Plumbing plumber for assistance.
This is particularly important if you have had problems with persistent clogs, have a rattling pipe inside a wall or ceiling, or have issues where you think your water heater may need to be replaced due to its age or repairs that would be too costly.
Since most repairs associated with pipe noises can be corrected rather easily by an experienced plumber, it pays to call on us here at Boss Plumbing as soon as these strange noises make themselves heard.
Call The Experts to Fix Your Noisy Pipes
If you are tired of hearing strange pipe noises in your home, contact us here at Boss Plumbing. When you do, we’ll arrive at your home not as ghostbusters, but as plumbing experts who can solve the most complex of plumbing problems. Before you know it, your pipes will once again be quiet.
