Do loud, clanging noises or annoying, high pitched squeals make your home sound like the Haunted Mansion? Fear not – the noises coming from your pipes are not the work of ghosts from beyond. Unfortunately, noise in your pipes could be the harbinger of something even scarier: problems in your plumbing system that could eventually lead to severe leaks.
What can cause noises in pipes?
There are a number of potential issues that could cause noise in your pipes. You can find out the cause of the problem by listening to the type of noise in the pipes:
Loud, banging noises in pipes - if you have a loud banging noise in your pipes, it is probably because the pipes are loose in their hangars. To fix this problem, find the exact spot where the banging noise is coming from by turning the water on and off at the faucet that creates the most noise. While you are doing this, have someone else try to pinpoint the spot where the noise is coming from – usually this will be in the basement or in a crawlspace. Once you’ve found the problem area, fixing it is relatively simple. You should see that your pipe is held in place by a number of hangers. The banging noise is caused by the pipe moving around because the hangers are not holding it securely enough. Installing more hangers around the pipe should be enough to hold them in place and quiet them down.
High pitched noises in pipes- if the noise in your pipes is more of a high pitched squeal, that could mean it is a problem with your hot water pipe. Since hot water pipes heat up as water moves through them, they expand, moving and squeaking as they rub against the wood and/or pipe straps.
Again, to fix this problem, isolate the exact spot that’s causing the noise in the pipes. When you find it, shut the water off and fit small pieces of thin rubber or another suitable material in between the pipes and the straps. Make sure the pieces aren’t so thick that they prevent the pipes from expanding – you want to give them room to move without rubbing directly against the straps.
Loud, “air-horn” type noise or “jackhammer”-type noises in pipes – if you hear any of these noises in your pipes, you could be experiencing the potentially dangerous event known as “water hammer.” Water hammer is the result of rushing water slamming into a solid object (such as a faucet valve). Since water is incompressible, it does not absorb any of the impact – instead, it transfers it to any solid objects around it, causing them to vibrate and make a loud noise. Water hammer is the result of water being forced to stop or change direction quickly.
To alleviate the effects of water hammer, you can try installing a short piece of pipe next to your faucets to act as a shock absorber. To do this, locate the point in the water supply line where it comes to an elbow joint. Shut off the water, unscrew the piece of pipe that fits into the faucet and remove the elbow joint. Replace the elbow joint with a T-joint and connect a short piece of pipe (about 2 ft long) to it. Put a cap on the end of the new pipe and put the faucet back together. Better yet, call a professional plumber to fix the problem.
If noises in your pipes are driving you crazy every time you open or close your faucets, call Magnolia Plumbing. We can diagnose and repair the problem and make your home quiet and peaceful again.