Noisy pipes are a pain!
They live in your walls and sometimes make creepy noises, what are they? Nope, not Casper and his crew and not any creepy crawlers either. It’s just your pipes. They’re an important part of your home plumbing, carrying water where you need it most, but sometimes they do make some weird noises. Here are the three most common reasons why.
Loose Support
If your pipes are rattling and shaking as the water runs through them, they can make a lot of noise. The most common cause of this is that some of the mounts and fitting – the hardware that supports the pipes and holds them in place or the pieces that join sections of pipe – are loose. Loose mounts could be anywhere but loose fittings are especially common on corners and at T junctions. You should inspect these carefully if you’re having a lot of rattling. A loose fitting could eventually become a leak and a flood and you don’t want that behind your walls.
Hammer
If your pipes are doing more banging than rattling, like they’re doing construction, the culprit may be water hammer. The cause of water hammer is actually not the pipes that carry the water, it’s the vent pipe that sticks out through your roof. Its job is to let air in, dispelling the vacuum that’s sometimes created by the moving water. When it’s blocked, you get the banging of the water hammer. You can try fixing this yourself: turn off the main water supply and then turn on the highest faucet (the one furthest from the water supply); then, turn on the lowest faucet (the one closest to your sewer line); wait for the water to stop flowing; close the lowest faucet and turn the main water back on; finally, wait for water to come out of the highest faucet again. If this doesn’t ease the banging, call for a professional evaluation.
Pressure
High water pressure can also cause a banging and a rattling in your pipes, especially when you open or close a tap. Because the water has so much pressure, it flows very fast through your pipes and the fast starting and stopping causes the sound. Getting a pressure regulator or a reduction valve installed could help slow the speed of the water and reduce the pressure. Not only will this ease the noise, but it will also put less strain on your pipes and any appliances that have a water supply, like your fridge.
A RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL PLUMBING COMPANY YOU CAN TRUST
Alpha Plumbing is a full-service plumbing and contracting company serving the Baltimore and Annapolis metro area with expertise in all aspects of plumbing. We’re family-owned and operated since 1991 from our office in Pasadena. We offer quality plumbing services at reasonable rates in a timely fashion. Our trucks are equipped with GPS systems to ensure we’re prompt and on time. No job is too large or too small! We maintain a fleet of well-stocked trucks and also own and operate our own backhoes for jobs requiring excavation.
For more information and to get a free no-obligation estimate, you can contact us on our website, send us an e-mail, or give us a call at (410) 255-5998.