Don't Get Scared With Plumbing Noises!
Almost every homeowner has had a moment wondering about a strange noise in their house. Could it be ghosts? A poltergeist? Or is it, in fact, just strange noises coming from the pipes and drains?
While there’s only a minor chance your home is haunted, more often than not, those spooky noises can easily be explained away by your plumbing system.
Don’t worry! There’s nothing to fear this Halloween! Below are three reasons your plumbing may be making those frightening noises in the dark.
Water Pressure on the Rise
If you hear a humming noise in your house, you may think it’s some paranormal activity gone awry. But in fact, the truth may be much more mundane. If you search around your home and find it is, in fact, your pipes humming, then the culprit may not be ghosts at all but an issue with your water pressure.
If your water pressure is set too high as it moves into your home, it can cause your pipes to vibrate. This vibration often makes a humming sound in your pipes. Home water pressure should typically be between 40 and 60 psi and anything more than that is a signal your water pressure is too high.
You can purchase an easy to use water pressure gauge from any hardware store to measure your own psi. High water pressure is not only an irritation because of the noise, but it can also eventually cause damage to your plumbing system and even your appliances. If you suspect you have high water pressure, contact your local plumber to assess and solve the situation.
Toilets That Whistle
Have you been awakened in the middle of the night by a startling whistle or even a shriek? Don’t fret! It could just be your toilet. Toilet tanks are equipped with a fill valve. This is a small valve attached to the float in the tank that tells your toilet when to stop filling once it’s been flushed.
If your fill valve is aging, its parts can start to deteriorate which can cause vibrations and a whistling or shrieking sound. It typically means the valve is on the brink of failure.
Besides being annoying, an aging fill valve can also be costly. It could subject you to increased water usage, costing you more on your water bill. Replacing a fill valve on your toilet is a task some homeowners attempt on their own, but if done incorrectly you could be facing a flooded bathroom, or worse. If you suspect your fill valve is on its last leg, it’s best to call a local plumber to put a stop to all that whistling.
Air Bubbles Cause Banging
What’s all that banging you hear coming from your walls? Could your house be haunted? More likely, it’s just noises from your pipes. Banging from your pipes can be caused by a variety of reasons, but one of the most common is something called water hammers.
A water hammer happens when a water valve connected to the pipe is suddenly shut off. When this happens, all the water that was streaming through the pipe has nowhere to go, so it crashes into the valve, making a banging noise.
Sometimes, if a water hammer is strong enough, it can even shake the pipes free from joints or even cause leaks. Fixing water hammer usually depends on the age of your house so it’s best to contact a plumber for the solution.
Another possibility for the banging in your pipes, though, could be due to air bubbles. Sometimes air bubbles in the pipes can collect around 90-degree joints and then change position with the water flow, causing banging sounds. This problem has an easy solution, though, if you follow the below steps:
- Shut off the main water to your home.
- Turn on all faucets, starting on your upper level and working lower. Let them drain.
- Flush all toilets.
- Wait 30 minutes.
- Turn the water main back on.
- Let faucets flow for 5-10 minutes.
- Turn off the faucets starting from the lower level ones, first.
- The toilets will automatically refill.
This should remove any and all air bubbles in your pipes causing the banging noises. Because banging in your pipes can be caused by a variety of things, though, don’t be afraid this October to contact a plumber to have them diagnose your problems.
Dr Rooter Can Solve All Your Plumbing Problems
Dr Rooter has 24/7 emergency services for the Lexington, SC area. They’re a full-service plumbing company, helping residential homes as well as commercial buildings. They’ve been serving the Midlands and Lexington area for over 20 years and their plumbers are licensed and passionate about meeting your specific needs.