Some homes develop mysterious noises that sound like water trickling or pipes banging together. Often these noises appear in the middle of the night which may lead homeowners to wonder if their house is haunted. More likely these sounds come from something wrong with your plumbing system. You may hear them late at night because they become more distinct when daytime background noises disappear. But what you may need is some hydro jetting!
Trickling or dripping water sounds may indicate that a leak has developed in a drain or fixture within your home. If water is leaking to the outside you will likely discover it quickly when you notice water or stains nearby. If the leak is confined to the interior of a pipe or fixture, such as a leak that causes a toilet to run, it can take a while to notice. If a toilet fill valve continues to refill the tank that’s a sure sign of a leak that can cost you hundreds of dollars in water usage if allowed to persist.
The sound of running water in a drain line does not necessarily indicate a problem with your home’s drainage piping. Periodic drain noises may stem from a dishwasher, washing machine or other home appliance sending a surge of water into your drainage system.
In older buildings with cast iron or steel drain pipes, those heavy materials tend to muffle the sound of water running. Newer homes with plastic or copper drainage lines will transmit the noise more readily. It’s not uncommon for people to move in to a newly purchased home and discover strange sounds emanating at night. After all, realtors don’t show houses late at night.
Sometimes the sounds do indicate a genuine plumbing problem, such as poor or nonexistent venting of fixtures. If the drains operate normally but you hear gurgling at a nearby sink when a toilet gets flushed, it may well be that the sink is not properly vented. When you flush the nearby toilet it will try to draw air into the drain line from the nearby sink.
If you hear loud banging from your pipes, it’s probably what’s known as water hammer. It’s caused by a shock wave when water is shut off quickly at some point in the system. A properly designed plumbing system will have air chambers that prevent water hammer, though over time these chambers can become waterlogged and fail. Sometimes this requires draining the main supply lines and installing a pressure-reducing valve into the supply line leading to your house.
How to Quiet Noisy Water Pipes
Strange noises from your plumbing are not only irritating but could be an indication that your system is not running at peak efficiency. Here are a few tips for quieting some common plumbing noises.
Water hammering: You can fix the water hammering issue by shutting off the main water supply valve and turning on the highest and lowest faucets on the property to completely drain water from all the pipes. Water drained from the pipes is replaced by air. When you fill-up water again, air remains in the chambers, eliminating water hammer.
Loose pipes and leaks: Depending on your home setup, you can easily locate loose pipes and water leaks just by listening and looking. Thereafter, secure the pipes to ensure there’s little to no movement or call in the professionals to address the leakages.
Adjusting too-high water pressure: Excessively high water pressure can also lead to banging pipes. You can adjust the pressure with a pressure-reducing valve or water-pressure regulator. Most modern homes have a water pressure regulator located where the main water supply enters the premises. If you don’t have one, you can have it professionally installed.
Faulty main shut off valve: A faulty main shut off valve can also be a source of the dreaded squealing water pipe. To fix this, turn off the water mains at the street and then repair or replace the main house valve.
If your home is troubled with water hammer, give us a call. Besides disturbing your peace, persistent water hammer can lead to burst fittings or pipes that require expensive repairs.