Never Ignore These Strange Plumbing Sounds, According To Plumbers
Have you ever been sitting quietly in your living room when suddenly your house starts making the weirdest noises? I used to completely ignore those strange bumps and hisses. I figured if I could not see water pooling on the floor everything was probably fine. But recently, talking to a few plumbers really opened my eyes. It turns out our houses are actually trying to talk to us. Let us go through those weird plumbing sounds together and figure out what they really mean.
Loud Banging In The Walls
If you hear a loud thud or banging noise right after you turn off a faucet you might have something called a water hammer. When fast moving water suddenly hits a closed valve it creates a shockwave that rattles the pipes against your wooden wall studs. This constant banging can actually weaken the pipe joints over time and cause a massive leak. Calling a plumber to instal a simple water hammer arrestor usually solves this annoying problem completely.
The Strange Gurgling From The Drain
Sometimes you empty the bathtub and hear a weird gurgling sound coming from the toilet or the sink next to it. That noise means your plumbing system is struggling to breathe. When a drain is partially clogged the water has to pull air from nearby fixtures to get down the pipe. It is exactly like holding your finger over a drinking straw. You’ll want to plunge or snake that drain before the small clog becomes a nasty backup.
The Quiet Hissing Near The Sink
A soft hissing sound coming from under your sink or behind the toilet is incredibly easy to miss. But plumbers warn that this quiet noise usually means your water pressure is way too high. When water is forced through a narrow valve under too much pressure it creates that high pitched hiss. Constant high pressure puts a ton of unnecessary stress on all your appliances and hoses. If you hear this sound, a plumber can easily test your pressure and install a reducing valve if needed.
The Toilet That Runs By Itself
We have all heard a toilet suddenly start filling up when nobody is even in the bathroom. This ghost flushing happens when the rubber flapper valve inside the tank gets old and starts leaking water into the bowl. The tank slowly empties until the float drops and turns the water refill back on. It sounds harmless but it wastes hundreds of gallons of fresh water every single month. Replacing that little rubber flapper is cheap and takes about five minutes.
A Whistling Shower Head Or Faucet
Turning on the shower and hearing a loud teapot whistle is definitely not a relaxing way to start the morning. That whistling noise is almost always caused by a dirty aerator or a worn out rubber washer inside the fixture. Mineral deposits from hard water build up inside the tiny holes and force the water to squeeze through awkwardly. Unscrewing the showerhead and soaking it in a bowl of plain white vinegar usually clears the minerals right out and gets rid of the sound.
A Popping And Bubbling Water Heater
If your basement sounds like a giant pot of popcorn is popping, your water heater is begging for some help. Over the years hard water minerals settle at the bottom of the hot water tank and form a thick crust. The heat source for your water tank gets trapped under that crust and bubbles up violently through the sediment. Flushing your water heater tank once a year clears that junk out and stops the scary popping noises.
A Dripping Sound Behind The Drywall
Hearing a slow drip when all the faucets are turned off is the sound that scares me the most. If you hear a rhythmic ticking or dripping coming from directly inside a wall you need to investigate immediately. It might just be the normal sound of a hot pipe expanding and rubbing against wood. But it could also be a hidden pinhole leak slowly rotting your drywall and growing mold. It is always best to call a professional to check this one.
A Squealing Washing Machine Valves
When your washing machine fills up you might notice a sharp squealing noise coming from the metal hoses behind it. This sound usually happens because the main shutoff valves are not opened all the way or they are starting to fail internally. The restricted water flow makes the metal vibrate and squeal. Try twisting the valves behind the washer to make sure they are fully open. If the sound continues you might need to have those old valves replaced.
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It is honestly so easy to get used to the weird quirks and noises of our homes. We just tune them out as background noise while we go about our busy days. But paying a little bit of attention to what your pipes are doing can save you from a completely ruined weekend. Taking care of small sounds now prevents massive plumbing disasters later.
Bliss Donahue-Power
