When you run water in your house, it should turn on and off with nothing more than the sound of water draining down your sink. If your pipes make a lot of rattling, slamming, or other noises, something is wrong. This can be due to several different reasons, though. So, let’s take a look at what might be causing your pipes to make noise.
Water Hammer
If your pipes sound fine when running but suddenly the pipes make a loud thudding noise when it is shut off, that is a water hammer. This is caused by the rushing water slamming into the shut-off valve when the water is shut off, and beyond being alarming, it can cause damage to your plumbing.
Examine the Air Chamber
You’ll find the air chamber close to the faucet. It is basically a vertical pipe. This pipe fills up with air that will compress, thus absorbing the shock of water that suddenly stops. However, eventually, the air chamber will likely fill up with water and not work very well. But, there is something you can do to fix this.
Find out where the main valve for your home’s water supply is and turn it off. Then, turn on all of the faucets in your house to drain your plumbing system. Once you’ve drained the system, turn your water supply on again. Doing this should force the air out of all of the pipes without forcing it out of the vertical chamber, which should now have its air replenished.
Use Water Hammer Arrestors
A water hammer arrestor is a device that has a spring-loaded shock absorber. Connecting this to your water pipes will help divert the force when you shut a faucet off. One nice thing about water arrestors is you won’t have to worry about them becoming waterlogged. You may even be able to install the water arrestors yourself if you’re good at home repairs. But, most people should have it installed by a licensed plumber.
Copper Pipes
If you have copper pipes, there could be another reason for the noise. Copper pipes often expand when hot water runs through them and causes them to heat up a bit. So, if your pipes are located in a cramped area, they could bump against nearby surfaces as they expand and again when they contract. Probably the easiest way to solve this problem is to lower your water temperature a bit. This is easier than using padding to get rid of the noise and should work just fine.
High Water Pressure
Another issue that can cause noisy pipes is overly high water pressure. Worse than even the noise, this can also cause damage to appliances that are hooked up to the water supply, and you wouldn’t want your dishwasher or washing machine to be damaged.
You probably have a pressure regulator attached to wherever your water supply enters your home. If you don’t have one, you might want to have one installed. It is generally recommended that the water pressure for your home be somewhere between 40 and 80 psi.
Final Thoughts
Loud plumbing can be annoying and is more often than not a sign something is wrong with your plumbing. You shouldn’t have to live with this problem, and you don’t have to. If you cannot solve the problem on your own with the information above, then a licensed plumber can help. In most cases, they can solve the problem quickly and easily without costing you much at all.
Contact Us
If you need help with your noisy pipes, contact J Griffin Heating & Plumbing. Our experienced plumbers have more than30 years of plumbing experience and are ready to help you. Call us at 781-520-1212 and connect with us on Facebook.
