Is the Plumbing in your Home Trying to Tell you Something?

Noisy plumbing could be trying to tell you something. Should you be concerned? Avoid possible damage and investigate those noises now.

“Eeek! What was that?!?!” Plumbing noises in your home can be creepy, especially when you’re home alone at night. But if you know (or at least have a good idea) what is squeaking, banging, hammering, ticking or moaning, a lot of the scare just isn’t there. Those noises could be trying to tell you something, but what? Should you be concerned?

What Could the Plumbing in your Home be Trying to Tell you?

Noisy plumbing may or may not be cause for concern. To find out what your plumbing could be trying to tell you, you must identify three factors:

1. Determine what kind of noise your plumbing is making
2. Where in the house the plumbing is making the noise
3. What causes the noise to start and stop

Once you’ve identified these factors, you can troubleshoot the noisy issues yourself or contact Blue Frost Heating & Cooling for assistance.

What Kind of Noise does your Plumbing Make?

1. Squeaking

If you hear a squeaking sound when you turn on the water, the pipe coming from your hot water heater is expanding due to the hot water running through it. When pipes expand, they rub against the straps that anchor them and “squeak.” If the sound bothers you, it can be fixed. It isn’t causing any damage, so there’s no cause for concern about this noise.

2. Banging

Are your pipes making a banging sound when you turn on the water? If they do, the noise you’re hearing could be the pipes banging against the anchoring or other pipes. Water pipes are anchored every six to eight feet depending on whether they run horizontally or vertically. If your plumbing is making banging sounds, there could be one of two reasons why:

• Anchors may have been improperly installed or may have come loose somewhere. The water pressure is causing the pipes to rattle or shake.
• You may have partially clogged pipes. Pipes partially clogged with hair, grease, paper towels, feminine products, etc. may need to be cleared with a hydrojet.

Banging pipes should be checked out by a professional Blue Frost Heating & Cooling plumber. This sound may be trying to tell you damage is being done and the pipes need to be cleared.

3. Hammering

When the plumbing in your home makes a hammering sound when you turn the water off, there is probably an issue with your water pressure.

• The water has been turned off suddenly. The sudden halt makes changes in the water pressure causing pipes to shift.
• The water pressure in your house exceeds 80-pounds-per-square-inch. Call Blue Frost Heating & Cooling check out your water pressure level and make sure this isn’t cause for concern. Water hammer arresters can be installed to reduce or eliminate hammering sounds.

4. Ticking

Ticking sounds point to a faulty water meter. If your water meter is ticking, contact the city and have them replace the faulty water meter.

5. Moaning

Moaning sounds are trying to tell you a couple of things about your pipes:

• When hot water runs through pipes which run through small holes, or they are angled improperly, they will expand, run and then moan as they expand.
• If a pressure relief valve is not set right, changes related to the water pressure will make moaning sounds. If the moaning continues, call Blue Frost Heating & Cooling. One of our professional plumbers should check it out.  Water pressure issues could be telling you there is trouble ahead.

Blue Frost Heating & Cooling is at your Service!

Contact Blue Frost Heating & Cooling at (630) 444-0860 or schedule a time for one of our plumbers to investigate the sounds your plumbing is making. Listen to what your plumbing is trying to tell you and avoid possible damage to your home.

Blue Frost Heating & Cooling – Changing lives and improving inside air quality in the Chicago area for 25 years.