Plumbing Noises in Walls

Home and business owners lead busy lives. Having a repair done to your home or office is a troubling and potentially expensive prospect. When a house or building starts making strange noises, owners become understandably nervous.

Advantage Plumbing & Sewer Co., the most dependable plumbing contractor in Aurora, IL, knows that strange plumbing noises in walls can be frightening. We understand you may be imagining all the money and time you’re about to lose. However, a little knowledge can go a long way.

In this blog post, we’ll discuss the causes of plumbing noises and the best ways to stop them.

Rattling Plumbing Noises

If your pipes are making a rattling noise, this sound doesn’t usually signify a major problem. Pipes rattle because they’re loose, and when water travels through them, it causes them to shake. Since the pipes are free-floating, they hit nearby walls and studs as they shake.

Loose pipes that cause rattling noises simply need fastening. If you can navigate your crawlspace or basement and tie down the lines yourself, it’s a quick and straightforward task. Otherwise, a plumber can correct this issue for you at a minimal cost.

Screeching or Squealing Noises

High-pitched squealing or screeching noises usually come from a particular faucet or fixture. Most people notice screeches or squeals from their plumbing when they turn on their bath faucet, one of the sinks, or when they flush the toilet. Although these sounds are minor, they may mean that parts of a particular fixture need replacing.

Those who consider themselves handy can usually perform the parts replacement themselves. A professional plumber can also do this job quickly and efficiently.

If you change your fixtures and still hear high-pitched noises, consult a plumber before attempting any further repairs.

Knocking, Banging, and Hammering Noises

One of the more alarming types of sounds people hear from their plumbing is knocking, banging, or hammering. Industry professionals refer to these banging plumbing noises in walls as “water hammers.” This noise happens when a water valve in the piping shuts off suddenly, causing the running water to slam into it.

Homes built after the 1960s have water hammer arrestors that prevent water hammers from happening. Older homes utilize air chambers in the piping as shock absorbers.

If you have a newer home and hear banging noises in your plumbing, your water hammer arrestors are not working correctly and need replacing. If you have an older home, these knocking sounds probably point to an air chamber that’s out of balance. In that case, the plumbing system will require draining and refilling.

Gurgling Plumbing Noises

If you hear a gurgling or bubbling noise in your plumbing, the air pressure in your water lines is off. You may also notice that the water in your toilet bubbles up randomly right after flushing your toilet. The latter issue could indicate that your drain line or main sewer line has a blockage.

If you don’t swiftly correct this problem, one or more of your drains will back up and require some pricey repairs. Therefore, if your plumbing is bubbling or gurgling, have a plumbing technician look it over as soon as possible. A drain cleaning may be the only way to correct the problem before it worsens.

Pipes Make Noise When Cold Water is Running

If your sink or pipes are making knocking or banging noises while running cold water, the cause may be high water pressure. The water is rushing through the piping with too much force. As a result, the pipes bang against walls, studs, or other piping. 

You or a professional can check the water pressure in your home by using a water pressure testing gauge. Your home’s ideal water pressure should be between 40 and 80 pound-force per square inch (PSI). If your water pressure is above 80 PSI, you may have a problem with the pressure-reducing valve in your plumbing system.

A good plumber should be able to repair or replace the pressure-reducing valve with no problem.

Pipes Make Noise When Hot Water is Running

This subject relates to those who hear clicking sounds when they turn the hot water on that disappears as soon as they turn it off again. This situation indicates that your hot water lines have chlorinated polyvinyl chloride (CPVC) piping, and its installation was poor. 

When installing the CPVC piping, the plumber did not consider that the pipes would expand when hot water ran through them. Therefore, the technician did not leave any room for such expansion. Without necessary clearance, as the pipes expand, they will knock or bang against anything near it.

To remedy the issue, a plumber will pinpoint the noisy pipes and open up their surrounding area to let them expand. This task may require cutting and moving walls and pipes to rectify the situation fully. Consequently, it’s best to leave this job to an experienced professional.

Pipes Are Making Banging Noises Sporadically

If you hear banging noises from your plumbing that seem to happen randomly, they are probably coming from your water heater. These noises that happen even when you aren’t using water originate from accumulating sediment in the water heater’s base. Steam comes through the sediment and reverberates in the tank, creating a knocking or banging sound.

To stop this noise from recurring, you’ll need to flush your water heater thoroughly to rid it of any sediment. If you’re unsure how to do this task, let someone with experience handle it. Flushing a water heater requires shutting off all the gas and electrical connections before beginning the procedure.

Call Advantage Plumbing & Sewer Co. in Aurora, IL

If you’re experiencing distressing plumbing noises in walls, Advantage Plumbing & Sewer Co. is here to help. Click the link if you want to know the symptoms of a bad plumbing vent. You can also give us a call at (847) 268-3553 for any plumbing issues in Aurora, IL, or the surrounding areas.