Water hammers and loose pipes are only a few reasons for unnecessary squeaking, rumbling, and clanking in your home. Fortunately, these problems are very fixable and you may be able to troubleshoot these problems on your own.
Eliminating Water Hammers
Do you sporadically experience loud bangs throughout your entire home? Water hammers are probably the cause, and it’s important to take care of them to keep them from damaging pipe junctions. Waterlogged air chambers in the pipes can become clogged, causing deafening shock waves when the fast-moving water is stopped after a faucet is turned off.
To eliminate water hammers, turn off your home’s water supply. Then, drain all the water in your home by finding the lowest faucet on your property (usually located in the basement or outside) and turning it on. As the water drains, air will replace it. Turn off this faucet and turn back on the water supply.
Combatting Pipe Clatter
If you hear noise whenever you turn on the water in your home, the pipes are probably bashing against something. In order to troubleshoot these problems, turn on the water and try to locate the source of the noise. If you can find the problem pipe, you can usually combat the clangs with a block of wood or rubber.
If a pipe is banging against a wall, wedge a piece of wood behind the pipe, secure the pipe to the wall with masonry screws, and then fasten the pipe to the piece of wood with a pipe strap or U-clamp. In some cases, the pipe has already been fastened to the wall, but it is becoming loose in its strap. If this is the case, take a patch of rubber (a piece of an old garden hose will also do the trick), and wedge it behind the strap. If two pipes are clanging against each other, sticking a piece of rubber in the space between them will also absorb the shock.
On the other hand, if the noise is coming from behind a wall, try placing insulation or padding where the pipe comes out of the wall before taking the wall apart.
Troubleshooting Basement Pipes
Particularly in basements, steel pipes are often fastened to walls and ceilings with pipe straps. Because these straps have to be ever-so-slightly loose to allow for expanding and contracting due to temperature changes, it’s common for the pipes to become loose within the straps and cause a commotion. Either wedge a piece of wood into the empty space, or install more brackets to anchor the pipes. Be sure to include a piece of rubber between the pipe and the bracket to absorb movement.
Put an End to Pipe Rumbling
If your pipes are only causing a racket when using the hot water, it probably means that you need to turn the heat setting down. When the water temperature is too high, the excess steam can cause an unpleasant rumbling or squealing sound throughout your home.
When Should I Replace my Pipes Altogether?
When a pipe is too old and is clogged with mineral deposits, or when a pipe is too small, putting the noise to an end might mean replacing the pipes completely. However, if replacing your pipes isn’t a reasonable solution for you, you can try wrapping sound-proofing insulation around the clogged pipes in order to muffle the noise.
Many times, noisy pipes in the home can be a sign of more serious plumbing problems. Make sure you get in touch with a professional Pittsburgh plumbing company that you can trust by contacting Mister Sewer. The plumbers and technicians at Mister Sewer provide plumbing and sewer repair to clients throughout the Pittsburgh area. Don’t let the noisy pipes in your home lead to more serious problems and contact Mister Sewer today!