Common Water Pipe Noises and What They Mean

Strange noises coming out of water pipes often indicate a problem and must be addressed by a professional plumber. The home improvement and maintenance experts of Handyman Connection® of Lexington discusses the most common ones and the meaning behind each in today’s blog post.

Banging Pipes

This problem occurs whenever you turn the faucet on or off. It means the pipes are improperly secured behind walls. As water flows through the plumbing system, it flows over obstacles and around turns, causing water to swirl. The rhythmic pulses the flow of water creates causes the piping to begin vibrating, thus the banging sounds.

Whooshing Sounds

Whenever the faucet is open or the toilet is filling, you may hear a pulsing or whooshing noise coming out of the main supply line. It means the pipes are beginning to accumulate calcium and mineral deposits from the inside. Such sounds occur in plumbing systems made of galvanized or copper pipes.

Whistling Sounds on the Toilet

This sound is usually caused by a leaking toilet fill valve. To find the source of the leak, remove the lid off every toilet tank in your home, and adjust the fill valve mechanism until it stops. Once you determine the one that’s creating the noise, have the fill valve repaired or replaced.

Water Hammer

It is similar to the banging noise mentioned above, but this particular issue happens when you have high water pressure. If you turn off the faucet, water still has some force as it moves in a certain direction. Pipes, in turn, flex and create a loud hammering sound as they absorb that force.

These noises coming from your plumbing system should never be ignored. Consider tapping the expertise of the plumbing professionals of Handyman Connection of Lexington to inspect and fix the piping in your home. Give us a call at (859) 549-5429, or fill out our contact form to request an estimate.