Why is My Home Making Strange Plumbing Noises?

Why Plumbing Noises at Night Are More Common

Often, you will hear these strange plumbing noises at night because 1) you are home and not at work or out running errands and 2) that’s when the house is most quiet. But, just because it’s common to hear these noises at night does not mean you don’t have an issue. Often, if your plumbing is making noises, it is trying to tell you something! Sometimes the issue can be resolved by yourself, but other times a plumber will be needed to address the issue.

Different Plumbing Sounds You May Hear

Loud plumbing noises can be scary, and you’re probably wondering “What does this sound mean?” So, our team has put together a video that describes some of the common plumbing sounds people call us about and what causes them to occur. Watch our video or read below for more information. If you’re in the Atlanta, Georgia area and worried you have a plumbing problem, call our team of Atlanta plumbers for more information on your:



• Plumbing Rattling Noises
• Plumbing Knocking Sounds
• High Pitched Noises in Plumbing
• Gurgling Sounds in Plumbing
  

Rattling Noises

Rattling noises are often nothing to worry about. This noise usually means you have loose pipes. As water is running, pipes are shaking and hitting nearby walls making the noise you hear. Pipes should be secure. If you suspect your pipes making a rattling noise are caused by loose pipes, walk around your basement or crawl space and try strapping them down. If the pipes are in your walls or hard to reach, you may want to call a plumber.

Banging, Knocking, or Hammering Sounds

Another common plumbing noise you may hear is what people describe as banging, knocking or hammering. This knocking noise in plumbing is actually called a “water hammer”. It happens when appliances shut off really quickly. To prevent this banging noise in your plumbing pipes, you can add water hammer devices behind each appliance. If you consider yourself a handyman or handywoman, you can install these devices on your own, but often to fix the plumbing hammering sound you hear, you’ll need to call a plumber.

High Pitched Squealing or Screeching Noises

If you hear a distinct high pitched noise in your plumbing, this can usually be pinpointed to a certain fixture or faucet. These squealing or screeching noises can be heard when you turn on a sink or shower faucet or even flush a toilet. The fix is pretty simple: just replace the fixture’s parts and it should solve the issue. Don’t want to fix your faucets yourself? Ask a plumber to do your faucet repair. If your plumbing is still making a high pitched sound, you may need a plumber’s advice.

Gurgling Sounds

Sometimes you may hear a “plumbing bubbling noise” or something like there’s air in your plumbing. Unfortunately, the worst noise you could hear is a gurgling sound in your plumbing, especially if you hear the noise after flushing the toilet. Usually this means your drain line or main sewer line that goes to the street is backing up. If your plumbing is making a gurgling sound, you should get it checked out. It’s usually a precursor for what’s about to come. Turn on your faucets and flush toilets. Check your fixtures to see if something starts to back up. If it does, you may need to schedule a drain cleaning service.

Other Reasons for Strange Plumbing Noises

If these suggestions don’t help resolve the strange plumbing noises you are hearing, there may be another cause to your issue: your pressure regulating valve. If this part is bad, it could be the cause of all your weird plumbing sounds. The simple solution may be to replace your pressure regulating valve.

In summary, plumbing noises are scary, but they’re usually not a big deal. Contact a plumber if you want the noise checked by a professional. If you’re in the Atlanta area, trust Plumb Works Inc with your plumbing inspections, maintenance, repairs, replacements and installations. Call 404-524-1825 for questions or to schedule a service.