What Are the Culprits Behind Noisy Plumbing Pipes? | Boston Plumber

When your plumbing pipes are nice and quiet and your drains are working perfectly, you probably don’t put much thought into your plumbing. But if you hear creaking, knocking, or banging sounds when you turn on the water, that can all change in an instant.

Suddenly, your mind can play tricks on you. You start to imagine leaky pipes, or a bursting pipe in your wall or your basement that shoots water everywhere and causes thousands of damage. Are you overreacting, or do you have a valid concern? Unfortunately, noisy pipes can be a sign that something is off or that there is a leak, so it’s best to trust your gut and get down to the bottom of all the noise before it turns into a major headache.

What’s Causing the Noise?

When it comes to noisy pipes, there are several possibilities, such as thermal expansion, water pressure that is too high, air in the pipes, etc. Let’s take a closer look at these various issues that can cause noisy plumbing pipes:

1. Air in the pipes: If there is air in the pipes, you’ll probably hear it when you turn on a faucet or open a valve. The solution in this case is pretty simple. You turn off the main water supply valve, and then drain all of the water out of the pipes inside your home. By replenishing the air chambers, the problem could be solved when you turn the water back on.

2. Too much water pressure: Contact your local water company and ask them what the water pressure range is supposed to be for your home. You can go to your local home improvement store, such as a Home Depot or Lowe’s and purchase an inexpensive water pressure gauge. To test the water pressure in your home, connect it to the faucet outside and turn the water on. If the water pressure in your home is higher than it’s supposed to be, you can install a pressure regulating valve at the meter.

3. You need an arrestor: When you suddenly stop the flow of water by turning off a valve, do you hear vibration noises? If this is happening, you may need to install an arrestor. Arrestors absorb the shock, in effect stopping the noise and the vibrations.

Next: How to Find a Water Leak in a Wall

With so many possibilities for noisy plumbing pipes, our advice is to contact Winters® Home Services. One of our Boston plumbers can look for any leaks and determine the root cause of the noise. If the noise is new and your water bills increased after the noise started, this could be an indication that you have a leak.