Why Are My Home’s Water Pipes Making Noises?

8/31/2023 (Permalink)

If you hear strange noises from pipes in your Kaysville, UT home, can exist issues that must be fixed.

Are your Kaysville, UT, home's pipes making strange noises like loud knocking and banging? There's obviously some type of problem with the plumbing, whether a pipe break or something else. Now it's time to determine the exact issue and what to do about it.

How Do I Stop the Racket?

1. If Running Hot Water Causes Knocking

Do you ever turn on the hot water tap and hear knocking? Does it continue several minutes after you shut off the tap? If so, the hot water supply lines could be poorly constructed. Hot water makes chlorinated polyvinyl chloride piping expand, so if it doesn't have enough free space, it could be knocking against other objects as it expands. Find the pipes that are causing the noise and give them more room between them and other things. This work could be invasive, requiring cutting into walls and relocating piping, so you will probably need a professional plumber.

2. If Running Cold Water Causes Banging

If you hear pipes knocking while running cold water or as soon as you turn on a faucet, you probably have high water pressure. High water pressure can cause the water to flow through the pipes too rapidly. This fast flow makes the lines shake, and they can rattle against anything close like walls or other pipes, causing knocking and banging. You can get a water pressure test gauge to test your home's water pressure, which should be 40-80 PSI. A plumber will need to inspect the home's pressure-reducing valve if the pressure is above 80 PSI. A plumber will determine if they can simply adjust it or if they must replace it. Extremely high water pressure could lead to a pipe break, so someone should investigate as soon as possible. A water damage restoration company can help if you discover a leaky pipe during this process.

3. If Shutting Off Water Causes Knocking

If you're hearing knocking after you shut your water supply off, whether cold or hot water, it could be what's called a water hammer. A water hammer happens when a water valve is turned off, which causes the water running through the pipes to crash into the valve. This crash causes the pipes to shake, which causes the knocking. Water hammer is a phenomenon that can happen in various scenarios, including when you turn off water taps, flush a toilet, or when the clothes washer is finished filling. If your home was built after the 1960s, water hammer arrestors were probably installed, but if you're experiencing water hammer, your home may not have them. Homes built pre-1960s have air chambers; water hammer arrestors weren't invented yet. If your home has air chambers, the best option for reducing water hammers is by draining all of the water from your home's plumbing and then turning the water main on again to refill it.

Strange noises like banging and knocking coming from your water pipes can not only be annoying, but they can also be a sign of a more significant issue. Avoid the possibility of having to fix a broken pipe after a pipe burst or pipe break by getting the problem solved as soon as possible.