Have you got noisy pipes? When pipes start making loud banging noises, it can be alarming to a homeowner. However, don’t fret too much just yet; there are a variety of reasons why your pipes could be talking to you right now. Take note that they are simply sending off a signal letting you know something needs to be addressed. So, whether your pipes have been vocal for some time now, or perhaps they just started speaking up, now is the perfect time to listen and evaluate what’s going on. With these points from your Bexley Plumbing & Drain professionals, you should be able to pinpoint the cause:
Why Are My Pipes Making a Banging Sound?
Water Pressure Is Too High: High water pressure is the number one most common issue that causes banging noises in pipes. Generally, a home’s water pressure should be between 40 and 70 psi. So, if your water pressure is over 80 psi, it is sure to cause unpleasant noises like the banging sound you are experiencing. Furthermore, it can cause damage to any water-using appliance like your washing machine or dishwasher. So, if this seems to be the case for you, installing a water pressure regulator would be a good idea. If this piques your interest, feel free to call us for more information!
Steam Boiler Contains Too Much Water: Heat from steam is a common culprit of banging or loud pipes. This occurs when too much water is in the pipes, causing flooding. A licensed plumber can identify and diagnose the issue correctly, then drain it as necessary and set everything back in working order.
Washer Is Loose: Perhaps a washer became loose. Suppose you’ve recently noticed a faint clunk when using your faucet, or maybe you even recognized that your faucet’s water flow seems a little restricted. In that case, it’s highly possible that a washer has become loose and is possibly trapped inside the faucet opening. To remedy this, you should shut off the main water supply first, then open the faucet and fix the issue.
Not Enough Water in a Forced Hot Water System: Forced hot water pipes have the probability of becoming “air-bound” on occasion. This means too much air has entered the forced hot water system, resulting in many unruly banging and gurgling-like sounds. To resolve this, you will need a plumber to purge the system and make adjustments to the water temperature accordingly.
Water Is Hammering: You might be wondering, “What is hammering water?” Well, when water flow comes to a sudden halt or switches directions, the rushing liquid suddenly has no place to flow, resulting in a hammering-like noise from the water slamming into the shut-off valve. Typically, this happens when water is turned off too quickly. For example, you may have noticed this when your shower was turned off, or a toilet valve was suddenly closed.
You may fix this by checking your air chamber which is the vertical pipe near your faucet. Bear in mind, however, that air chambers can lose their effectiveness over a lengthy period of time, so you can try to rectify this issue by first turning off the water supply to your house. Next, open all the faucets in your home so all the water may be drained from your system, then turn the water supply back on. The new, incoming water should have the air flushed out of the proper places, thus removing the issue of the loud banging noise from your plumbing work. If this doesn’t resolve the issue, a licensed plumber may be needed at this point to assess the issue and perhaps install a water hammer arrestor.
Pipes Are Loose: Lastly, try performing a walk-through of your home, inspecting all visible pipes, and ensuring none are loose or dangling. You’d know your pipe needs a little extra attention if you find one that may need to be tightened. When a pipe becomes loose, the water moving through it will cause the pipe to make some movement creating that banging sound in the process. You will want to get that taken care of as soon as possible before the pipe is undone entirely and you are left with a messy situation.
We genuinely hope this has helped give you some insight into what might be occurring with your pipework. However, if it hasn’t, and you still have not been able to narrow down the cause of the issue, this is a good indication that now is the time to call a professional plumber. With help from your Bexley Plumbing & Drain certified plumbers, we will be able to spot the issue and provide a strategy to fix the problem for you. If you don’t already have a local plumbing business you can rely on, give us a chance; we’d love the opportunity to serve you! Contact us at (614) 368-9371 or schedule an appointment online by clicking here!