Spooky Sounds That Come From Noisy Pipes
The beginning of fall means it's time for Halloween. Halloween can be spooky enough by itself, but it can be downright frightening when homeowners suspect that something is haunting their plumbing system.
Plumbing haunts are usually recognized by the spooky noises they make at different points in the plumbing system. Unusual noises are almost always an indicator of something wrong, and water line services will be necessary to fix the problem. To keep haunted plumbing away from home, take this advice from local plumbers. They can help identify the spooky noise source and offer solutions to make them go away.
Humming Sounds Haunting the Home
One of the unmistakable, spooky sounds that can come from piping is a humming noise. Humming noises can occur at any point in the piping because they can easily reverberate throughout the whole home. Almost always, a humming noise is the result of high water pressure.
High water pressure can be dangerous in a home because the plumbing is rated to work within a certain range. If pipes start humming, that means that pressure has crept up and could threaten to burst pipes or plumbing fixtures.
A plumber can help diagnose the problem quickly. The humming noise is often an indicator that a pressure regulator has gone bad and needs to be replaced to keep pipes safe from bursting.
Is It Just the Wind, or Is It the Pipes?
In a horror movie, if a character asks, "Was it just the wind," the answer is always "no." In a home, the answer is always the same. Under certain circumstances, pipes in a home can whistle. Whistling pipes is an indication that pressure is too high or water is trying to flow through a restriction.
Restrictions in piping usually occur as a result of scaling or corrosion of piping. The scaling inside of affected piping causes a reduction and flow that leads to turbulence in the pipe. The turbulence creates the whistling effect. Often scaling is noticeable by a crusty buildup that forms on plumbing fixtures. In some cases, installing a water softener can lessen the effects of scale buildup.
In many cases, the remedy to getting rid of whistling pipes is repiping. New plastic piping materials resist corrosion and scaling and can restore lost water pressure.
Water Hammer Going Bump in the Night
Of all of the plumbing sounds that can creep a homeowner out, a water hammer can drive them out of bed in a panic. Water hammer is a dramatic banging noise that can happen in old plumbing or a problem somewhere in the system. Water hammer occurs when the flow of water is suddenly stopped. One cannot dissipate the energy of the flowing water within the pipe, so the pipe will emit a noise that sounds like it's been hit with a hammer.
Water hammer is an indication that piping needs to be anchored properly. Pipes that are allowed to rattle can prematurely fail and cause a damaging flood. Additionally, installing special arresting devices can help cushion water as it flows through piping.
About Chris Wilson Plumbing & Heating Repairs Inc
Chris Wilson Plumbing & Heating Repairs Inc has been keeping pipes quiet in Seaside, CA for over 35 years. They offer same-day service whenever possible from their clean-cut and polite technicians. Call today to schedule routine plumbing service and avoid spooky problems that could keep homeowners up at night.
