Pressure Regulator

Vibrations, Hammering and Noisy Water Supply Lines?

One cause of vibrations and noisy water supply lines may be that one or more of them are loose. This sometimes sounds like screaming or singing pipes when you turn the water on. The solution is often as simple as securing the pipes in question and arresting the vibrations. If the pipe or pipes are inaccessible, perhaps in a wall, a professional plumber should be able to locate the loose pipes and properly secure them.

A water hammering noise in supply lines is caused when a supply valve shuts or is shut suddenly. These are typically valves that automatically shut quickly, such as toilets, washing machines or dishwashers. The result is a pressure surge that creates a knocking or hammering sound.

Water hammer can be fixed by adding a water hammer arrestor to the supply lines with the fast-closing valves. However, because this process typically involves cutting the pipes it’s important this job be performed by a professional.

Often all these problems can be solved by reducing the water pressure in your home. High water pressure can cause not only a vibrating noise, but also damage to your pipes. Fortunately, a plumber should be able to fix the problem by adding a pressure-reducing valve to your plumbing system’s main line.

If you are experiencing noisy pipes try these tips or contact a professional plumber to properly evaluate you plumbing system.