We have all at some point in our life used a faucet and when turning it on or off heard the pipes groan or vibrate. It’s a bit unsettling and instantly makes you think that something is going to break. After a few times of it happening with no major consequences you tend to get used to it. Or at the very least, it no longer freaks you out. But, what causes the pipes to make those noises in the first place?
There are a few reasons pipes can make noises such as groaning or rattling. In this article we want to go over those causes.
First, let’s describe what the groaning sound actually is. It’s called acoustic resonance. Essentially it is tiny vibrations which cause a small sound. But the width and length of the pipe act as sort of an amplifier. The sound becomes louder and deeper the longer and wider the section that is being vibrated.
When water flows over or through an area of the pipe where there is a narrowing, it can cause noises to emanate from the pipe. The narrowing is usually in older pipes that have either built up sediment over time or have been narrowed by damage.
Additionally, sounds can emit from a pipe when rushing water hits a closed valve. The valve can be partially or fully closed and the sound can still occur.
Sometimes air bubbles being trapped inside your pipes can cause it to make strange noises. The noises can be anything from rattling or vibrating to a swishing sound. In cases like these you can try to let the air vent yourself or hire a professional plumber in your area to resolve the issue.
Loose pipes can also be a cause of groaning or moaning sounds in your plumbing pipes. If you are handy with a wrench, you can tighten them yourself. Or you can hire a plumber to professionally tighten your pipes and make sure they don’t come loose again.
Jake, a plumber in Melbourne, Florida had this to say: “If your pipes are old metal pipes and you get vibration and noise, this goes with the territory. If it is driving your crazy then you may want to consider getting your home re-piped. If your home or plumbing is new and this is happening, you should contact the contractor and let them know you are unhappy about it and that you want it fixed ASAP.
There are various tools you can use to work on plumbing. Just make sure you are using the correct tools and you have an inkling of what you are doing. You can cause much more damage if you attempt plumbing fixes and have no idea of how to perform the fix. It may be worth paying a plumber a few hundred bucks to make sure the job is done correctly from the start. Professional plumbers will spend many years of training and on-the-job experience making sure they know what they are doing. The average Joe should not expect to be able to pull off the same jobs by watching a few videos on YouTube.