5 Common Reasons the Pipes in Your Wichita Home Are Making Odd Noises
The effects of temperature and pressure within the pipes of your home can often cause random sounds that may annoy or startle you. Some of the common causes of noisy pipes are easily remedied with the assistance of a plumbing contractor.
High Water Pressure
If your water pressure is higher than the average of 40 to 60 psi, noisy pipes can result from a sudden reduction in flow, such as a washing machine shutting off its supply. This can cause a pressure wave to form at the valve and bounce back and forth within the plumbing. It is known as the “water hammer effect” and it can be quite loud. To eliminate it, have your plumber install a pressure reducer and water hammer arrestors.
Poorly-Secured Pipes
When pipes are not secured properly inside walls or ceilings, differences in pressure created as valves are opened and shut can cause the pipes to flex, banging into nearby surfaces. By installing vibration-reducing clips or hangers at recommended intervals you can reduce the amount of noise.
Broken Fixtures
A loud sound followed by reduced pressure at a fixture, such as a faucet, may indicate that a part inside has broken and come loose, moving to a restriction, such as an aerator, and slowing the flow of water. To fix this, shut of the supply to the fixture and repair or replace it.
Air in a Hot Water Heating System
Banging and gurgling sounds can form in the pipes of a hot water heating system if excess air is allowed into the lines, disturbing the flow of water. Have your heating contractor purge the air and make adjustments to the system’s temperature to prevent future noise problems.
Water in a Steam Heating System
An overfilled boiler can cause water to migrate into the steam pipes, restricting the flow of steam and causing noise as the steam forces its way through. Have your heating contractor drain the excess water from the system and refill the boiler to the proper level.
For help to silence the noisy pipes in your Wichita home, call our professionals at Comfort Systems today.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Wichita, Kansas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about pipes and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.