Is your home’s plumbing system making weird noises? Do you hear a strange banging sound every time you use the water in your home?
What is it? Where is it coming from? How can you make it stop?
Gurgling in your drains, banging pipes, or whistling are just some of the odd noises that you may hear from your home’s plumbing system. We know that these noises are not only irritating, but they could be an indicator of a much larger issue.
To give you peace of mind, we have put together tips and solutions for the most common plumbing solutions, so you’ll know exactly what steps to take to keep your plumbing system at its peak efficiency.
Banging Pipes
Have you noticed a banging noise coming from your walls when you flush a toilet or run your washing machine? This is known as “water hammer” and can be quite a nuisance. When you flush your toilet, water runs through the pipes quickly. But as the toilet finishes filling up, it suddenly closes a valve, causing water the crash against it.
To fix the problem on your own, all you have to do is turn off your main supply valve! Once your water is off, turn on all of your faucets and flush all of your toilets to completely drain your pipes of water. After everything starts running dry, turn your water back on at the main valve nice and slow and you should be good to go.
Note: If you turn the water back on too quickly, the air chambers in your pipes won’t have time to refill, leaving you right back where you started.
Whistling Showerhead
A whistling noise from your showerhead may be due to a clog. Removing the showerhead and cleaning it can help remove buildup and deposits that may be contributing to the noise. If your showerhead is still making noise after you clean it, it may be time for a replacement!
Popping Water Heater
That popping noise probably means there’s sediment at the bottom of your water heater tank—in which case your water heater is in need of a good flush. If you don’t the flush the tank, the water heater’s efficiency will drop and—in the long run—the tank can deteriorate and spring a leak (meaning you’ll need to replace the water heater). You can either flush your tank yourself or call Donnelly’s to have a professional plumber take care of this for you.
Tip: Emergency Steps To Shut Down A Water Heater
Gurgling Drains
Have you noticed a “blub-blub” or “glug-glug” sound coming from your drain? There are a number of reasons that gurgling, bubbling sounds might start coming from your drains. The gurgling noises you are hearing may come from one of the following issues:
- Improperly Installed Vents or Blocked Vents – An improperly installed vent means less air and less suction, thus the gurgling sound.
- A Partial Clog or Blockage Along The Main Sewer Line – As time goes by, drains build up small chunks of soap, tissue paper, hair, grease, and other blockages that will slow down draining and delay the air flow which can cause the gurgling sound. Try a sink plunger to see if this clears out the clog. If the sink plunger doesn’t solve the problem, do not use chemical drain cleaning agents to attempt to remove the suspected clog. These chemicals can seriously damage your pipes, and they leave toxic fumes behind.
- Faulty Septic Tank – A break or clog in the sewer line will trigger a sewage back-up into all the drains in your home. The first sign of the back-up will be sewer gas being pushed up through the p-traps (as with blocked vents). You should act immediately when you encounter gurgling drains to keep you safe from costly repairs and replacements.
Tip: Do’s and Don’ts When Caring For Your Septic Tank
Is Your Plumbing System Making Noises? Call Donnelly’s!
Whether you’re in need of immediate repair, are dealing with a clog or improper draining issue, or just need some answers on how to prevent plumbing noises from happening, Donnelly’s is here to help. We provide drain service and repairs here in Suburban Philadelphia, centered in and around the the Greater Philadelphia areaarea. To schedule service, click the banner below or just give us a call at (215) 855-2014.
