Noisy pipes can be annoying and even alarming, especially when you’re not sure what's causing the racket. From loud toilets to water hammer, there are many reasons why your plumbing may be making sounds. Here, we’ll go over common causes of noisy plumbing and how you can fix them.
1. Loud Toilets
Cause: If your toilet makes a loud noise when it refills, it’s often due to a worn or perished diaphragm in the fill valve. This can be common in older toilets.
Fix: Replacing the fill valve is usually recommended, and is . Alternatively, you can change just the diaphragm, but more often than not replacing the full valves is around the same cost.
2. Water Hammer
Cause: Water hammer occurs when a valve closes suddenly, causing water to slam against the closed valve. This results in a loud banging noise and can potentially damage your pipes over time.
Fix: Installing a water hammer arrestor can absorb the shock of sudden pressure changes, preventing the banging.
3. Vibrating Quarter-Turn Taps
Cause: Quarter-turn taps (lever-type taps) can sometimes cause vibrations due to a faulty or perished ceramic quarter turn tap cartridge, or other plumbing issues, leading to a buzzing or vibrating sound when turned on or off.
Fix: Replace the tap, or its cartridges.
4. Flowing Water in the Pipes
Cause:The sound of water flowing through your pipes when a tap is run.
Fix: Usually there is no need to attempt a repair, and hearing water running when a tap is open is completely normal.
5. In Apartments: Hearing Other People’s Drains
Cause: In apartment buildings or shared walls, it’s common to hear water draining through pipes when neighbours use their sinks or showers, as the pipes are often connected.
Fix: Soundproofing the walls or wrapping the pipes in soundproof insulation can help reduce the noise. While this may not entirely eliminate the sound, it can make it much less noticeable.
6. Hearing Neighbours’ Plumbing
Cause: Sometimes, you can hear your neighbours’ plumbing, especially in shared-wall homes or apartments. This is due to thin walls or shared pipes that transmit sound easily.
Fix: Adding soundproofing materials to walls, floors, or ceilings can dampen the sound. If you’re doing renovations, consider using acoustic insulation around pipes and walls to help keep out external noises. Informing your neighbour is a first step, as they may be able to hire a plumber to make a repair if needed.
7. Clanging Pipes
Cause: Clanging or rattling pipes are usually caused by loose pipe brackets, which allow the pipes to move and bang against walls or other fixtures when water flows through them.
Fix: Inspect the pipes and tighten any loose brackets or add additional clamps to secure them. Rubber pipe insulation can also help by cushioning the pipes and reducing noise.
8. Gurgling Drains
Cause: A gurgling sound in your drains usually indicates a blockage in the drain or vent pipe, causing air to get trapped and bubble up through the water.
Fix: Use a plunger to attempt clear any blockages, or hire a drainage engineer to clear the blockage for good.
9. Whistling or Screeching Taps
Cause: Whistling or screeching sounds from taps are often caused by a worn-out washer or valve, which causes vibrations when water passes through at high speed.
Fix: It's typically recomended to change the entire tap, or its cartridges.
10. Ticking or Creaking Pipes (Thermal Expansion)
Cause: As hot water flows through cold pipes, the metal expands, causing a ticking or creaking noise as it rubs against supports or other surfaces.
Fix: Wrapping pipework in fire-retardant material to prevent it from rubbing against joists and floorboards.
