Signals Provided by Frequent Plumbing Sounds

As your top plumbing experts in Utah, we at Expert Services- Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electrical have a unique relationship with our clients compared to other types of contractors. We’re here to provide 24-hour plumbing services to you and your family as needed, and we’re proud to offer these services to numerous Utah areas, but it also takes an attentive homeowner to note minor plumbing issues and call our pros for simple fixes before they become larger, more expensive problems.

There are a few pieces of evidence that might be available to help you determine the presence of various home plumbing concerns, and one of these pieces of evidence might be various sounds you’ll hear from parts of your plumbing or nearby areas. Let’s go over a few of the more common audible sounds that might be present here, plus what they might mean and how you should proceed if you hear them.

Drain Gurgling

In certain individual situations, a gurgling noise that only happens a single time might not mean much of anything. It could be due to an air bubble or some similarly minor concern.

If you hear gurgling regularly when using drains around the house, though, that’s another story. This kind of consistent gurgling results from a clog somewhere in the drain, one that blocks water from draining properly and may signal an issue with drain vents. When not properly vented, drains create significant numbers of air bubbles, which are what lead to the gurgling noise. Luckily, replacing drain vents is simple and affordable with our pros.

Pipes Shaking

One disclaimer here: All pipes technically shake to some degree while water moves through them – it’s just basic physics. But there are some cases where home pipes begin to shake far more than they should, including when they create a noticeable sound you can hear in multiple areas.

In these cases, the issue is usually that the pipes aren’t secured properly. This is usually due to mounting straps that have worn down or loosened, and many handy homeowners can tighten these themselves. If you aren’t comfortable with this, our plumbers are happy to help.

“Water Hammer”

A similar but typically louder noise you might hear when you turn on your water is a banging sound referred to in the industry as a “water hammer.” A water hammer takes place when a closed valve suddenly stops water from rushing through a pipe, and while the noise is what you hear, the real issue is the damage this can cause to your pipes and their joints. To fix this issue, one of our pros will have to come clear your air chambers in your pipe valves, which can clog with water and leave valves closed, causing the water hammer.

Screeching Valves

Have you begun to notice a shrill, high-pitched whine in between the period where you turn on your faucet and water actually comes out? This is usually due to a loose or defective valve, but the best fix here is often to replace the faucet itself.

For more on the kinds of plumbing issues you can often pick up due to prominent sounds, or to learn about any of our plumbing or HVAC services, speak to the staff at Expert Services- Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electrical today.