It may seem like your home is haunted or falling apart when you have rattling pipes. The entire experience can be quite daunting especially if you have kids. Rattling pipes do happen from time to time and the reasons for this can be a few different things. We’ve listed a few of the reasons why you may have rattling pipes in Downriver Michigan and what you can do about it yourself as well as when you need to call a professional plumber.
Are Your Pipes Rattling in Downriver Michigan? This Might be the Reason
Your wall plumbing is crucial for the function of your home. It’s important that this part of your home is reliable and in tip top working order. One way to know that your pipes are not working right is when you can hear them. Healthy home plumbing is quiet, so if your plumbing is thumping and rattling, odds are something is wrong and needs to be checked out. Here are a few reasons your home plumbing could be rattling.
Water Hammer
A banging sound in your walls often is referred to as a water hammer. This is caused by blockages in your vent pipes. Water in your pipes typically creates a vacuum, but a vent in your system will normally dispel this and there is no issue. If this is clogged, however, that vacuum will form and create that banging noise.
This actually comes with a fairly easy fix, one that you can even do yourself. You first need to shut off your main water supply. Then turn on the faucet that is furthers away from the water supply, or the highest in your home. Next, turn on the lowest faucet or the one closest to the water supply. The water in the pipes will drain out and allow air into the pipes. Turn on the lowest faucet once the water is no longer draining. Then turn on your main water supply and allow the pipes to fill back up until the highest faucet is once again flowing.
When doing this yourself you’ll also need to ensure your water heater is turned off. If you do not turn off the water heater you may damage the element due to the water being removed from the tank. If you have a basement located water heater this may not be a problem however it’s best to always turn the water heater off to avoid this problem.
High Pressure
When your pipes are under high pressure, this can also cause there to be loud rattling or banging noises coming from your plumbing. If these noises present themselves when you turn faucets on and off, this is more than likely your reasoning. You should contact a plumber for this issue as they can help you to confirm the problem at hand and install a pressure regulator to get the water flowing at the right speed. This not only fixes the noise problems, but is also a lot easier on your plumbing and appliances that use water.
Loose Mounts
Another potential explanation for rattling pipes is loose fittings or mounts in your lines. You’ll need to have your plumbing inspected to determine if these are the cause, with special attention given to checking the corners and T-joints where the fittings can be loose. This isn’t something to ignore or put off because loose fittings could also be where leaks are occurring without you knowing. Extensive water leaks that are left ignored can cause significant structural damage to your home or even cause a mold and mildew problem. Its best to have an inspector out as soon as you can once you suspect this to be wrong with your plumbing.
Whatever the problem could be, it’s always important to get plumbing issues looked at and corrected as soon as possible to prevent them from becoming worse. Contact a licensed plumber or contractor if you suspect something could be wrong with your indoor plumbing, as issues with your pipes could lead to much bigger problems.
Be sure to call a professional plumber in Downriver Michigan if you have problems with rattling pipes that you can’t remedy yourself. Downriver Plumbers is a plumbing contractor in Downriver Michigan with over 30 years of experience and are master plumber certified. Call them today for more details and to schedule service on your pipes.
