There are multiple reasons as to why your water pipes may be humming. It can range from a leak to water pressure problems and multiple factors in between. Your humming noise could come on when you are running only hot water or only cold water. It could also be present for only a few seconds or it could last much, much longer.
But to stop the humming you must first find out what is causing it in the first place.
What Can Cause Water Pipes To Hum?
As we stated earlier – there are several reasons why this could be happening.
- Water pressure could be too high
- A problem with a ballcock in a toilet
- A problem with a gate valve
How Do You Stop Pipes From Humming?
So, now that we are aware of some of the causes of that humming noise, let’s take a look at what can be done to stop that noise from continuing and fix the problem.
High Water Pressure
If you have water running somewhere in the home and your pipes make a humming sound (no matter if it’s for a second or a few minutes) the problem may be that your water pressure is too high. Note that high water pressure could also make a loud high pitch sound as well.
Water running could include an open faucet or shower head or flushing a toilet.
So, what are the causes of high water pressure in my home? The cause could be a problem with your water pressure regulator or your thermal expansion relief device. It could also be that the location of your home (if it’s at the bottom of a hill) plays a part in the water pressure levels.
What Causes High Water Pressure?
The cause could be a problem with your water pressure regulator or your thermal expansion relief device. It could also that the location of your home (if it’s at the bottom of a hill) plays a part in the water pressure levels. You can read more about high water pressure issues and what can be done in our article titled What Causes High Water Pressure In A Home.
Problem With Ballcock In Toilet
Aside from problems that may occur in your pipes or faucets, etc. other places that could create that sound you are hearing are your toilet tanks. If the sound is heard when you flush your toilet then the problem may be inside the tank.
Usually with either a faulty washer or a problem with the ballcock assembly unit within the tank itself.
Simply replacing these items should fix the problem. But again, if they do not then we recommend that you contact a plumber to help you.
Here’s a video showing you how to replace this if that’s what’s needed.
Problem With A Gate Valve
The gate valve controls the flow of water through a pipe – they are normally the ones that you see with a twist type handle at the top (sort of like your outdoor spigot).
If there is a problem with this valve anywhere along your water pipe line – then you may end up hearing that humming noise when you turn your water on and/or off.
Are Humming Pipes Dangerous?
If your pipes are humming, that means something is wrong or broken somewhere. And that issue, no matter what it is, won’t go away until it’s fixed.
As with any plumbing problem – we recommend to get the issue fixed as soon as possible simply because as time goes on, it can get worse and the end result can be that it will cost you much more to fix if more damage is caused by simply ignoring the problem.
If you have any questions about water softeners or are having some problems with it, call Atlantis Plumbing today at 770-443-8229. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.