Does the sound of water pipes vibrating inside your home’s walls disturb you? Are you finding yourself constantly distracted by the noises of vibrating pipes?
Unfortunately, numerous factors contribute to this home irritation, making it difficult to determine the source of the distraction.
We’ve put together this guide to help provide answers to your question about water pipes vibrating randomly and hopefully help you find solutions. If you’ve ever heard metal vibrating or clanging noises after using a sink or turning on the dishwasher, then it’s time to pay attention.
While rattling pipes aren’t an entirely uncommon homeowner issue, they do require action and attention to be resolved.
What Causes Water Pipes Vibrating Randomly?
Essentially, it’s common for pipes to vibrate for three main reasons:
- A loosened pipe
- An excess of water pressure
- Water hammering
Pipes may vibrate if they’re loose, or if the supports holding them up are slackening. It’s possible that there’s too much air in the pipes or that the temperature has changed, though temperature changes are more likely to result in pings and ticking noises than vibrating or rattling.
It’s also possible for pipes to vibrate due to a “water hammer,” when the water is quickly shut off and water slams into a closed valve.
How to Troubleshoot Water Pipes Vibrating Randomly
Now that you’ve learned the reasons why your water pipes are vibrating, it’s time to determine which is the cause for your situation. We’ve gathered some expert insight and solutions below, which you can use as a guide.
Loose Pipe
When water flows through your pipes, over time they can begin to vibrate because a part of the pipe is loose and can hit a nearby surface, making noise.
Depending on the position of the loose pipe, this problem may happen when you run faucets, showers, washing machines, flush toilets, and use other appliances throughout your home that require water to operate correctly.
Loosening pipes is a normal thing to happen in your home over time and can be fixed fairly easily. Pipe clamps are often used to fasten plumbing pipes to a home’s framework to reduce the vibrating and keep them secure.
There could be a loose clamp somewhere in your plumbing system that is causing the water pipes to vibrate randomly.
Look for exposed pipes underneath sinks and in other places throughout the house to try and identify the problem’s location. If the pipe clamps are reachable, tighten them to hold the pipe in place and reduce the clanging noises.
Keep in mind that with any plumbing repair, it is best to call a professional, especially if vibrations are coming from loose pipes hidden behind walls.
An experienced professional can identify the problem and make repairs more quickly and safely, which can save you the trouble of looking for the pipe and drilling holes in your walls.
High Water Pressure
Water pipes may vibrate if the water pressure is too high. This is often due to the loosening of pipe fittings brought on by the increasing pressure inside your home’s plumbing system.
In this case, it’s important that you examine your water pressure regulator. That regulator usually sits alongside the main water line that enters the house just behind the main shutoff valve. Depending on the arrangement of your home’s layout, this can be in the utility closet or basement of your house.
Typically, it’s best to maintain a 40-60 psi water pressure setting. Do this by adjusting the regulator as necessary.
Plumbing pipelines are stressed by water pressure over 60 psi, which is capable of causing more issues than simply noise and vibration. Your plumbing may become damaged as a result of this problem.
Water Hammer
When quick-moving water slams into a closed valve in the plumbing system, it causes a water hammer, also known as hydraulic shock. Loud vibrations can be produced when the water abruptly stops flowing. This may be what you’re hearing when you notice clanging noises and your water pipes vibrating randomly.
To minimize the power of a water hammer, the majority of house plumbing systems feature air chambers that offer pressure release. However, as time passes, these chambers occasionally fill with water and lose part of their effectiveness.
Call John. C. Flood for the Job
Are you sick of your water pipes vibrating, and troubleshooting hasn’t helped? It’s time to make a plumbing repair appointment with John C. Flood.
Our certified plumbers examine your pipes to determine the cause of the commotion, then go to work creating long-lasting repairs that bring your plumbing’s peace and quiet back. Take advantage of our coupons page during your next service visit.
Ready to get started? Contact us today!
