Water pipe whistling or shrieking noise FAQs

Q&A on cause & cure of whistling pipes

Water Pipe Whistle Noise at Water Main, Meter, Pressure Regulator?

What's causing a loud whistle shriek from plumbing after work on bathrooms in a five-apartment building with common water source?

Our large building is almost 100 years old, and was remodeled in the 70's from a single family to multi unit apartment building in which five one bedroom single bath apartments share cold water pipes.

Recently some toilet work was done in one unit, and a complete bathroom remodel in another which included tile work on floor and shower tile in which toilet was removed and replaced along with the shower faucet.

We have had a whistle shriek ever since. Troubleshooting has included inspecting roof outlet, shutting off main, running all faucets indoor and out and replacing flappers in toilet.

Those steps seemed to change the dynamic slightly, in that whistling shriek tapers off and stops after a unit finishes using their water.

However whistling shriek continues each time water is used. At this juncture I am completely clueless. Any suggestions ? On 2014-11-06 by Nancy for Palmer St. Apartments - Orlando, FL -

Reply by (mod) - basics of water pipe whistle and what to try to fix it: start at the main water shutoff

Basically, Nancy, water pipe shrieking noise is the result of velocity of water moving through a restricted opening or pipe.

The noise might be coming from multiple such restrictions or from a single point or source. Since your five apartments all share a common water source, I'd start there by slightly closing down the water pressrure regulator if there is one, or by slightly closing the main water supply valve.

That will reduce the rate at which water can flow in gallons per minute through the plumbing supply pipes.

If that stops the noise I'd quit there.

If the noise persists, and if the noise occurs regardless of which apartment is using water, I still think the noise is coming from common-use piping rather than from individual fixtures in the individual of five apartments.

So I'd try a mecanic's stethoscope to see if we can determine the points where the noise is loudest - listen along accessible pipes beginning where water enters the building.

More exact water pipe noise causes and cures are given

at see WATER HEATER NOISE DIAGNOSIS, CURE - Daniel Friedman

How do I fix water meter screaming noise? Whistling/ whine noise finally traced to toilet drain pipe

My water supply pipe is shared with next door. Water flowing into the house is measured through a mechanical type meter. When next door turn on a tap my water meter screams in agony and a supply of water dribbles out of my kitchen tap. The meter is situated under the kitchen sink.

The only way to silence the noise under these circumstances is to turn off the stop tap and isolate the water supply and meter in the house. Not surprisingly this does work!

I am looking for a cause for this ahead of calling the water company.

The current mechanical meter was installed in the summer to replace an electro mechanical water meter which had come to the end of its life. There were no such problem with this meter.

Just to add this problem is recent over the last month. On 2022-12-10 by Bill -

Answer by InspectApedia (Editor) - water meter screams in agony

@Bill,

Like the Poughkeepsie police desk sergeant told Anna Banana when she called to ask the police to tell Metro North to stop blowing their train whistle on approaching the Poughkeepsie railroad station because she didn't like the noise ...

Well that's one I've never heard before.

I've heard water meters scream in agony, but that dribble of water out of your kitchen tap when the neighbor turns on water from a shared supply suggests to me that there is a water hammer problem, possibly related to a combination of water pressure and water flow rate.

Before calling the water company, I would

1. ask the neighbor if she has noticed plumbing leak or noise symptoms when you turn on a tap in your home

2. try turning the water main shutoff valve down to close it slightly - reducing the water gpm velocity a bit to see if that changes the problem

3. Are there any other water-related noises like an audible slamming or banging noise (usual water hammer noise) when you close a running tap?

Let me know what happens.

Followup by Bill - check with neighbors - screaming water meter

@InspectApedia (Editor), I will try to collar the neighbors and ask them what they have noticed about this phenomenon; they must have heard the noise and are probably as fed up with it as I am. Similarly I'll ask what they have observed when I turn my kitchen tap on.

I suspect their water system doesn't make undue noise in the latter case or I would have heard it. The phenomenon doesn't occur for me when I open the tap. Unfortunately the neighbors are reclusive and it may be difficult to approach them for a informative response.

My meter was replaced in May and up until the screaming started when, I believe, next doors tap was suddenly shut off my kitchen sink cupboard would finish the action with a thump.

I have tried a variety of positions for the stop tap under the kitchen sink, but it makes no difference to the screaming / dribbling except for when it is closed right off.

Here's something, I have taken to cutting the supply at various times by turning off the stop tap just to get a break from this. Even when the tap is turned off the screaming can erupt be it only briefly before it is quelled permanently, or at least until I turn on the water again.

Reply by InspectApedia (Editor)

@Bill,

Right, thanks for the added detail.

My suggestion is to try closing the water main shutoff valve a turn or so - not the individual fixture shutoffs.

Let me know if that works.

by Bill - adjust the water supply stop-tap to stop water meter noise?

My descriptions were referring to adjusting the stop tap before the meter., where the main enters the house. The stop cock down stream from this is in the street and controls the supply to four houses.

To clarify I reset the stop cock inside the house which controls the water to all water outlets not just the kitchen tap. It also seems that when the plumbing at the kitchen sink begins to whine and a thin dribble emerges from the tap this can continue indefinitely even when the neighbours has stopped drawing water from the main, though it also can just start and then stop.

Why can a tap start to scream and dribble out a stream of cold water when the outside main is in a stable state, ie. under pressure but with no water being drawn off from that branch of the main (save for the dribble of course?

Answer by InspectApedia (Editor)

@Bill,

Water at certain velocities can make a whine or screaming noise in piping or fixtures.

But why is your faucet dripping if it's in the off position - a leak to repair?

by Bill

First I wanted to correct my previous statement that the stop cock in the street is down stream of the cock in the house it is of course up stream and I should have put this.

Thank you for your reply. The tap at the sink dribbles water, and it a good flowing dribble!, when the screaming begins and stops when it ends.

Last night I was in the kitchen and the screaming started and then quickly subsided. I could then hear the sound of water moving in a pipe; next door drawing water I expect Eventually the movement stopped and the pipework under my kitchen sink in unison concluded with a thump.

On other occasions the screaming and water flow from the tap must start while I am out for when I return the bowl in the sink which was empty when I left is full with water overflowing into the sink and down the drain.

I have returned to the house at the end of the day to be greeted by the screaming as I open the front door; as if to say welcome home!, and the water is streaming out into the sink I imagine it starts early in the morning and has been carrying on for the rest of the day.

More guidance by InspectApedia (Editor) - screaming could be from water velocity noise when your neighbor runs water

@Bill,

I can understand water hammer noise when a neighbor runs water when you share common water piping.

IF there are leaks at your faucet only when there is water hammer, for sure you'll want that fixed.

Water hammer can damage pipes, cause leaks, or just be annoying.

See WATER HAMMER NOISE DIAGNOSE & CURE

The screaming could be from water velocity noise when your neighbor runs water, noise transmitted to your space.

Please read our suggestions on the page above.

by Bill

@InspectApedia (Editor), Thanks, I am reading all this and trying to make sense of It.

The water hammer / single shock thump started after the meter was changed by the water company. The change was from one type of water meter to a different type. Is it plausible that the new type of meter induces the water hammer when the original one didn't?

I have applied pressure down the kitchen cold tap stem which, although it doesn't stop the screaming or water dribbling loss from the tap when the neighbours are making water demand, it does stop the defect as soon as they stop. So stooping the noise and water loss continuing all day until I return and can stop it.

by InspectApedia Publisher - changing a water meter might change the water velocity or flow rate

@Bill,

Sure, changing a water meter might change the water velocity or flow rate. On 2023-01-08

Whistling/ whine noise traced to toilet drain pipe

The problem in our case came from the TOILET DRAIN (the basin behind the toilet bowl). We had a loud whine or whistle. This happened once every couple days.

At first, the plumber said it because we did not turn the faucet all the way on or off in the basement that led to the outside water hose. Later, he discovered there was a slow drip in the bathroom toilet due to a weak drain plug. Once he replace this, the problem disappeared. On 2023-01-16 by William Sharek -

Reply by InspectApedia Publisher

@William Sharek,

That's very interesting, and I apologize for the nerve behind my reply, but I feel compelled to offer a slightly different explanation.

It would be quite odd for a drain to make a whine or whistling noise in response to a slow drip of a bathroom toilet into the waste line. A drip puts a minuscule amount of water into a 3" or 4" diameter pipe. Water velocity of such a volume in such a drain would be not be a noise factor.

But a slow drip in a toilet means, by definition, that the level of water, either in the bowl or in the flush tank, is slowly dropping, drip by drip.

When the water level in the tank falls low enough, the toilet fill valve will open to re-fill the toilet tank. Perhaps that small volume and short refill cycle was opening the fill valve for a short and not-fully-open interval, creating the whine or whistle, actually coming from the water supply system.

Ask your plumber if this explanation sounds right and if not please ask the plumber for a bit more detail as that would be most helpful to other readers here.

Thanks.

by Bill

@InspectApedia Publisher, I have been reading your information in the main text and as the problem appears to originate outside the property, ie. before the stop tap which isolates the property's supply from the main, the only thing that I can think of doing is to restrict the flow by turning down the stop tap on the main in the street which supplies several properties.

Is it OK in to do this? Is there anything else I can do outside of breaking into the main beyond the property and what else can I do there?

by InspectApedia Publisher

@Bill,

Yes, a small adjustment in a main water valve will change the water flow rate slightly and that can be diagnostic of the cause of water pipe noises.

NEXT

On 2018-01-22 by Ian

We were getting a very poor water pressure in my flat. Found the water supply valve which was only open a little.

Turned the valve maybe one turn which improved the water pressure. In doing this when water is running it is pretty noisy. Ran the washing machine and it was noisy. Anything I can do to reduce the noisy without compromising the pressure

On 2017-12-13 by (mod) - shower upstairs whistles when we turn water on

The article WATER SUPPLY PIPE WHISTLE NOISE discusses the technical explanation of the whistling noise, Lee, as principally an artifact of water velocity and perhaps some piping features like diameter, length, bends, elbows, restrictions.

Your particular shower, perhaps because of the shower head or control valves that differ from other baths, whistles. You could confirm this by experiment such as

- try a different shower head

- try slightly opening or closing water valves

let me know what happens when you do

On 2017-12-13 by lee

My shower upstairs whistles when we turn water on. Only one out of four bathrooms in house. Why??

On 2017-09-15 7 by (mod) - changing the degree to which you've opened the water supply valve may stop the noise

It sounds as if you had commendable success in sorting out this problem.

Basically by changing the degree to which you've opened the water supply valve to the toilet you are changing the water flow rate and thus the velocity and that in turn is what is robably determining the presence or absence of the Whistling noise that you describe.

On 2017-09-14 by tammy smith - whistling noise when flushing toilet

whistling noise when flushing toilet, I had a toilet back up when my elderly mom flushed her pad for incontinence down toilet I had to get a toilet urger not sure if I spelled that right it is a mini snake and that worked also got toilet brush stuck in toilet it would not come out due to do not buy one that has that the plastic rim on handle close to brush

I put lots of dishsoap in toilet and used shower head with high pressure very hot water and finally worked it out the water drains while working on getting toilet brush as long as it is directed into the hole it will bypass brush and drain when I turned water back on behind toilet

I did not open the valve fully and toilet started loud whistling noise due to air in pipe and not enough water pressure

so I turned valve open more which caused more water to fill at capacity and more pressure whiched stopped whistle , ms fixiturself

On 2017-06-07 by (mod) - in tracking down a plumbing noise investigate what has changed at the building

Dan,

It's probably going to be useful to investigate what has changed at the building. The problem could be a change in water pressure or water flow, change in pipe support, or other mechanical equipment whose vibration is being transmitted through water pipes. Let's track down The Source before we try to Define The Cure

On 2017-06-07 by dan - floor vibrates so strongly it wakes me up.

My floor vibrates so strongly it wakes me up. I live in an apt building in NYC on the ground floor.

After gettin woken up I go to the bathroom where I can hear other tenants turning the water on and off. I put up a hammock attached to the common brick wall with the building nextdoor and an interior wall. I can still feel the vibration and it wakes me up.

I've been living in this apartment for seven years and it just started three months ago. I haven't been able to sleep through the night.

On 2017-03-09 by (mod) - Intermittent low water pressure

Tom

Intermittent low pressure makes me suspect

- debris-clogging in the regulator
or
- actual variation on the city side.

Start by pulling the strainer on the faucet to check for (and clear) any debris- that'll be a clue.

Continue by measuring water pressure say at an outside faucet that's piped from close to the incoming water line. Search Inspectapedia for HOW TO MEASURE WATER PRESSURE to see a convenient gauge for that purpose.

On 2017-03-09 by tomcat

I recently took a trip and turned off the main water line to my home.

When I returned I turned it back on. I have now noticed that the water pressure in my faucets throughout the house now have intermittent low water pressure.

This morning my toilet tank in one of the bathrooms is whistleing but when I turn the faucet on in the sink in that bathroom it stops, any suggestions please.

On 2017-02-11 by (mod) - debris or corrosion in a toilet tank fill valve

Sometimes debris or corrosion in a toilet tank fill valve changes the flow rate to cause the water shrieking noise you mention. Try replacing the valve if exercising it a bit doesn't fix the trouble; also try slightly closing the tank fill stop valve to slow the flow rater from there.

On 2017-02-11 by Suzi - terrible noise from my toilet tank

I walked into my bathroom and heard a terrible noise from my toilet tank. It was squealing/shrieking. I shut off the valve and it stopped. I noticed a few drips of water under the tank but nothing signifigant. My outside hose on the wall wall behind my tank recently burst because of water.

Could that be connected to my pipe on the inside/opposite side of the tank? Will my wall burst if I don't keep my tank shut off.

Can I use my toilet? What can I do to avoid calling someone out here for an outrageous price? Please help me if you can with information. I'd appreciate it.

sfaze@aol.com

On 2017-01-05 1 by (mod) - modifying the flow rate

Surely you are modifying the flow rate from full speed to zero and then to a slower flow rate during your bleeding operation.

It's perhaps water velocity not just flow or not-flow, that's key.

On 2017-01-05 by Michael M. - Why does shutting the valve of the return line stop the noise?

Why does shutting the valve of the return line stop the noise? When I shut the valve, I open the bleed valve, so water is still flowing through the system, just not the small portion from where the valve is closed back to the pump?

And why when I leave the return line open, would shutting of any one of the three branches immediately end the noise?

Shutting off any of the three still allows for the flow to continue throughout the entire system outside of the one closed branch. I do not know a lot about any of this, but it seems to me that if I close a valve to a branch within the zone and the noise stops,

that the problem should lie within that branch, but clearly that is not the case since I can close any of the branches and the problem does not exist with the remaining 2 flowing.

There are valves for each of the 4 zones. 2 of the zones run off one pump, the other 2 zones run of a second pump. I thought the valve to the zone could potentially be the source of the noise, but it does not seem to be coming from there.

I will check out the link you supplied on forcing trapped air from a system. So far, I have just closed off the other three zones, and closed off the return line to the suspect zone while opening the bleed valve. I have in all cases seen some air bubbles coming out of the hose when bleeding.

I allowed the water to trickle the first half a dozen times I tried so as not to release water at a flow higher than the refill flow supplied from the boiler.

I have also released it at a higher flow and constantly see air bubbles, but believe that may be introducing air to the system due the high release rate. I have also released water at both a trickle and higher flow while opening the reducing valve from the city water to increase the pressure in the system. Each time I try bleeding the system I release 20 plus gallons of water before closing the system again.

On a side note, would the pipes freezing potentially introduce air into the system? That may be a stupid question, I just don't believe that it is coincidence that this zone froze or quit working for a few days a month ago and now is working but making these loud screams.

Thanks again.

Michael M.

On 2017-01-05 by (mod) - trapped air is making noise,

Michael:

If you're right in guessing that trapped air is making noise, it can be difficult to get rid of that air if you don't force the air through the system to an air bleeder. If during piping bleeding you do not see any air exiting, then bleeding more water out of the system is not helping at all nor will it fix anything.

I agree with your reasoning in ruling out the circulator pump: if the pump were making noise you'd hear it if the lower zone on the same pump loop were asking for heat when the upper zone were not.

Noise that stops when you close the return line on the noisy zone makes perfect sense since you're stopping flow through the zone.
Is there thus a separate zone valve for the noisy bedroom zone? If so could that valve be a noise source?

In a separate article series for hot water heat we discuss ways to force trapped air out of the system by temporarily using higher water pressure. Search InspectApedia.com for AIRBOUND HEATING PIPES to see some detailed suggestions.

On 2017-01-05 19: by Michael M. - screaming only occurs when water is called for the zone to my bedroom

I have hot water heating in the floors in all the floors of my house as the primary and only heat source. My house is divided into 4 heat zones.

About a month ago, temperatures reached about -10 degrees F outside with high north winds and pipes supplying heat to my bedroom and master bathroom on the north side of the house appear to have froze due to having the heat set too low and no water circulation.

Using space heaters and waiting until the temperature got back into the 30s the pipes eventually thawed and my heat appeared to be working properly. 3 weeks later, my pipes/pump started making a screaming noise when ever they called for heat. At first I assumed it was a pump issue, either cavitation or bearings.

The screaming only occurs when water is called for the zone to my bedroom, the same zone that potentially froze a few weeks earlier. The pump for that zone also supplies heat to the zone on the floor directly below my bedroom. I rule out a pump issue since there is no noise when the zone below calls for heat.

I can only conclude that there is air trapped in one of the pipes in the zone. I had a cooling and heating technician stop by and I also read up online and determined I should close up the return line to that zone and bleed out the system.

I have tried this on numerous occasions in the last week, at different bleed rates, and sometimes with the reducing valve open while other times having the reducing valve closed. As soon as I close the return line from the zone in question, the sound stops. The zone branches into 3 outflow pipes.

When closing the ball valve to any of the 3 pipes in the zone, the noise stops. I have tried bleeding the whole zone, as well as bleeding each of the individual branches within the zone.

After one session, the noise stopped, however, I had the heating technician over after and we determined during that time that one of the three branches within the zone had frozen or become air-locked since there was no heat in that branches pipes and the temperature was once again in the negative degree F.

Eventually the branch began pumping again, and as soon as it did, back came the noise. I immediately bled just that branch of the zone. It did not work.

I have currently bled between 150 and 200 gallons of water from my system.

The cooling/heating technician informed me that he would be doing the exact same thing I was doing and that it would not be worth me paying him to do it as long as I felt comfortable continuing. I am frustrated and at a complete loss for how to solve this problem and I do not want to have a technician come by when they appear to be just as lost.

Can you please supply me with any suggestions, advice, insight into my problem. The noise is keeping me, and my 1 and 3 year olds awake all night and is driving me crazy during the day.

Thanks, Michael

On 2016-11-18 by (mod) - check out water hammer noise causes

Michael: try the diagnosis and cure given at

WATER HAMMER NOISE DIAGNOSE & CURE - banging pipes

On 2016-11-18 by Anonymous - sounds like an air pressure has built up in the pipes with a boom noise

can anyone tell me what my problem is. i have a double story house brick veneer i have a bathroom & toilet upstairs the water runs down to the bottom floor through the ceiling & wall to the outside sewer system
a few times a day i get a sound from my lower wall that sounds like an air pressure has built up in the pipes with a boom noise that must release the pressure. thank you

On 2016-10-08 by Jim

We have a mains pressure water pump installed in the house and the pump is quite noisy.

A case has been built around it with sound proof pads and whilst it's made a big improvement, a high pitch noise from the pump cuts through it.

It there any sort of suppressor or dampner available that could reduce the high pitch noise or some other solution?

On 2016-10-02 by Karen

We get a shrieking noise in our pipes when no water is running or toilets are flushed. Sometimes even in the middle of the night. It comes from the lowest point of the house in a bathroom that is rarely used. We have a tankless hot water system.

On 2016-09-12 by Ckratz

I hear a high pitch noise in my kitchen area. I cannot find the specific area it is coming from. It doesn't stop. My house is 7 years old.

On 2016-08-23 2 by (mod) -

I'm not clear on what's happening, Anon. If no water is running in the building but the pump is cycling on perhaps a check valve or foot valve has failed: water's running back into the well. (If you're on a well).

On municipal water there ought to be a backflow preventer at the incoming water line; that check valve can also fail but usually incoming water pressure prevents backflowing anyway. Only when system pressure is below house pressure would that backflow occur.

On 2016-08-23 by Anonymous

High pitch noise coming from the back flow on the cold water side with no water running. I have shut the valves to everything including the toilets. I also added an extra domestic expansion tank to the 40 gallon water heater and still get the the same noise every 4 or 5 minutes

On 2016-08-21 by (mod) - thermal expansion?

Anne

Sorry to get so excited but your builder should be punished.

1. A dripping overflow pipe from the water heater cylinder is certainly dripping from a leaky hot water temperature/pressure relief valve. Something is abnormal: either unsafe (too high) water pressure, or unsafe (too hot) water temperature, OR perhaps a defective TP valve (less likely on a brand new system).

2. A licensed plumber who knows more than your builder needs to inspect and repair the trouble. Meanwhile to be safe TURN OFF the water heater immediately.

Search InspectApedia.com for BLEVE EXPLOSIONS to read why I take this problem so seriously.

Perhaps the noise you hear is due to thermal expansion of hot water piping on a water heating system that is staying on when it should be off.

On 2016-08-21 by anne - around 4am in the morning I can hear the hot water cyinder creak

We have been in our newly built house for a month. We are on mains pressure.

Late at night and around 4am in the morning I can hear the hot water cyinder creak (a bit like an old house creaks), sometimes this noise can also be heard in the ensuite shower (which is the nearest water connection to the hot water cylinder) some 5-10 seocnds later.

The overflow pipe from the hot water cylinder also seems to be constantly dripping.

The builder says he doesn't think there is anything wrong and said unless I can record the noise he really doesn't know what to do to fix it.

I have tried several times to 'catch' the noise but without success as the time it happens for is very short and also very random. Can anyone suggest why this would noise would be happening?

On 2016-05-03 by (mod) - shrill high pitched noises I hear in my house constantly.

Try slightly closing the main water valve.

IF that changes the noise then we are on to the probable cause.

On 2016-05-02 by candy

I have cotinual shrill high pitched noises I hear in my house constantly.

Somes they can be heard outside my house for long periods of time.anyone have any ideas on this. Could it also be an electrical or plane interference or sewer pipe issue or gas or something else or else water pipe issue. Any comments.

On 2016-04-07 by (mod) -

Try slightly changing the water flow rate at appropriate stop valves.

On 2016-04-07 by Anonymous

pipes in ourvkitchen vibrate and squeel when next door flushes toilet

On 2016-01-31 by jim cantrell

We have lived in our home for 25 years. Recently after the toilet fills or the water is shut off in the kitchen there is a whining screeching sound almost lie a siren. We have 3 toilets and it happens with each of them. Any help would be appreciated .
Thanks,
Jim

On 2015-11-03 by (mod) - rapid (machine gun like)noises as well slow rhyhmic pops and bangs

Paul, I suspect that you are hearing water hammer; first try just slightly opening or closing individual valves to see if that cures the problem (by changing the water velocity); if not, search InspectApedia.com for

WATER HAMMER NOISE DIAGNOSE & CURE - home

to read details of diagnosis and cure of the problem.

Water pouring out of the shower head is from residual water volume and pressure in the riser to the shower head and in the head itself; I'll bet you've installed large (attractive, right?) shower heads; If the shower is run by a diverter between tub spout and shower head, you can speed the drain down time by opening the diverter to drain into the bath tub instead after the shower is turned off.

OR

if the noise is coming from your water heater or geyser

see WATER HEATER NOISE DIAGNOSIS, CURE

On 2015-11-03 by Paul mcandrew

We did a remodel of our bi-level home adding bedrooms and a shower in the basement. We replaced the drop ceilings with dry wall. In the process the builder decided to build a manifold so I could get to the shut off valves for maintenance and repair.

Now especially in the mornings, when the water is turned on, I hear rapid (machine gun like)noises as well slow rhyhmic pops and bangs in two or three other spots. Also 3 to 5 minutes after turning off the upstairs shower water pours out of the head even though it has been turned off. What can I do? Thanks so much.