Checklist to diagnose causes of plumbing noises:

Use this list to track down the sources of plumbing system noises .

This article provides a plumbing noise diagnosis checklist useful for plumbing system noise control, starting with a list of sources of plumbing system noises in buildings: water supply piping noise, drain pipe noise, plumbing fixture noises, water main pipe noise, well pump and piping noises, and water heater noises.

Plumbing Noise Checklist FAQs on Plumbing System Noises in Buildings, Causes, Cures

These questions & answers about plumbing system noises were posted originally

at PLUMBING NOISE CHECKLIST - be sure to see that diagnosis and cure article.

On 2018-04-25 by (mod) - pipes can transmit outside noises into a building

John,

Yes sounds from a pump that is outside a home might be transmitted via piping into the structure.

On 2018-04-25 by John D Stine

over 2 months i hear sounds in my house. sounds like a heavy duty pump or grinder running. some times it wakes me at 3:30 a.m. it is disturbing.can this sound follow the county sewer line into the house from a pump or grinder station?

On 2018-03-06 by Anonymous

14 floors 753 rooms with hot water radiators and ticking sounds in various rooms. We have blead air out of the rads and tapping still exists

On 2018-03-06 by Anonymous

My hot water heating system is making a soft tapping or ticking sound

On 2018-02-09 by (mod) - whistling buzzing sound

Vicky

If a water pipe has burst and is leaking inside of a house ceiling, wall, or floor, the results can be very damaging and costly to repair.

If you turn OFF the water supply and the leak noise continues I suspect that the problem is elsewhere.

If the noise stops when water is off then your plumber will help you find the leak.

Meanwhile inspect the whole home, all accessible areas inside and out that you can safely get-to. Look for stains, wet areas, water, signs of leaks. If you see that you need to shut off the water immediately and leave it off while waiting for the demolition and repair that will be needed.

On 2018-02-08 by Vicky

This house is only 5 mo number ths. Had a a freez 4 weeks ago and i had a very loud pop sound in my toilet and bathroom area and i have been hearing a high pitch whistling sound inside the wall and all over the house for 3 weeks now.

The whistling buzzing sound is going on 24 hours none stop. The noise is driving me crazy my ear is drained from the sound. Please help me
..

On 2018-01-25 by (mod) - hammering banging sound

I can't guess, Kim - what sort of noise? If you mean a hammering banging sound, use the search box just above to find our articles on WATER HAMMER NOISE to see how to diagnose and cure that problem.

On 2018-01-25 by kim

why water faucets make noise when water pressure is high

On 2018-01-10 by (mod) - whooshing sound

I can't say what's whooshing, but I would look for a toilet that's flushing or leaking or some other appliance emptying into the drain system.

On 2018-01-03 by Ruth

we hear an intermittent wooshing noise in our pipes that lasts about 7 or 8 seconds each time. It occurs without us using water as well as after showers. Any ideas? It occurs during the day and at night.

On 2017-12-03 by (mod) - Constant dripping sound from a new water pump. Normal?

No

On 2017-12-02 by Carol

Constant dripping sound from a new water pump. Normal?

On 2017-11-13 by Ricky

Is it normal to hear sounds in water pipes in the walls in my house when someone is showering?

On 2017-10-04 by Willis renshaw

What to check for when you turn your water off at the meter you open your valves in your house and you hear a clanging noise in your pipes

On 2017-09-04 by Chuck

For the past 4-5 months, e can hear the water rushing through the pipe to the upstairs shower..No whistle..no viberation..just the sound of rushing water and when the shower is turned off, it stops...

On 2017-07-21 by (mod) - Do I need to oil it at the bearings?

Msrio

Inspect the pump: if it has oil fittings it's meant to be oiled with a lubricant rated for pumps or electric motors. If there are not fittings more-likely oiling is not required.

On 2017-07-18 by Msrio

Do I need to oil it at the bearings?

On 2017-04-08 by (mod) - humming howling water system

Brett

If the humming howling water system noise stops when you close a faucet it's perhaps due to water velocity/pressure and you could try slightly reducing the building water pressure setting.

If the nose continues when no water is running in the building, surely you're on a pump and well system and in that case I'd look for a problem at the pump and well such as the pump unable to reach cutoff pressure

- search Inspectapedia using the box above, to look for PUMP WON'T STOP RUNNING

On 2017-04-08 by Brett

Humming or howling noise occurs when any toiletbor faucet is turned on ! The noise last from 5 minutes to a few hours

On 2017-03-29 by sara

I live in a 2-year old condo building and have been hearing banging/rattling noises in the pipes above me. Sometimes after a flush, and a mild form of it during someone's shower.

It wakes me up at night and in the morning. Management office tells me, "we went to your unit and couldn't hear it" or "we opened all the taps upstairs and didn't hear anything in your unit."

I have recorded the noise and sent it to them. It's been 3 months now and no solution! What could this be? Could there be clog in the pipes or air bubbles? I have to help them detect it before they can solve it it seems. If anyone has suggestions please let me know!

Seems like I need to tell the plumbers what to do or they don't want to bother.

On 2017-03-20 18:09:08.256597 by (mod) -

Typically the gurgling drain is being caused by a partial drain blockage or by a problem with the plumbing vent system. That'd be the last explanation line in your note.

On 2017-03-20 09:37:03.095615 by Phillip Bell

Wonder if you could help me with some advice. I've noticed during the last few days that when I drain a sink located in my shower room that there is a gurgling sound that seems to come from the vicinty of the drainage pipe in the shower. This only occurs if the sink has has been filled and then the plug removed.

The water from the sink appears to drain away just as quickly as it always has done.

There is no sound if the tap is running into an unplugged sink. I have read elsewhere that because the water is draining away so quickly that this could be merely air in the pipes being forced out because of the rate of drainage. Any advice you could give would be most gratefully received.

Many thanks foir your time and help.

Phillip B

On 2017-01-29 16:04:05.730479 by Bob H.

I have intermittent tapping coming from my water pipes. It stops all of the sudden and will start up again.

I have located the sound to above the basement in the corner near where the main water line comes in, but also under or near the washer and dryer area. I checked my water pressure and it is exactly 80 PSI. Why and how can I finally STOP this?

On 2017-01-01 19:09:33.812885 by (mod) -

Elspeth

Immediately, no, but long term, potentially dangerous in subtle ways such as causing a leak at a temperature/pressure relief valve that later clogs and later leads to a BLEVE explosion. Search InspectApedia.com for


WATER HAMMER to see the cause and cure for this issue.

On 2017-01-01 09:11:28.567761 by elspeth miller

After switching of taps their is a loud thump in pies is this dangerous

On 2016-12-13 13:38:06.499889 by Paul

Thank you Dan

On 2016-12-10 12:55:58.041275 by (mod) -

Paul

Please search InspectApedia.com for WELL PUMP SHORT CYCLING to read the usual cause and cure for the problem you describe.

It's true that if your water pressure tank (or cylinder) uses an internal bladder, and if the bladder has ruptured, the tank will become waterlogged, without a proper air charge, and the pump will short-cycle on and off too often.

However if your pump is running when you think you are NOT running water in the building then there's another problem, perhaps a water leak somewhere.

For that problem diagnosis and repair search InspectApedia using the box just above, looking for INTERMITTENT WATER PUMP CYCLING to explain why the pump seems to run for no reason.

On 2016-12-09 14:26:40.940963 by Paul

Our water pump makes a loud vibrating noise every two minutes or so. I was told by a friend the bladder seems to be gone from the pressure cylinder (accumulator). He tried the air valve and water came out. any help would be greatly appreciated

On 2016-12-05 16:06:01.933316 by (mod) -

Jana

Start diagnosing this growling toilet by turning off water supply into the toilet tank. If the noise stops we know that the toilet is running and it's the fill valve or the flush valve making the noise.

On 2016-12-05 05:03:01.059162 by Jana Rae Moss

My toilet is making a growling noise almost constantly, even when not being used. My kids say it's possessed. What can I check to stop this?

On 2016-11-29 03:05:21.371687 by Dawn

Sorry I hit the wrong button and it posted before I finished! As previously said..

.my husband installed a double sink vanity in our bathroom which was a single sink previously. Now when I use one side the other sink makes loud gurgling noises and will back up if he starts using his side at the same time! How can we fix this problem?

On 2016-11-29 03:02:37.203189 by Dawn

My husband installed a double sink vanity in our bathroom which was a single previously. Now when we use the sink

On 2016-10-23 11:09:29.706417 by Greg

Thank you. Will check into those possibilities.

On 2016-10-22 21:46:01.245588 by (mod) -

It sounds as if the noise is not the fault of the pump but rather an effect of water moving through the separate water heater tank.

You might need a new heater but more likely the issue is a worn or damaged dip tube or sacrificial anode or perhaps scale formation in the water heater. Those are questions to explore with a plumber. Do keep me posted; what you learn will help others.

On 2016-10-21 20:28:01.224177 by Greg

My gas water heater is 7 years old. There is a Grundfos heat circulation pump attached next to it at the top.

The new pump runs quiet and smooth. However, there is a crackling sound all the time coming from somewhere at the top of the water heater.

When I unplug the circulation pump the crackling stops. Is the pump then causing this? Do I need a new water heater? Or is it something else? Thank you for any advice.

On 2016-09-14 02:45:42.576696 by (mod) -

I'd like to help with this problem but I'm confused. Usually the gurgling the people descrie is a drain problem. Gurgling drains are most often due to inadequate venting or a partial drain blockage. I don't understand why drain would gurgle when a water supply pump turns on.

On 2016-09-10 21:47:38.869334 by Darren

My kitchen sink gurgles every time my sump pump kicks in. A plumber has come in and checked the vents and added a poor mans vent and a p trap next to where the sump drains it stopped for a little bit but it's back. The semp has been there for years without issue. All of a sudden it gurgles

On 2016-06-26 13:10:55.884484 by (mod) -

Anon:

First let's find the source of the noise. It might be a pump associated with the solar system you describe; but with help from your neighbor you'll have to confirm that before asking that the pump be mounted in such a way as to stop sound transmission.

IF you confirm that it's a solar pump (or motor component) then relocating it off of a building roof (IF that is where it is) would stop using the roof as a giant speaker cone; or easier might be to mount it on sound-isolating fittings.

On 2016-06-26 11:00:08.749151 by Anonymous

The house next door has solar energy panels on the roof to heat water. In the last few weeks I hear a humming noise in my bedroom in the early hours of the morning. It lasts about 30 seconds but comes on every 10 minutes. Sleep becomes difficult with this intermittent noise. How can this be corrected?

On 2016-06-15 00:53:43.548573 by (mod) -

Some things to investigate:

- flooded drainfield, back venting septic tank up through building drains

- other remote partial drain blockages

I might have the drains and drainfield scoped

On 2016-06-14 18:41:32.469741 by Andy

All drains in the house are draining well. 24 hours a day there is a gurgling sound/air bubbles rising every 30-90 seconds from the basement drain which happens to be in the furnace room.

There always is some water visible in the pipe, never overflows. We have a septic system and field. Seems that this occurs in the spring when snow was melting and ground had more water that usual, then stopped for a month and now that we have had wet cool weather over the past month it has started again. Any thoughts?

On 2016-06-10 20:15:57.388980 by Tan Marchant

My kitchen plughole is emitting a hissing sound.

On 2016-04-28 04:47:16.094152 by Joanne

I get a clunking coming from inside the walls when the shower is running and is most prominent when water is off then it is intermittent for a few minutes to 1/2 hour after that. Without ripping down the walls I don't know what it is.

Could it be a loose strap that has come off. Any suggestions.

On 2016-04-04 18:21:12.845121 by (mod) -

I really can't guess, Cheryl - with so little information. We don't even know if the gurgling is in a drain system or in a hot water heating baseboard - completely different topics.

On 2016-04-04 15:17:08.827770 by Cheryl

I have a two story house with a sump pump. I hear a VERY faint but constant gurgling sound , not near the pump, water heater or toilets. It has been constant for a few months. I have turned the toilets off and it still persists. What could it be?

On 2016-03-23 18:18:53.119571 by (mod) -

Ruth

This doesn't sound good but I don't know what's happening. If the noise is coming from the pump it sounds like a failing bearing.

...

Continue reading  at PLUMBING NOISE CHECKLIST or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.

Or see PLUMBING NOISE CHECKLIST FAQs-2 - older plumbing noise diagnostic questions and answers

Or see these

Recommended Articles

• PLUMBING NOISE CHECKLIST
• PLUMBING SYSTEM NOISE DIAGNOSIS & CURE - home
• BANGING HEATING PIPES RADIATORS
• CLOGGED DRAIN DIAGNOSIS & REPAIR
• DRIPPING WATER SOUND Sources
• PLUMBING DRAIN NOISE DIAGNOSIS
• PLUMBING DRAIN NOISE REPAIR
• PLUMBING NOISE TRANSMISSION CONTROL
• PLUMBING SUPPLY PIPE NOISE
• PLUMBING VENT CODES, DEFINITIONS, TYPES
• PLUMBING VENT DEFECTS & NOISES
• PLUMBING VENT NOISE
• PLUMBING VENT ODORS
• PLUMBING VENT REPAIR
• WATER HAMMER NOISE DIAGNOSE & CURE
• WATER HEATER NOISE DIAGNOSIS, CURE
• WATER PUMP PRESSURE SWITCH NOISES
• WATER PUMP NOISE DIAGNOSIS
• WATER SUPPLY PIPE WHISTLE NOISE
• WATER TANK NOISE DIAGNOSIS
• PLUMBING SYSTEM NOISE SOURCES
• PLUMBING VENT PIPING

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PLUMBING NOISE CHECKLIST FAQs at InspectApedia.com - online encyclopedia of building & environmental inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair, & problem prevention advice.

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