Bird's-Eye View: The Science Behind Construction And Contracting

As the years go by, your plumbing is bound to succumb to general wear from regular use. However, the thing to note about plumbing deterioration is that it does not happen overnight. In fact, you need to keep a keen eye on your plumbing system so that you can identify potential problems before they become aggravated and develop into a plumbing emergency.

One of the signs that will alert you to possible plumbing decline is weird noises emanating from the different components that make up the entire system. The type of sound you hear will also enlighten you as to whether it is a minor problem or if you are in dire need of the services of an emergency plumber. This article explores some of the familiar noises you may hear and what they mean to your plumbing's health.

Whistling

High-pitched sounds coming from your plumbing typically indicate that the flowing water is facing an obstruction that is preventing it from moving smoothly through your plumbing. The smaller the gap available for the water to flow through, the higher the whistle that you will hear. If the whistling is coming from your faucet, you may have a damaged washer on your hands. Your local plumber can easily replace this for you before all water is restricted from passing through the faucet.

On the other hand, if the whistling is emanating from your flush tank, it is likely that the ballcock has failed and you will require a new one. Lastly, whistling showerheads possibly stem from calcium deposits, and a thorough cleaning might fix your problem.

Banging

Loud clanging noises generally tend to come from your pipes, and the phenomenon is referred to as water hammer. Water hammer occurs when there is a blockage in your plumbing. If large volumes of water are flowing through the pipes at high speeds, they slam directly onto the obstruction. As a result, you hear loud banging noises from within the pipes because of the impact. In addition to this, you may also hear loud vibrations emerging from the plumbing hardware.

There are several ways that your plumber can solve water hammer. The first way is through securing the pipes snugly in place so that they do not move about when volumes of water are rushing through them. Alternatively, your plumber could install components known as air chambers that function to minimise the occurrence of water hammer. Take note that water hammer should be treated as a plumbing emergency because constant banging in your pipes could end up causing irreparable damage to your hardware.