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Does Humming From Pipes Mean That a Pipe Is Leaking?
Has an ominous humming noise been emanating from your water pipes? Are you now concerned that this means that a pipe has developed a leak, and panicking a little? You would be right — humming pipes often indeed indicate a leak. There are, however, other causes as well.
What Can Cause Humming Pipes?
Pipes can produce different kinds of humming noises, ranging from low-pitched humming to shrieking. Although a fairly complex scientific process leaks to these sounds, all you really need to know is that pipes typically begin to hum when a the inside of the pipe and the outside of a pipe interact, creating differences in atmospheric pressure. In other words, there’s a leak.
That leak may originate from a fault within a fixture, or from inside the pipe itself.
Before you start hunting for the source of a leak, also consider these possibilities:
- High water pressure can lead to humming noises around pipes as well. High water pressure can be caused by a faulty thermal expansion relief device or a faulty water pressure regulator. If your property is situated at the foot of a hill, geography is likely to blame.
- Problems with the flapper of your toilet, also called the ballcock valve, can also cause a humming noise. In this case, there may not be any problem with your pipes.
If you have ruled these causes out, you may want to investigate the possibility that there is a leak within a fixture or appliance — like a faucet or your washing machine. Gate valves, such as those that regulate water flow to your dishwasher or washing machine, may also be broken.
Still haven’t found the cause of the humming noise? It is highly likely that the scenario you feared is playing out — there is a leak within one of your water pipes.
What Should You Do When You Hear Humming From Pipes?
Water pipes are not meant to hum. If you can hear a humming sound from a pipe, you can consider yourself lucky; the source of the problem is nearby enough for you to hear it, and the frequency at which the pipe is humming is audible to the human ear.
Once you have ruled out possible causes with easy fixes, consider the humming to be a warning sign — your pipes are letting you know that there is a leak, and by taking action now, you can potentially save yourself thousands in repair costs.
How do you locate the exact source of the leak? A leak detection company can come to your rescue, by testing and diagnosing the point of origin in a non-invasive manner. Knowing exactly where the leak is can then help you avoid demolishing walls and floors that did not need to be interfered with, allowing you to have only the pipe in question and its surrounding area repaired.