With plumbing typically being out of sight, not many homeowners will give it much thought. Nonetheless, over time, you may find that your plumbing has started making weird noises, which would disrupt the peace in your home. Some of the plumbing noises may not be cause for concern, as it could simply be water rushing through the pipes. However, there are other noises that you should be wary of to ensure that they are not indicative of a large underlying problem. Below are some of the causes of noisy pipes and solutions to help you restore quiet in your home. 

Creaking sounds from expanding pipes

Creaking sounds emanating from your plumbing system would typically be caused by your pipes expanding and contracting due to extreme temperature changes. As you run hot water in your home, the pipes become heated too, which causes them to expand. Once the hot water supply is turned off, the pipes begin to cool, and this can be accompanied by creaking noises. If it is becoming a nuisance, it would be advisable to call a plumber to install insulation on your pipes. On the other hand, if the pipes are running through wood framing, you should consider having the hole the pipe passes through enlarged so that it can expand and contract without coming into contact with the framing. Bear in mind that excessive contraction and expansion of your pipes could lead to premature cracking. Thus, the insulation will also be protecting the integrity of your plumbing.

Rattling sounds from loose pipes

Rattling sounds can easily be confused for creaking sounds but they do not have the same cause. If your pipes start to rattle, it is due to the water pressure being exerted on a loose pipe. Since the pipe is not tightly secured in place, it begins to vigorously shake whenever there is water running through the plumbing. Subsequently, the shaking pipe vibrates against another surface such as piping, framing, strapping or anything that is close to it. It is important to have any rattling inspected and remedied by a plumber, as failure to do so could cause the loose pipe to become detached in its entirety. This, in turn, would put you at risk of an undetected leak within your plumbing system, and before you know it, you would have a plumbing emergency on your hand.  A professional plumber like those at P1 Plumbing & Electrical will not only locate the rattling pipe, but they will also tightly secure it in place to prevent future problems.