It can be very alarming to hear any kind of strange or unusual noises coming from your water pipes, but it does sometimes happen. So, what does it mean if you hear a high pitched sound coming from your pipes or from within a wall in your home.

Why Do My Pipes Make A High Pitched Sound?

Whether it's a screeching sound or a high pitched whining sound - it's a bit unnerving.

Well, let's investigate what it could be.

Could Be A Blockage

If there's a blockage somewhere in your water pipes it could result in creating a shrilling type of high pitched sound. This can happen whether water is running or not.

If it happens while water is running, it's much easier to diagnose and fix. But if you are hearing that sound when there's no water running, then it will be more difficult to find the cause and make the repairs.

We recommend that you then contact a professional plumber to assess and fix the problem.

High Water Pressure

If you have water running somewhere in the home and your pipes make a high pitched sound (no matter if it's for a second or a few minutes) the problem may be that your water pressure is too high.

Water running could include an open faucet or shower head or flushing a toilet.

So, what are the causes of high water pressure in my home? The cause could be a problem with your water pressure regulator or your thermal expansion relief device. It could also be that the location of your home (if it's at the bottom of a hill) plays a part in the water pressure levels.

How To Test Your Home's Water Pressure

Testing your water pressure is really a very simple and inexpensiv task.. In fact, it's one of the easiest home maintenance tasks you can do. Here are the steps.

  • Purchase a pressure gauge at your local hardware store or online. Here's one at Amazon..
  • Go to an outside faucet and attach the pressure gauge to the faucet.
  • Make sure the needle of the pressure gauge is at 0.
  • Turn on the faucet and see where the needle goes up to. It should be no lower than 45 psi (pounds per square inch) and no higher than 80 psi.
  • Repeat this process with several (or all) the faucets in your home.

If your pipes are too small to handle high water pressure then they can produce that screeching sound that you are hearing.

Something Has Gone Loose In The Faucet Or Valve

As water flows through all the small openings in water pipes it causes a vibration and if anything has gone loose within any of the components such as faucet or valve or within the pipes themselves, then that could potentially cause a loud screeching noise to occur.

Problems In Your Toilet Tank

Aside from problems that may occur in your pipes or faucets, etc. other places that could create that sound you are hearing are your toilet tanks. If the sound is heard when you flush your toilet then the problem may be inside the tank.

Usually with either a faulty washer or a problem with the ballcock assembly unit within the tank itself.

Simply replacing these items should fix the problem. But again, if they do not then we recommend that you contact a plumber to help you.

If you have any questions about your water pipes or are having some problems with it, call Atlantis Plumbing today at 770-505-8570. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

We Offer Plumbing Services in Metro Atlanta and Surrounding Areas

