topic Re: What does it mean when your pipes groan? in Community Chat

What does it mean when your pipes groan?

chihuahuamom — Wed, 26 Sep 2018 06:50:45 GMT

Lol. I'm talking about your house pipes (not body ). Lately when I flush the toilet, the pipes go on for a while. The house was built in 1978. I have never heard them do that before. Is it a sign that something bad is wrong????? or are they just aging like me?

Re: What does it mean when your pipes groan?

Dominosmom — Wed, 26 Sep 2018 07:23:43 GMT

ask a plumber

Re: What does it mean when your pipes groan?

Kachina624 — Wed, 26 Sep 2018 07:43:37 GMT

Air in the pipes?

Re: What does it mean when your pipes groan?

Desertdi — Wed, 26 Sep 2018 09:47:10 GMT

Change in water pressure?

Re: What does it mean when your pipes groan?

Desertdi — Wed, 26 Sep 2018 09:50:58 GMT

Kitty used to stand in the bathrub..........and "listen" to the faucet.............

I assumed she "heard something".

Re: What does it mean when your pipes groan?

Sweetbay magnolia — Wed, 26 Sep 2018 10:28:26 GMT

May be expansion/contraction due to temperature change, as in when the seasons change, especially with hot water lines in the winter. The studs in your house also move and they can rub.

May be a bad valve somewhere.

Yes, if it concerns you by all means call your plumber. I've called mine just to stand in a room with me and listen (my house was built in '89). Above all, know where your main shut off is!

Re: What does it mean when your pipes groan?

Imaoldhippie — Wed, 26 Sep 2018 11:35:02 GMT

That usually means there is air in the pipes. Not a good sign. You need to have a plumber check it out.

Re: What does it mean when your pipes groan?

shaggygirl — Wed, 26 Sep 2018 12:02:19 GMT

If it's air in the pipes you usually get sputtering of air & water when you turn on a faucet as well as unusual noises when you flush. Nevertheless if you google how to get rid of air in your pipes you'll find in what turn you should open all your faucets to let them run and in what order to shut them. You can give it a try. I know this because a few months back I went through this with every faucet, I'd hear phew phew phew of air blasting out followed by water flowing then more phew phew phew and flushing I'd hear bubbly sounds.

The googling thing actually didn't work for me but it might for you. I ended up with my plumber here and he listened, naturally it didn't do it hardly at all while he was here but as soon as he left it started up again ....(just like when I took my car in last week for a persistent high pitched whining noise and it wouldn't do it there)...geez louise. He told me to do the opening & closing routine of the faucets a few more times which I did and over the next few days it just kept simmering down until it went away. No clue what caused it nor what cured it for sure.

If it's a banging noise your hearing it could be one or more of the braces that support your water pipes has come off or loose thus you get a knocking sound when flushing or shutting off a faucet. But you said groaning sound.....so maybe you're better off calling the plumber to listen.

Re: What does it mean when your pipes groan?

Jaspersmom — Wed, 26 Sep 2018 13:39:05 GMT

I live in a complex and my unit was the one where there was banging in the pipes. Management claimed my unit had a faulty valve. Guess what? It turned out to be air in pipes that was affecting water pressure. Whole system for the whole building had to be flushed and VALVE to the building had to be changed. That cured it.

Re: What does it mean when your pipes groan?

Jasmine19 — Wed, 26 Sep 2018 13:44:39 GMT

Have you checked your hot water tank for leaks?

Re: What does it mean when your pipes groan?

Financialgrl — Wed, 26 Sep 2018 14:01:34 GMT

Have you bought a new washer or dishwasher lately? I moved to a new build and everything was fine until I got a new washer. Walls made a reverbation sound in the pipes. Plumber came and had to make an adjustment to the valve bc the new washer was forcing more water into the pipes all at once. Took about 3 minutes to make an adjustment, turned on the washer, dishwasher, faucets and flushed the problem to check and the noice was gone - it fixed the problem.

Re: What does it mean when your pipes groan?

Ditzydori — Wed, 26 Sep 2018 16:32:15 GMT

@Dominosmom wrote:
ask a plumber

Really???

Re: What does it mean when your pipes groan?

hennypenny — Wed, 26 Sep 2018 17:56:16 GMT

Ours bang and rattle. We know that techically it isn't a good thing but the house is large and about ninety years old.

It makes me happy because I know if the sprinklers are on or that I have forgotten to turn something off in the garden. Once the gardener put the hose on an avocado tree and forgot it. flooded the property down the hill from us. We weren't home to hear the banging pipes.

I just want to second the "check with the plumber" suggestion. esp with winter coming

Re: What does it mean when your pipes groan?

viva923 — Wed, 26 Sep 2018 21:14:56 GMT

call a plumber

and ask

Re: What does it mean when your pipes groan?

LdyBugz — Wed, 26 Sep 2018 22:59:53 GMT

@chihuahuamom Maybe the pipes don't like what you've been sending down. Any changes in your diet recently, like eating more beans?

LOL!!! Sorry, I just couldn't resist!

~LdyBugz

Re: What does it mean when your pipes groan?

GenXmuse — Wed, 26 Sep 2018 23:07:34 GMT

Usually that I need to go to the bathroom

Re: What does it mean when your pipes groan?

mamaslittlepotato — Wed, 26 Sep 2018 23:22:25 GMT

Re: What does it mean when your pipes groan?

Burnsite — Wed, 26 Sep 2018 23:52:01 GMT

I came home from a trip once some years ago, and after I used the toilet, my house sounded like a haunted house, with the loud high pitched sound after the flush.

I asked my lawn guy who came around to mow next AM, who said it was a stuck valve in the toilet. Reflush, maybe to unstick the valve. I didn't call the plumber but reflushing stopped the haunted house special-effect.

Re: What does it mean when your pipes groan?

chihuahuamom — Thu, 27 Sep 2018 05:03:35 GMT

Ldybugz, you are funny! Thanks everyone for suggestions