DIY Home Improvement Forum banner

Running hot water causes pipe rumbling

6K views 13 replies 6 participants last post by  ranman469 
#1 ·
Hello All,

I notice that in one of my bathrooms, when I run the hot water (in the sink) full blast for about 10 seconds (long enough for the water to get really hot), the pipes start moaning/rumbling. If I turn the handle on the faucet to reduce the amount of hot water coming out or if I turn on the cold water too, the moaning goes away. I noticed it all started when I poured a drain cleaner down that sink. I think I left the cleaner in the pipes too long before I flushed it out with hot water (like it is recommended for most cleaners). This may or may not be causing the issue. I just thought that Ii would throw it out there just in case. Any thoughts?
 
#9 ·
If the only thing that has been done to the sink before the noise has occured is the drain cleaning, I see no way the faucet could be involved. The heat from the drain cleaner may have distorted the piping in the wall and it is now rubbing as it expands with the hot water.
 
#10 ·
PVC pipe expands and contracts with temp change a lot more the metal pipe. If you have a tight support or tight through hole somewhere it is rubbing as it expands. It has to be installed loose.
Or it could be an old water heater with a lot of crud on the bottom of the tank. They creak and grone when the fire comes on.
 
#12 ·
Check you water heater first.
Then any exposed piping.
Then right under the sink incase the drywall is rubbing on the pipe.
If that dosn't find it, then start putting your ear to the walls. (Don't forget that it is sometimes easier to open a wall on the "back side" from the bath.)
Is this a new house or an old one with new piping? If it is an in the wall tight fitting that was done at the orginal install, you would have been hearing it from the start. Unless something fell inside the wall, not much changes in there to cause this kind of thing later.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top