Running hot water causes pipe rumbling

mpinchinat

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?

redline

The mixing valve in the faucet may have debris in it.

mpinchinat

Is there a simple way to remove the debris? Or will I have to put in a whole new faucet?

Mike Swearingen

You can dismantle the faucet, hold a towel over it to keep it from shooting up all over the room, and then turn the water on to flush the faucet for a few seconds. That should remove any loose debris.
Good Luck!
Mike

redline

Is this copper pipe?

Did you check to see if any of the pipe is loose?

mpinchinat

When you say dismantle the faucet, are you suggesting that I take the faucet apart while it's still connected to the water lines? If so, how do I take it apart? The pipe is PVC and it isn't loose. What's weird is that it only happens with the hot water.

bigMikeB

Sounds like the noise is coming from the drain and vent piping, it happens when the hot water first enters cold piping. The in wall piping is plastic, correct?

mpinchinat

I don't know for sure what piping is inside of the wall, but if I look underneath the sink, I see PVC piping coming out of the wall.

bigMikeB

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.

kbs2244

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.

mpinchinat

So is there anything that I can do?

kbs2244

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.

ranman469

hi
describe the type of faucet you have?? washer less, or older style with a washer?
the problem is usually caused by a lose faucet washer or at the valve stop, the washer will work lose and as you increase the flow the washer will vibrate against the seat.

ranman469

ps. the faucet water noise has no conection to the drain problem.