South Louisiana is known for its old haunted homes, LSU football, rougaroux, voodoo, and many other scary things...However, the majority of people that live here have gotten away from the ghostly, superstitious mindset, and understand that occasionally their homes make noises in the night. Sometimes those noises in the night end up being an ongoing annoyance and can be indicative of major problems to come.
It’s important not to ignore these constant sounds because like the rougaroux they can cause frightening nightmares--only these are of repair bills! An annual plumbing inspection can easily spot these issues as they’re occurring or before they happen to ensure you can rest easy.
Pipes Shouldn’t Catcall You
Shrieking and whistling pipes can be startling for any visitors in your home that don’t expect it. They can also be a bigger annoyance than hearing ‘Roll Tide’ being yelled in a restaurant during a Tigers game.
While this problem is not the cause of an emergency, it should be taken care of. Whistling pipes are caused by high water pressure causing vibrations in your pipes. Typically, there is a loose part or two that can exacerbate this noise, but these can be tightened, and water pressure can be adjusted to ensure your pipes aren’t screaming at you.
Another possible cause of whistling could be mineral buildup. This build-up creates less room for water to flow, and if you’ve ever whistled, you’ll know the noise is from forcing air through a small opening in your mouth. The same thing happens to your water, but can be fixed by a thorough professional cleaning.
When The Knocking Isn’t at Your Door
If you’ve been hearing phantom knocking, only to answer your door and realize no one is there, it might be your pipes. This sound comes from changes in water pressure from the mainline of water going into your home’s pipes. The air used to pressurize the pipes is depleted which causes the knocking or banging noise.
Although anywhere south of I-10 isn’t known for freezing winters, we do get a few days each year when a heater is required. If you’re only hearing the knocking during the winter when you’re using your heat source, it could stem from this. Typically, it is condensate trapped in the radiator valve or maybe an improper slope back to the boiler. Either way, both are easily repairable during a plumbing inspection.
Plumbing Shouldn’t Run Like a Tailback
We love watching a tailback run the ball for a touchdown. But that’s the only kind of running we like--plumbing should not do the same. When you’re hearing the water run even when all faucets are off, chances are there is a leak.
Whether or not you find the source, calling us is imperative. We can find and repair the leak before it causes more damage and raises your water bill. Gurgling is another sound to be concerned about.
This is a noise that means your pipes have a blockage somewhere. Before you run to the hardware store for some chemical cleaner, remember this: Chemical cleaners can harm your pipes, cause toxic fumes when mixed with household cleaning agents, and burn your skin. A professional cleaning will ease this problem.
