Home Improvement/Repair Questions

[HCrum87hc]

Likely expansion based, and not much you can do without opening the walls up and changing clamps/insulation to minimize it.  

I was thinking this too.  I also wondered about the pressure in the pipes.  My gauge reads 80psi, which I've read is just on the high end of normal.

- Do you think it's air trapped in the pipes somewhere? Possible, but I'm not sure how to tell for certain.

- Or a small leak somewhere else? I don't think there's a leak anywhere, unless it's in a wall.  I checked all under the house and didn't see anything.  We had a small leak under the house that the previous owners fixed per our contract.  I rechecked it, and it's not leaking.

- At my parents house, they were getting strange noises with the pipes out of nowhere. Turns out, some folding chairs were placed against the pipe and caused weird noised. So check that too.  None of the pipes are exposed.

The noises themselves don't bother me. My concern is they'll eventually spring a leak somewhere.  I can deal with a leak under the house, but I don't want to go tearing up walls.

 

[matt267 PE]

After re-reading your post, I kind of agree with Supe in that the pipe may be expanding and contracting. Trying running the master shower with just cold water for a bit and see if you get the same noises after. Then trying running it with just hot water.

This might not explain the random noises at night though. But that could also be random settling/expansion/water heater stuff.

 

[HCrum87hc]

After re-reading your post, I kind of agree with Supe in that the pipe may be expanding and contracting. Trying running the master shower with just cold water for a bit and see if you get the same noises after. Then trying running it with just hot water.

This might not explain the random noises at night though. But that could also be random settling/expansion/water heater stuff.

Thanks for the responses.  I'll try the cold water in the shower tonight and see what happens.  I don't know if it's related or not, but just so you guys have all of the info, we did have the hot water heater replaced a little over a year and a half ago under our home warranty.  We also had an expansion tank installed at the time, so all of that is fairly new.

 

[wilheldp_PE]

If you run that test, and the noise is being caused by the hot water, there are expansion tanks that you can install on the  pipes near the water heater that should alleviate the problem.

 

[matt267 PE]

If you run that test, and the noise is being caused by the hot water, there are expansion tanks that you can install on the  pipes near the water heater that should alleviate the problem.

Unless the plumbers who installed the new water heater over tightened the pipe hangers. This would cause friction as the copper expands and contracts.

 

[HCrum87hc]

After re-reading your post, I kind of agree with Supe in that the pipe may be expanding and contracting. Trying running the master shower with just cold water for a bit and see if you get the same noises after. Then trying running it with just hot water.

This might not explain the random noises at night though. But that could also be random settling/expansion/water heater stuff.

I tried running it with just cold water. I occurred to me that since my shower only has one knob that controls the water temperature instead of separate hot and cold knows, hot water may be used even on the lowest setting, which I tried. I still got some vibration sounds, but it didn't last as long as it usually does. 

 

[HCrum87hc]

I just went back in the bathroom a few minutes after turning the shower off, and the shower head was dripping decently. I checked the knob, and it was all the way off. I turned it on and right back off, and it quit dripping. I don't know if that's relevant or not. 

 

[Supe]

Are you sure its coming from pipes?  A bad cartridge in a fixture can do some weird things too.

 

[P-E]

Yes an old cartridge can cause loud water hammer type noises.  Usually when turning the water on and off.  I had one replaced last year.  Noises gone.  

 

[matt267 PE]

@HCrum87hc,

I was really hoping it was caused by copper pipes expanding and contracting. You mentioned that you have high service pressure. Does your house have a pressure reducer? Maybe it's failing/failed? Or, like SUPE and P-E said, it could be a bad faucet.

You might be interested in the following links:

http://inspectapedia.com/plumbing/Plumbing_Noises.php

http://inspectapedia.com/plumbing/Plumbing_Noise_Checklist.php

Lots of info on inspectapedia.com. But be careful, I spent way too much time there when I first bought my house. It was making my OCD go into overdrive.

 

[Supe]

And of course, don't rule out ghosts.

 

[jeb6294]

Picked one of these up at HD last night.

They wouldn't let me use my 20% Harbor Freight coupon (I'd heard some would still let you use them, some won't) but I was at least able to get my 10% military discount which got it down to $500.

The wife has been wanting to jump up to a king size bed and I'd found a website with some pretty easy plans to build one. We are also in desperate need of an organizer in our closet. I checked a design-it-yourself place online that was pretty nice...lets you design the whole thing and then they send it to you to install...but it was over $2,500. I checked the ClosetMaid stuff while I was at HD and even that would be over $1,000 and you can't customize it very much. For $1,000, I can pay for the saw and build my own organizer out of solid pine instead of the particle board crap they use in the kits.

 

[snickerd3]

once you go king, you will never go back!  I love our king size bed.  

 

[Supe]

Picked one of these up at HD last night.

They wouldn't let me use my 20% Harbor Freight coupon (I'd heard some would still let you use them, some won't) but I was at least able to get my 10% military discount which got it down to $500.

The wife has been wanting to jump up to a king size bed and I'd found a website with some pretty easy plans to build one. We are also in desperate need of an organizer in our closet. I checked a design-it-yourself place online that was pretty nice...lets you design the whole thing and then they send it to you to install...but it was over $2,500. I checked the ClosetMaid stuff while I was at HD and even that would be over $1,000 and you can't customize it very much. For $1,000, I can pay for the saw and build my own organizer out of solid pine instead of the particle board crap they use in the kits.

Really interested in what you come up with for the closet organizer.  Build that first!  Our closet is a disaster, and I'm convinced that wire rack shelving is the most useless shit ever made.

 

[jeb6294]

The places online are nice enough to give you a picture of what the three walls would look like with some dimensions so I'm going to use those when I put mine together. I just can't understand why those kits are so un-godly expensive for what you get. The website with the bed plans, ana-whie.com, also has some closet organizers, They are really nothing more than oversized bookshelves with hanging rods. The hardest part should be getting the drawers right.

 

[Supe]

The places online are nice enough to give you a picture of what the three walls would look like with some dimensions so I'm going to use those when I put mine together. I just can't understand why those kits are so un-godly expensive for what you get. The website with the bed plans, ana-whie.com, also has some closet organizers, They are really nothing more than oversized bookshelves with hanging rods. The hardest part should be getting the drawers right.

Drawers are a PITA.  I'd opt for cubbies with baskets instead.  What kills us right now in there is zero utilization of corner space and single clothing racks instead of a top/bottom on each side.  But, I am also limited by my attic crawlspace entryway, which I can't block.

 

[snickerd3]

we have no problems with the white wire shelf/hang stuff.  We have a double layer hang on the long wall of the closer with the curved rail on the upper in the corner with like 4 of the wire shelfs on the short wall.  

 

[knight1fox3]

Picked one of these up at HD last night.

They wouldn't let me use my 20% Harbor Freight coupon (I'd heard some would still let you use them, some won't) but I was at least able to get my 10% military discount which got it down to $500.

Let us know how you like it. Been looking to get something like that so I can take on more home projects.

 

[HCrum87hc]

@HCrum87hc,

I was really hoping it was caused by copper pipes expanding and contracting. You mentioned that you have high service pressure. Does your house have a pressure reducer? Maybe it's failing/failed? Or, like SUPE and P-E said, it could be a bad faucet.

You might be interested in the following links:

http://inspectapedia.com/plumbing/Plumbing_Noises.php

http://inspectapedia.com/plumbing/Plumbing_Noise_Checklist.php

Lots of info on inspectapedia.com. But be careful, I spent way too much time there when I first bought my house. It was making my OCD go into overdrive.

Hmmm you guys may be onto something with the cartridge.  My shower head is leaking some after showering.  I believe I do have a PRV at the water meter.  I'll have to check that out.  You shouldn't have linked that inspectapedia site.  That'll be like WebMD for your house.  Headache? WebMD says it's cancer.

 

[matt267 PE]

You shouldn't have linked that inspectapedia site.

Sorry. But I did warn you.