Why is My Plumbing Whistling?

You may be used to a chorus of noises in your home, but plumbing whistling should not be one of them. Whistling can indicate a few common issues that you will want to investigate and fix. Plumbing whistling can come from the pipes or the valves/faucets. First, isolate where the noise is coming from, then you can figure out the cause and what to do about it.

Water Pressure too High

The water pressure is your most likely culprit when it comes to plumbing whistling. If the water pressure or velocity is too high, it will whistle when forced through the openings. You can fix this by reducing the water pressure or velocity. Your water pressure should not exceed 60 psi, but most home water main lines work best at around 50 psi. Test your water pressure to see if it is too high and take measures to reduce it, such as a pressure-reducing valve. If you already have a pressure-reducing valve, it may need to be adjusted or replaced if it has deteriorated.

Look at Your Fixtures

When forcing water through an opening that is too small, a plumbing whistling noise can occur. Plumbing components are designed to handle only so much pressure. If your fixtures are new but make a whistling noise, you may have to adjust your water pressure. On the other hand, if your fixtures are older, some parts might have degraded over time. If you have hard water, the mineral buildup could be the cause of the plumbing whistling. Check to see if there is visible buildup on your shower or sinks aerator. If there is a visible white crust, clean it with vinegar and a bristle brush. Cleaning will often clear the openings and stop the whistling. If there is no mineral buildup or cleaning it does not fix your problem, you should probably consider replacing it.

If you don’t know where the plumbing whistling is coming from or don’t know how to fix it, don’t worry! We are happy to help you. Give Valley Fire Protection & Plumbing a call today! We can diagnose the problem for you and get it repaired in no time.

Related Topics: plumbing noises // Plumbing Tips
By: Tom Hartel
I acquired my expertise by directing day-to-day operations of the business for over 20 years. Continuous hard work helped me become a nationally recognized speaker and expert on fire protection, fire sprinklers, special hazards, and plumbing systems. In this blog, I share my knowledge that will hopefully help you make better decisions for your projects.

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