The sound of a water pipe whistling or squealing is the result of there being too much pressure on these old pipes. This can happen due to wear and tear, mineral build up, or other degradation issues that are happening in your plumbing system.

When a pipe is exposed to high water pressure or velocity, it responds by squealing and whistling.

This is a result of the air trapped inside being compressed and decompressed as it moves through the pipe.

What Does It Mean When The Pipes Make A High Pitch Sound?

When a high pitch sound is heard, there are three possible causes.

  1. The pipes are vibrating because somewhere in your plumbing system water is being forced to go through a small opening. The small opening could be due to some type of clog or degradation of the pipe or even excess buildup of minerals.
    The Solution: A camera inspection by a professional plumber may be the best way to find out where the clog is or where any other issues may be along your plumbing system.
  2. Some components of your faucet have gotten loose and need to either be tightened or replaced.
    The Solution: Research the manual (online if you do not have a hard copy) to find out how to replace the individual components of your faucet. If you are not a handy type of person we recommend you contact a plumber for this task.
  3. High water pressure
    The Solution: To reduce the water pressure in your home you’ll need to install a water pressure regulator. Again, if you are not handy with mechanics and tools we recommend that you contact a plumber to complete this task.

One tip to help you identify which of these three issues may be causing that high pitch sound is to check your home’s water pressure. With a simple tool and a few minutes of your time, you can easily check the pressure in your water pipes.

Step 1 – You’ll need a pressure gauge tool. If you don’t have one in your toolbox, you can purchase it at a hardware store or online. They can cost anywhere from $10.00 to $20.00.

Step 2 – Attach the pressure gauge to an outside faucet that is not turned on.

Step 3 – Check that the needle on the gauge is at 0.

Step 4 – Now turn on that faucet and check to see where the needle on the gauge goes up to. It’s supposed to be between 45 psi and 80 psi.

Step 5 – If the gauge shows you that your water pressure is above 80 psi, then you know that you have high water pressure issues within your plumbing system and that needs to get checked out by a plumber.

How Do I Stop My Water Pipes From Whistling?

You can usually stop your water pipes from whistling by installing a pressure reducing valve. This will help reduce the high water pressure in your plumbing system and eliminate those annoying noises coming out of them.

Of course, the cause of the high water pressure should be addressed as well. If there is a clog or mineral buildup or some kind of deterioration in your plumbing pipes – those need to be fixed otherwise the problem will just continue and keep getting worse.

If you have any questions about noises that your plumbing pipes are making call Atlantis Plumbing today at 770-443-8229. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.