Have you ever been sleeping or resting comfortably, and in the middle of the night start to hear a soft but persistent knocking sound behind your walls? At first it may be easy to ignore, particularly if you’ve heard it before. Inevitably, however, this sound will grow with each passing night, and eventually you won’t be able to tune it out anymore. What you’re hearing is knocking pipes, and you shouldn’t have to deal with this nuisance!
Fortunately, however, there are solutions, which we’ll get to in a moment. If you are concerned about this issue or there are other symptoms alongside this annoying knocking sound, then it may be time to call a professional Evanston, IL plumber.
What Causes Knocking Pipes?
In many cases, knocking pipes are caused by variable water pressure in the main supply pipes coming into your home. This might sound ominous—however, this pressure is actually important as it keeps the water moving freely between pipes, and into your faucets. But when the air uses in pressurizing those pipes leaks, then water moves suddenly and violently, creating that knocking sound you hear as it travels through the length of your supply lines.
What Can I Do about It?
First, turn off your main supply valve (be sure to alert the members of your household that you are doing this since it will stop all water from coming in). Now, flush the lines—open all of the faucets and flush your toilets. With the main supply valve off, water can still exit your home, through drainage pipes. This ensures that all of the supply lines are fully empty.
Once you’ve done this, you can turn your main valve back on. It’s important that you do this slowly, because the air chambers between and around your pipes need time to refill before the water courses back through them. But once you do this and the pipes have been fully emptied, the knocking sound should be gone.
Wait, I Don’t Need a Plumber?
You shouldn’t need to call a plumber in most cases, however, we’re always here to help! If you have any issue with finding your main valve or shutting it off, then a plumber can of course be very useful, with bringing the proper tools and knowledge regarding various types of shutoff valves.
Another case where you may need a plumber is if you live in an apartment complex or condominium complex where you aren’t allowed access to the main shut off valve. In this case the best thing to do is to contact your landlord so they’re aware of the problem and can call us to have it fixed.
Another good reason to call in a professional plumber is so that we can check to make sure nothing else is amiss with your plumbing system that may be causing what you perceive as a “knocking” noise—such as a clog interrupting water flow or a loose pipe connection behind your walls or beneath your floors. Scheduling a plumbing maintenance inspection once a year is a great way to check up on your system and ensure you have nothing to worry about!
For expert plumbing service, installations, or maintenance contact Reliance Plumbing Sewer & Drainage, Inc. Our knowledgeable plumbers serve the North Shore and Northwest Chicago suburbs. Rely on Reliance!