Residents of apartment buildings know firsthand about this phenomenon. Sometimes it is a barely audible hum, and sometimes it is felt throughout the riser or house. Today we want to talk about why the tap is buzzing when you turn on the water. At first glance, this is not a very serious problem, but sometimes it causes some inconvenience. Let's understand why this problem arises and what methods exist to deal with it. There are many theories that explain why pipes are humming. In practice, plumbers identify four main causes that cause this phenomenon.
Bad or poorly made repairs
Understanding why the faucet is buzzing when turning on the water, you first need to remember whether you have recently had a repair of plumbing equipment. If the answer is no, but the noise is repeated, then you need to find out, maybe someone from the neighbors recently carried out any work. Additionally, you can call the service organization (Housing and Utilities), possibly plumbers, working in the basement, poorly completed the connection of elements.
If you find out that such actions took place to be, then this may well be the reason why the tap is buzzing when turning on the water. However, everything is fixable. Eliminate the buzz is not difficult. Poorly bonded pipes are fixed, and the drone instantly passes. However, this may not only be the case. If inexperienced plumbers have placed the pipes very close, then inevitably a vibration will appear. In this case, there is nothing else to do but to wrap each of them with foam insulation.
System overpressure
And we continue to talk about why the tap is buzzing when the water is turned on. One reason may be overpressure. You can determine it by the pressure of the water, it is usually very good, and when the crane is fully open, a jet with noise and hissing breaks out. There is another way to diagnose. A buzz may occur if you quickly open the tap. In this case, you need to take time for this problem, and even better, call the plumbing so that he assesses the situation.
What is the danger of this phenomenon? The fact that it can lead to depressurization of the system. And you cannot reduce the pressure yourself, so you have to come up with something else. To reduce the load, you will need to install an air chamber. It is she who will dissipate the pressure, as a result of which the hum will stop, and you can breathe freely.
Exceeding the upper limit of normal
Since it is not always easy to understand why the crane is buzzing, it is best to turn to professionals for help. For a plumber, this is a normal job, he will quickly assess the situation and find the right solution. Sometimes he may be powerless and will advise you to contact your water service provider. If water enters the system under high pressure, you cannot do anything on your own with a buzz.
The logical question here is: what is considered the normal water pressure in the system? Usually this figure is 2 atm. This indicator is optimal for a washing machine or dishwasher. However, the upper limit is 6 atm. In this case, you need to deal with the service provider until you find the optimal solution.
Self-installation of an air chamber
Let's continue to consider cases where we are able to rectify the situation. First of all, you need to decide why the tap is buzzing when you turn on the water. The reasons may still lie in excess pressure, however, if the indicators do not exceed the critical mark of 6 atm, then you may well make your own adjustments.
To do this, you only need to make a camera on your own. To do this, use an additional pipe section. The second option is even more preferable - this is the use of a factory muffler. After installing such an element, the pipes will experience less load and will last much longer.
Pipe clogging
If your house, and, accordingly, plumbing equipment is 10 years old or more, then you should no longer be surprised that a hot water tap is buzzing. The reasons for this are simple - this is a decrease in the diameter of the pipes due to a banal blockage, which leads to vibration, and it leads to the appearance of noise. It is very well transmitted through pipes, and it is usually heard not only in one apartment, but throughout the riser.
First you need to diagnose and determine if your pipes are really clogged. To do this, disconnect the mixer from the pipe and carefully inspect it. The dirt accumulated on the walls clearly demonstrates overgrowing of the hole. This may be one of the reasons the crane is buzzing. Instructions on how to eliminate the blockage are as follows.
Most often, dirt is not deposited in the middle, but precisely at the ends of the pipeline. Therefore, you can try to clean them yourself. I would like to note one more point: the problem of clogging is typical for propylene, as well as plastic plumbing products. This contributes to the deposition of dirt in certain places the fact that the diameter of the hoses of the mixer usually differs from the size of the pipes themselves.
Ways to eliminate blockage
You are mistaken if you think that it is worth pouring into the system some unique liquid like “Mole”, and the problem will be solved. Will have to work on their own. Blockage can be removed in three ways:
- Hydraulic flushing.
- Pneumatic flushing.
- Mechanical cleaning.
Let's first consider the flushing option. This is the transmission of a stream of water. To do this, it is not enough just to connect the hose, so they use electric, quite powerful pumps. However, in this way it is possible to eliminate blockages only in pipes of small diameter. This method is not suitable for thick products. In this case, heavy particles will still have time to settle on the walls.
How is mechanical cleaning done?
This option is acceptable only if clogging has appeared in individual pipe sections. To do this, the water must be turned off. This is the first condition that must be met before starting any repair work. The disconnected pipe is cleaned with a thick wire, and for a better effect a ruff is attached to it. If it is not possible to clean the hole (deposits on the walls are petrified and become part of the system), then this section is cut out and replaced with a new one. And to exclude further problems, it is necessary to tightly fasten all the elements using sealed rubber gaskets. Please note that even when disassembling the structure, you need to remember the location of all the elements.
Mixer Failure
This may also be one of the reasons why the faucet starts to hum when the water is turned on. It should be noted that this is the simplest problem that can be fixed in a matter of minutes. Diagnostics can be carried out independently, for this, open the tap and observe. If the pipe begins to vibrate, then either the faulty mixer or the shut-off valve are to blame. To solve this problem, it is necessary to turn off the water in the riser and proceed with a simple repair.
Most often in this case, the cause is simply a worn gasket. Remove the tap and carefully inspect it (the gasket is located at the end of the stem). If it takes a pointed form, it is necessary to make a replacement. After that, we assemble the structure and put it in place. After this procedure, the noise should disappear. We add that this applies only to old faucets that are equipped with crane boxes. If you have a modern single-lever or ball valve, then look for the reason in another. In these designs, a gasket that blocks the flow of water is simply absent, so it cannot be the cause of noise in the pipes. By the way, if you still decide to disassemble the faucet, you can immediately change the mixer to a more modern one.
Instead of a conclusion
We examined the most common reasons why it makes noise, buzzes, and whistles. Now you yourself can, without the help of plumbers, make a simple repair and eliminate an annoying source of noise. It is not worthwhile to ignore such a symptom for a long time, because, in addition to the irritating factor, it signals that there are problems in the water supply system, and if measures are not taken, they can lead to more serious consequences. Therefore, without delay, carry out the necessary diagnostics, and if necessary, then call plumbers.