A loud banging noise coming from inside the walls is never something you want to hear. It can happen when you shut off a faucet, run a washing machine, or flush the toilet. It often sounds like something is hitting the inside of the wall. In most cases, this sound is a symptom of water hammer. It can also occur with pressure issues.
Although these sounds may seem harmless at first, they are signs of stress in your pipes. Summit Heating, A/C, Plumbing & Electrical in Littleton, CO, wants you to know why you shouldn’t ignore these noises. If ignored too long, pressure changes can loosen fittings, wear out seals, or damage valves. Fixing the cause early can save you from more expensive repairs later.
Understanding the Source of the Noise
Water hammer is one of the most common reasons pipes bang. It happens when a valve shuts off suddenly, and the moving water inside the pipe has nowhere to go. The force of the sudden stop creates a pressure wave. It travels through the pipes, causing them to shake or bang. You might hear it once or several times in a row, depending on how your plumbing system responds.
Homes with older plumbing are more likely to have this problem. Older plumbing systems sometimes have air chambers to absorb shock. Over time, those chambers can fill with water and lose their ability to cushion the pressure impact.
Newer plumbing systems sometimes use arrestors. They do the same job as air chambers and can wear out or clog if you have hard water.
In some cases, the banging noise might not be water hammer at all. It could come from loose pipe straps, high water pressure, or changing temperatures. Pipes that aren’t adequately secured can move every time the pressure changes. Copper pipes can create knocking sounds due to the expansion and contraction that occur when temperatures change.
High Water Pressure and Its Effects
Municipal water supplies often come into homes at pressures between 80 and 100 psi. But most plumbing systems perform best with pressures between 40 and 60 psi. If the pressure entering your home is too high, it can strain pipes and valves, potentially leading to damage.
When this happens, the plumbing system tries to adjust on its own. That can result in vibrating or banging pipes. Over time, the added pressure can reduce the lifespan of appliances, such as water heaters. If the high pressure remains, you could experience costly replacements.
Pressure-reducing valves manage this issue, but they don’t last forever. If yours is more than a decade old, it may not be doing its job effectively. You may still experience consistent water flow at the tap, but your plumbing system could be under strain.
Temperature Changes in Pipe Expansion
In homes with copper or metal piping, temperature fluctuations can cause banging sounds. When hot water flows through cold pipes, the metal expands rapidly. The sudden change in size can cause the pipe to slip inside its hangers or rub against the framing.
Over the years, that friction can wear grooves into wooden supports or cause holes in drywall. The louder the banging, the more movement happening inside the walls. The solution to this issue usually involves adjusting the pipe hangers or adding insulation.
PEX and other flexible piping materials are less likely to produce these sounds, but even they can make noise under certain conditions. Pipe material alone doesn’t eliminate the risks.
How Aging Plumbing Can Make Things Worse
If your home is older and has never had a plumbing upgrade, the materials inside the walls may be the source of the noise. Galvanized steel pipes corrode over time. As the inside narrows with rust or mineral buildup, the flow of water becomes more unstable. That instability can lead to vibrations that sound like rattling or banging when water moves through the pipes at high speed.
Old valves and fittings also begin to lose their ability to shut off completely. Valves that close too quickly or at an uneven angle may create more noise than a new one. We can replace a few outdated parts and eliminate years of unexplained plumbing noise.
Diagnosing the Problem Before it Worsens
The tricky part about pipe noise is that it can come from more than one source. Each component of your plumbing affects the others, so diagnosing the issue requires a full inspection.
Our Littleton plumbers will typically check your water pressure first. Next, we will look at your shut-off valves and test them for proper function. Our team will check your support brackets and plumbing materials. We will also consider the age of your system.
If you’re hearing the noise only during certain times of the day or when specific appliances run, that helps us narrow things down. Identifying the pattern of when the sound occurs can offer important clues.
Repeated banging every time you shut off a faucet points to pressure issues. Intermittent noises when pipes are not in use may indicate expansion caused by temperature fluctuations. A complete plumbing inspection is the only way to know for sure.
When to Call a Professional Plumber
Ongoing pipe noise is not something to ignore. In addition to the sounds being annoying, underlying pressure changes and pipe movement can cause long-term damage to your plumbing system. Our professional plumbers can accurately diagnose the issues. We will also recommend solutions that match the age of your plumbing system.
DIY approaches simply do not work. Without the right tools, knowledge, and the ability to inspect pipes behind walls, you could make the problem worse. What seems like a quick adjustment could lead to leaks or loose fittings.
Calling in a professional can help you avoid more expensive plumbing repairs later. Many of the fixes involved are quick and affordable. The sooner we address the issue, the less likely you are to develop more severe problems.
Don’t Wait for the Damage to Spread
That loud bang you hear inside the wall is not just a sound. It is a warning from your plumbing system telling you that something is wrong. Normally, water should move through your pipes smoothly and quietly. When it doesn’t, the stress inside your pipes builds. Eventually, it will find a way to break through.
Pipe banging does not mean your plumbing system is failing. However, it does require attention. Catching the problem now helps you avoid water damage, appliance wear, and rising energy costs later. A quiet plumbing system is a healthy one. Keeping it that way starts with listening when something doesn’t sound right.
Services You Can Trust
Summit Heating, A/C, Plumbing & Electrical opened our doors in 1998, providing trusted HVAC, plumbing, and electrical services to the Denver area. We offer services to residential and commercial customers, including installation, maintenance, and pipe repairs. We also provide emergency plumbing services and will be there when you need us most. We get things 100% right, or it’s 100% free! We want to take the stress out of your plumbing problems by handling all the details for you. You can trust us to offer sound advice for any plumbing situation.
Contact our knowledgeable plumbers at Summit Heating, A/C, Plumbing & Electrical to inspect your plumbing system in Littleton so that we can identify the source of your pipe noise and provide quick solutions.
