High-pitched whining noise from the faucet is one of the most common problems in today’s houses. It is one of those hardly possible to overlook noises that are annoying and can cause a great amount of concern to homeowners.
What’s more worrisome is that this whining noise usually indicates an underlying problem with your faucet that needs to be fixed. However, these problems are nothing complex or too expensive to fix.
Some of the simplest ways to fix your faucet noise are; to reduce water pressure, inspect the washer, replace pressure relief valves and inspect the service valves.
In this article, we will discuss this in detail and a few other methods to help you get rid of the whining noise in your faucet.
One of the main causes of the noise in your faucet is high water pressure. You may hear whining or squealing noise along with banging or hammering noise coming from your pipes when you turn off the faucet.
Bear in mind that the water pressure in your house shouldn’t exceed 80 pounds per square inch. If your water pressure is higher than this the water will force itself all through the sprout at a faster pace than the faucet was made to handle.
However, the high water pressure levels can cause debris such as rust and minerals to move and ultimately lead to clogging.
Another common cause of the high-pitched whining in your faucet is defective washers. The washers are usually fastened by screws or nuts. However, if these screws or nuts are made of plastic they may get damaged over time. Similarly, they may become loose if they are made of metal.
When this happens, the washer will vibrate or flap anytime water passes through it. The rapid flapping of the washer may induce vibrations that sound like a horn.
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Sometimes knowing when your faucet makes the whining noise will help you evaluate and better fix the issue. However, if your faucet makes squealing noise only when you use hot water, then there may be a problem with your hot water support brackets.
Anytime hot water moves through your pipes, the increase in temperature will give rise to the expansion of the pipes and make them stretch against their support brackets. When this occurs your pipe will make short but loud high-pitched noise, due to the vibrations of the pipes against the support brackets.
If your outdoor faucet has a pressure relief attached to it. If you also realize it’s dripping consistently then it is a sign that the pressure relief valve is worn-out or high water supply in the system. When this happens the pressure relief valve will open and close rapidly to mitigate the pressure. However when there is no use for water in your home. The pressure increment and the opening of the pressure relief valve can result in the fluttering of the valve and induce whining.
Another common cause of the whining noise in your faucet is due to a broken or worn-out faucet. The stem is part of the components faucet assembly that contains the valve that turns the water on and off. If you hear high-pitched screaming noise, the threads of the system may rub down the threads of your faucet.
If you live in a hard water area, the hard water may be the cause of the noise in your faucet. As the hard water passes through your pipe, it may leave behind residue in the pipeline. Over time the accumulation of minerals can lessen the space through which the water passes and induce whining noise.
To remedy this problem remove your faucet and soak them in a large bowl with a mixture of water and distilled vinegar solution.
To prevent the whining noise from your faucet you need to keep your water pressure between 40 and 60 psi. To decrease the water pressure you need to adjust the water pressure regulator. The pressure regulator is usually close to your meter or the water supply valve line. If you don’t have one, you can get a certified plumber to install it for you.
The adjustment of the water pressure is done by way of screwing and locking the nut system. To do this use a wrench to unscrew the locking nut and use a screwdriver to turn the screws counterclockwise to reduce the pressure in your home.
The washer is a common cause of the faucet noise. You will need to turn off the faucet water supply and check out the washer’s faucet. You can reset it to get rid of the problem or replace it with the correct size if you notice your washer is faulty. You can also replace the washer inside the faucet nozzle if it’s worn out.
Here are steps to help you replace your washer in case it’s worn out:
Turn off the main water supply valve
Use a wrench tool to take out the retaining nut of the faucet
Take out the faucet handle, look out for the washer, disassemble it from the stem and replace it with a new one.
Assemble the handle stem and find out if the noise has stopped by turning on the main water supply valve.
In case your washer is fastened in place by screws. Inspect whether the screws are tight enough to keep the washer steady, if not tighten them up mildly and make sure not to overtighten it.
The expansion of the hot water pipes usually causes noise as it vibrations against the pipe support brackets. To remedy this you can cushion the pipes to reduce the vibrations. You can also replace the pipe and support brackets if the vibration pads don’t stop the noise.
The noise may also be due damaged stem or washer on only the hot water side. With this, you will need to replace those components to get rid of the problem.
Replacing the pressure relief valve with a pressure reduction valve will help you regulate and maintain the pressure. This will also prevent the water from getting on the condition of the pressure relief valve due to excessive pressure.
Some faucets use inbuilt valves and which can also cause a whining noise in the faucet. The retaining nut withholds the valve in its place. If the retaining becomes loose, you will need to tighten them up. However, if this doesn’t solve the issue then take it out and use a washer O-ring to dismantle the entire valve assembly.
In most cases, indoor valves are equipped with both cold and hot water. To find out whether the problem is in the faucet valve assembly or the washer connected to it, you may have to exchange the washer with either the cold or hot water valve assembly. If the noise goes away after interchanging the valves it is likely the washer was the cause. However, if the problem still pe ist then you need to replace the entire valve assembly.
In most instances, people mistakenly keep the service valve settings in a partly closed state due to little knowledge about it. When this occurs the flow of water will be restricted causing vibrations and thus creating the whining noise.
Always make sure the service valves are fully opened to promote unhindered water flow. Usually, this happens when the valve has to be turned four or five times to close. It is advisable to use ball-type valves or quarter-turn valves which don’t need washers to operate. This help prevents it from failing in one way or the other.
If you realize the faucet stem is the cause of the whining noise then you need to disassemble it and put petroleum jelly on the threads. This will help keep up the threads sufficiently lubricated to prevent them from binding and help lessen the noise. Applying lubricant on the threads will only solve the problem temporarily. If notice the threads are worn-out, you should replace the entire faucet stem.
A faucet that makes high-pitched whining anytime you turn it on can be frustrating to use. One of the first steps to solving this problem is to figure out the cause of the problem. luckily enough we have discussed some causes and solutions in the above article to help you fix this problem. Read the article clearly and stick to procedures to help you achieve better results.
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