High-Pitched Noise When I Flush or Run Water: What Is It?

Plumbing transmits sounds very effectively, making even the smallest noise sound loud as it travels through pipes. Find out the cause of a high-pitched whine that’s heard whenever water is running or when toilets are flushed – and what to…

LESLIE: Bill in Hawaii has got a squeaky faucet. Bill, tell us what’s going on.

BILL: When I turn a faucet on anywhere in the house or I flush a toilet, I hear – there’s a high-pitched whine. And it doesn’t seem to make any difference where and which faucet, whether it’s hot or cold or upstairs or downstairs. I get this quite high-pitched whine or high tone in the plumbing.

LESLIE: Does it go away after it’s been running awhile or does it stay on?

BILL: No. As long as I have a faucet on, it continues.

Now, I went on the internet and one of the suggestions was that there was a pressure regulator on the input water to the house. So, a month ago, I was pulling and adjusted that one way and it got worse. So just yesterday, I went and turned it the other way and now it seems to get better. Now it just has a high-pitched whine when you turn it on or shut it off but not during. Is that a possible – something wrong there?

TOM: Yeah. I mean it’s probably the pressure regulator or even the main water valve. And the reason that you have such a loud noise is because plumbing makes a really good transmitter of sound, you know? So, if you get a little bit of noise down one end of it, it will transmit through the entire house. And the fact that this is consistent no matter where you are in the house and what you turn on means that it should be at the main, coming into the house, because that’s the only pipe that’s on all the time.

So, I think you’re onto something there with the pressure regulator and I would consider replacing the water pressure regulator and/or replace the main valve, because I think that’s where the sound is coming from, based on what you’ve just described.