AboutDana Bostick Expertise Pretty much any residential plumbing questions. Note: I live and work in Southern California. We do not as a rule use boilers, hot water or steam heating systems or wells so my knowledge in those areas is limited. There are others here that can probably answer those questions better.
"We all is city folk" out here! What is a "well" LOL
Experience Licensed General Contractor with Plumbing, HVAC and Electrical sub-licenses
I have a very annoying problem that I hope you can solve for me. I live in a 12 year old 2 story house in San Diego. My daughter's bedroom is on the second floor. About a year ago the pipes on her sink started to howl. It happens when she turns on either the hot or cold water to a slow flow. The problem is getting worse - it seems that the whole house vibrates. She likes the sound - it is driving me crazy. When they howl I notice that the pipes under the sink are vibrating. Not sure if this is important, but whenever my family leaves the house for more than 1 day I shut off the main water valve to the house (to prevent accidental floods from appliance failure). When I turn on the water and then use a sink or appliance the water spurts as air is blasted out the line. Any ideas how I can fix this. I am somewhat handy, but not very good with plumbing.
Thanks!
Answer Hi Chip,
That's a good one, "she likes it". LOL
This situation is usually caused by failing washers and/or seats in the faucet. The washers get thin and weak with age and during low flow conditions, they vibrate like a reed on a Sax. Replacing the washers will usually fix it.
I think you are being overly cautious with the water shut off thing but better safe than sorry. One of the things that fail most often is the washing machine hoses. The manufacturer's instructions usually say to turn of the water to the washer when not in use. It is a good idea to replace the hoses on the washer with the stainless steel braided type as an added precaution.
As for the air issue, something is allowing the water to drain down a bit when the system pressure is turned off and allowing air to enter. This is not too unusual. Not sure there is anything you can really do about that other than stand back when you turn the faucet on or put a rag over the spout to control the splash.
