AboutSharon McCarthy Expertise I can help with most questions about residential plumbing problems including septic systems, and some questions about irrigation. I have no experience with commercial installations or codes.
Experience I have been a sole-proprietor service plumber in two small towns north of Phoenix Arizona for 26 years.
Publications I had a monthly column in the United Steelworkers of America, local 1033, newsletter 1978 to 1982. I wrote an article for "The Theosophist" in 1977. I've written dozens of letters to the editor in many newspapers.
Education/Credentials High school and three years of college. My step-father, having worked 40 years in the plumbing trade in Chicago, taught me for two years. The rest has been hands-on experience.
Past/Present Clients Many hundreds of good people in Cave Creek and Carefree Arizona
Question I recently added a room on upstairs in my house. Since then, I have acquired a vibration at my water regulator. It does it every time I turn on a faucet and sometimes when no water is running at all. It's more like a buzzing noise. I do have an irrigation system, as well.I have attempted to adjust the regulator both up and down. It is very annoying.
Answer Dear Tom,
I don't mean to be dense, but when you say "water regulator" do you mean a pressure regulator? This would be a device that is in-line on your main waterline coming into the house. You turn a slotted screw to adjust the pressure up or down.
A pressure regulator has a screen inside to filter out debris coming through the line. If the person who did the plumbing for your addition cut into the waterline before the pressure regulator to tee in a new line [and if he did, he should have teed in AFTER the pressure regulator], the pipe may have gotten some gravel in it. When the water was turned on, the gravel may have then caught on the screen. This is just a possibility based on what you wrote.
In my 26 years of plumbing, when a knocking, vibrating, banging or whistling sound occurs, the cause is almost always a blocked pipe or a valve that is not open all the way.
You can take those pressure regulators apart and clean them or replace parts, but it's very tricky. That bell housing, the part sticking out with the adjustment screw coming out, will unscrew.
But right behind this is a spring assembly. The spring will pop out and with it other parts of the assembly. Then there is an inner cover that has to be removed to get to the screen.
If you do attempt to take it apart, I suggest you get the exact brand and model number off the unit and look it up online. See if you can find an Adobe schematic drawing of the entire unit.
This is one guess as far as what is causing this vibration. If you have an irrigation system, you probably have a PVB [Pressure Vaccum Breaker] valve on it very close by. These can often get blocked up and can cause a vibrating and often leaking. Again, the reason is that it is not allowing the full amount of water through and this is exactly what will happen.
Also, if your shut-off valve is before the pressure regulator, make very sure it is fully open. You should check this first before you do anything else. If the valve is partly closed, this may be the cause. Hope this helped! Sharon PS. Ideal water pressure is 60psi.
