A foghorn sound in your plumbing could be a number of things. It may be a faulty ballcock in the toilet, a loose faucet washer, or a valve in the washing machine. It may also be permeating your entire house, in which case it could be from loose or old pipes or a malfunctioning regulator.
Thankfully, this is not a serious plumbing issue, but it is annoying. To fix it, tighten the screws on the faucet or replace the faucet washer. You can pick up a new one at the hardware store. If this stops the sound, you've fixed the issue.
Loose Plumbing Faucet
If this noise comes out every time you turn on a faucet, chances are it's an issue with your faucet washer. When subjected to water, a loose faucet washer can produce as much noise as a foghorn. To try and fix this problem, consider tightening the screws in your faucet system.
Tighten or Add Pipe Straps: As time goes by, your pipe straps will inevitably loosen, allowing pipes to creak and moan as your water temperature fluctuates. Combat the creaks by either adding additional straps or tightening the existing ones to keep pipes secure.
If your toilet is making a foghorn noise, it could be because of a loose washer inside the “float”—a black, ballock-style valve that is common on older units. Lift the tank lid and flush your toilet while holding up the float, and if the foghorn noise goes away, you've located the problem.
A defective refill valve or ballcock in a toilet can cause the noise. Suspect this if the groaning occurs after a toilet is flushed. The noise occurs as the toilet tank is being refilled. The remedy is to replace the valve, which is located at the left inside the toilet tank.
Are the pipes humming when you flush the toilet? This may mean that you have an issue with one of your valves. While the humming sound is present, shut off each valve. If the humming sounds stops, then the valve is the source of the issue, and you may need to replace the valve for the fill tank.
There's air in your pipes: If your pipes make a funny moaning or whining sound when you turn on a faucet, it could mean that there is air caught in your pipes. If this is the case, something is up with your bleed-off system.
Turn on both the hot and cold water to about 1/8th of the way on all the faucets. Leave the water running for about two minutes. Start from the lowest faucet in the house to the highest faucet. This allows the water pressure of the system to force all of the air from the pipes and out through the faucets.
What Does Air in Water Pipes Sound Like? Air in water lines will likely sound like a hiss or pop(s) emanating from the pipes. The causes can range from the simple to the complex, with the source of the air varying depending on the situation.
Gurgling: A drain gurgling can indicate a blockage or clog. Gurgling from a shower or sink drain after flushing the toilet can mean you have a clogged pipe, the air in your pipes, or a much bigger problem – an issue in the sewer line. Gurgling noises also can be as simple as an incorrectly positioned heating pump.
Usually, banging noises in the pipes come from a problem with water pressure or water flow. Two of the most common causes are water hammers and trapped air bubbles.
This is often due to: water pressure too high, wear & tear on plumbing components, water mineral build-up from the water, or other types of degradations. Squealing / whistling water supply pipe noises are typically related to water pressure and/ or flow-velocity of the water.
Drain your pipes and refill them to create new air chambers
To do this, shut off your home's main water valve, then open the highest faucet in your home. Next, turn on the lowest faucet in your home and keep it on until all water has drained. Finally, reopen the main water valve to refill your pipes.
This can be fixed by draining your plumbing system, which requires turning off the main water valve and opening the highest faucet in your home. Then drain water from the lowest faucet. The chamber should fill up with air once the water is drained and resolve your water hammer problem.
Typically, banging noises coming from your pipes infer an issue with water flow or water pressure. Two of the most common causes are water hammers and trapped air bubbles. A water hammer, also known as hydraulic shock, occurs when fluid in motion is suddenly stopped when a faucet or valve is shut off.
Air in water pipes will sound like a hiss or pop. Alternatively, the trapped air can cause loud gurgling and prolonged vibrating noises. Other sounds are loud noises and bangs emanating from the pipes; this clearly indicates air traveling in the pipes.
Will an airlock clear itself. Even if you run out of water, air should automatically clear in a well-constructed low-pressure water pipe system. The air should naturally climb to the top and discharge as the pipe system fills up.
Air in your water pipes has the potential to do damage to your plumbing system. To diagnose the problem, call a professional plumber. He can help you resolve the banging and vibrating of your pipes, address air in your hot water tank, and restore consistent water flow to your fixtures.
Humming. If your pipes sound like they're humming, it's likely a water pressure issue.
To make matters worse, loud noises coming from your piping can actually be an indicator of a bad plumbing problem or series of plumbing problems in your pipes. If left untreated, these clogging and drainage issues can become disastrous over time.
If your water pressure is too high, it can also cause noisy water pipes. Worse, high water pressure can damage water-supplied appliances, such as your washing machine and dishwasher.
That whistling, whining, or roaring sound is a result of pressure or restriction somewhere in the plumbing. There are myriad reasons why this noise could be occurring—the house water pressure is too high, a blockage in one of the shower valves, mineral build up in the shower head, etc.