That’s Not a Ghost, It’s Your Plumbing

As the days start to get shorter, the nights are longer, and your brain can start to play some mysterious tricks. Was that tapping always there? Or is it a new friend from beyond the grave? For some, this may seem farfetched, but almost 45% of Americans believe in ghosts. While it’s not uncommon to believe there’s a presence behind a spooky sound, chances are it’s coming from your plumbing system.

Tapping on the Walls

When you wake to hear a gentle tap, tap, tapping in the walls, don’t be alarmed. While your first thought may be that a ghost is trying to get your attention, it’s actually a phenomenon called “water hammer.”

The ghastly knocking, AKA water hammer, happens when water finds its way into the air chamber pipe. Simply put, the air chamber pipe regulates pressure and waves in your home’s main supply pipes. This happens when you, or someone in your home, turns a faucet on and off too quickly.

The knocking or hammering sound you hear is water moving and pushing against the side of a pipe. When the faucet is turned off too quickly, the water will vibrate or shudder because of the quick water and air flow.

To remedy this, a plumber will drain the pipes, refill them to create a new air chamber, and potentially install a water hammer arrestor.

Strange Water Bursts

Have you ever flushed the toilet only to hear or see a burst of water come gurgling out of the shower or sink drain? Rest assured this isn’t a poltergeist or playful spirit, it’s merely a symptom of high water pressure.

As we mentioned above with water hammer, when a tap or fixture is shut off to quickly, it can essentially “shake” the plumbing system. This itself leads to a spike in water pressure that forces a gurgle out from a nearby drain.

Moaning

Are there times you can hear a faint moan after flushing the toilet? No, there’s not a spirit or entity hiding in your toilet tank, your ballcock is going out.

The ballcock valve is an important part of the flushing process. It refills the toilet’s water tank after someone has flushed. The moan comes as the tank is refilling. If you’ve ever heard this, it does eerily sound like a person trying to get your attention.

The best thing you can do in this situation is to replace the ballcock or refill valve.

HVAC Hall of Fame

Your plumbing system isn’t the only thing making some creepy sounds. HVAC systems are notorious for scaring some homeowners.

• Squealing or Screaming – Your blower motor runs with the aid of a belt. Very much like your car. Over time and with use the belt can loosen up or start to wear out. When this happens, your HVAC system will make a screaming or squealing noise when it’s running.
• Scratching – When you hear a distinctive scratching coming from your HVAC system, it’s not an angry cat spirit, it’s probably a loose part. Sometimes a ball bearing will fall out of place, or a screw will come loose; both of these will cause a scratching or scraping sound.
• Unexplained Cold Spots – when a home has central heating and cooling, it’s split into zones. Your system is programmed to temperature treat specific parts of your home. If ductwork breaks or fails, part of your home could be literally left in the cold.
• Auditory Hallucinations – Believe it or not, auditory hallucinations can come from your HVAC system. They’re a symptom of carbon monoxide poisoning. Other symptoms include visual hallucinations, paranoia, confusion, and depression.

If you want to exorcise your pipes, simply call a plumber from Adeedo! Schedule your appointment today.