Ever turned on your shower and got greeted by hIgh pitched whistling, rattling, or thumping sounds? Well, it happens to about 50% of people who have a shower in their bathroom. However, it is not normal to experience such things.
There are many reasons why you may be hearing baffling sounds when trying to use your shower. The possible causes range from loosened parts of your shower to missing elements.
Those sounds may be coming from your shower directly or the pipe that connects it to the water system. Whichever it is, the fix might be as simple as lowering the pressure of water coming through.
In this article, we will examine the possible causes of the rattling, thumping, banging, vibrating, and whatever weird sounds you hear from your shower or pipe. We have also highlighted simple ways to remedy the situation without calling your plumber. Read through!
Why does my shower sound like a motor?
There are many reasons why your shower may be making sounds like a motor. Check out some of the causes below;
- Loosened pipes: If the pipes channeling water into your shower are not secured, you may hear sounds as water pressure hits them.
- Water pressure: The force of water hitting against the pipes can also cause the motor sound you are experiencing.
- Faulty or loosened cartridges: When there is a situation where your cartridge is faulty or not properly secured, you may hear some rattling when using the shower.
- Waterlogged air chambers: That occurs when air is trapped in the intersections of the water chambers.
What does it mean when your shower makes high-pitched noise?
The high-pitched sound you hear when you use your shower may mean the washers inside the water valve are worn out.
As you use your shower, the washers in the valve wear out gradually and may eventually thin out to the extent that vibrations occur when water passes them. The high-pitched sound then happens because of those vibrations.
Another thing that can cause a whistling sound is if the valve has some particles stuck in it.
Those particles are capable of restricting the flow of water through the valves, causing them to make noise.
Why do my pipes sound like a machine gun?
The rattling and banging sound you hear when your shower is turned on may be caused by water turbulence. As water flows from the pipe into your faucet, the pressure against the frame that is not tightened to the water valve can cause rattling like a machine gun. It can also be caused by a loosened cartridge or unsecured pipes.
How to fix your shower issues
All the issues mentioned above can be fixed by you without the help of a plumber. Once you recognize the category your shower issue falls in, use the steps below to fix it.
Fixing the rattling sound
You can solve the issues of thumping, banging, and rattling by engaging any of the solutions below. Make sure the problem matches the solution you are choosing.
- Reduce water pressure: High water pressure can cause hammering in the pipes and eventually result in leakages. To stop this, look for the water regulator and shut off the water valve. Then loosen the nut of the adjustment bolt till it rotates. Turn the bolt to reduce the water pressure and check at the tap. Keep doing that until you don’t notice the sounds anymore. Then tighten the nut of the adjustment bolt back to lock it.
- Water hammer arrestor: The arrestor prevents hammering by absorbing compressible air in the pipe. You can either install it or call a plumber to do it. The process is quite tedious and requires experience. It is advisable to engage the service of a professional plumber.
- Change the shower cartridge: The rattling sound from your shower may be caused by a worn-out, faulty, or loosened cartridge. You can remedy that by replacing or adjusting the shower cartridge. You can easily do it yourself. Turn off the water source to your bathroom and disassemble the faucet. Remove the nut holding your cartridge and pull it out. Install the new cartridge and assemble your facet again.
- Secure loose water pipes: If any of the pipes channeling water to your faucet get loose, it may cause strange sounds too. Check the braces securing the pipes for any loose ones to fix that. When you find one, screw them back into place if possible. And if the braces cannot be repaired, you can replace them.
Fixing the high-pitched whistling sound
Since the sound may be caused by worn-out washers in the water valve, the solution will be to replace it. You can do that using the following steps;
- Turn off the source of the water that goes into your bathroom
- Carefully unscrew the faucet(make sure you don’t lose any part while at it)
- Change the rubber part on the stem of the valve.
- Replace the screws and test them to ensure that the shower is working perfectly now.
If that does not work, it may be that deposits are blocking the water flow. Fix this situation by following the steps below!
- Stop water from coming through the bathroom
- Unscrew and open up the faucet
- Check for any form of deposits in it. They may be plastic or any other form of mineral deposits
- Scrape them off with a Chisel head screwdriver
- If you can’t remove the items blocking the faucet, submerge the areas with the barriers overnight
- The next morning, chip them off with the chisel head screwdriver again.
Additional tips
Many of the suggested solutions to strange sounds in your shower are things you can do all by yourself. However, If you do not understand the procedures to repair the shower issues, call a plumber. It is better to engage the service of a professional with enough experience than mess everything up.
Now that you have learned the various causes of sounds in your shower and possible solutions, go fix it!
As the resident shower expert at ShowerJournal.com, Wayne Lee loves to share the helpful tips and tricks he’s picked up over the years during his job as a handyman.
