Why Do Outdoor Faucets Make Noise? (5 Reasons and How to Fix)
There’s something about a noisy outdoor faucet that can be unsettling.
A little outdoor activity such as getting the tap to work, to water the lawn or backyard is now a battlefield of irritable noisy sounds, more like an orchestra.
An outdoor faucet is supposed to be quiet, simple, and fun to use. But this annoying situation, with that inconveniencing sound, might be a lot to take in, and I’m sure you need just about any solution to shut them up.
Possible issues that might make your outdoor faucet make noise are listed below:
- Worn-out Washers
- Water Hammering
- Squealing Noises from Loose Piping
- Main Valve is Faulty
- Issues with Ballock Assembly
Some factors responsible for this irritating noise may be attributed to the weather, loose fittings, and even a blocked pipe.
This article will highlight the common causes for the noise and how you can return your faucet to that sweet, quiet watering tool.
5 Common Causes of Noisy Outdoor Faucets and How to Fix Them
There’s something about an outdoor faucet that offers comfort when providing water to your lawn.
It’s even a form of recreation, but a noisy outdoor faucet is a cause for concern. Here are some of the leading causes of a noisy outdoor faucet:
1. Worn-out Washers
Whistling faucets outdoors may just be a direct consequence of a worn-out washer.
If you look closely, a major cause is a valve connected to the taps. There’s a big chance that the valves are worn out and need a replacement.
Because they are worn out, they force water to pass through a small area, increasing the pressure and building a whistling, disturbing sound.
It may sound unnoticeable at first, but slowly it could build up and become a menace, bringing out some whistling noise that you don’t want to hear.
How to fix: a simple fix such as replacing the washers should solve the whistling sound.
Some people prefer getting a local plumber to fix this valve issue because it could become a mess if not handled properly.
2. Water Hammering
Whenever you turn on a faucet, the water coming out emerges with much pressure.
The energy and speed are also applied when you shut the faucet off, immediately disrupting the water flow. Such energy that was once released has to be channeled elsewhere.
The faucet’s pipe at the other end connected to the tap has a hidden air chamber. When you turn off the faucet, the pressure and energy are stopped, and the water returns with the pressure, hitting this chamber and releasing a gush of air.
You may notice your pipe rattles or a slight hammering sound when this happens.
However, continuous ‘hammering’ or ‘rattling’ will build on the air chamber, making the sound more noticeable.
As it shakes the chamber and pipes, the pressure will be returned to the faucet, and the once silent hammering will now become a gushing, irritating noise when the faucet is turned on.
How to Fix: there are now industry-made water hammer cushions sold in stores to help you arrest the hammering situation.
You can get a plumber to help you fix this cushion or an arrestor to help you balance the air chamber.
Here is a DIY solution. Turn off the main valve but turn on other taps and drainage pipes in the house. Leave it on for about 2 minutes. When empty, turn on the main valve, returning water into them and pushing air into the risers. This solution will reduce the water hammering in the pipes connected to the faucets.
3. Squealing Noises from Loose Piping
A loose pipe connected to your outdoor faucet can lead to squealing noises.
Such loose pipe here does not necessarily mean it’s fixed to the wall. A loose pipe could be the fasteners holding it to the ground have become wobbly. The difference is in the volume.
Even when the faucet is turned off, you may still be hearing it in low volumes, which could be a real headache. A loose pipe could occur due to many factors. Some of them include:
- Large amounts of water flowing through it
- The pressure is higher than the pipe can handle
- poor maintenance of the pipe
- Long-term use of the pipe.
The squealing noises become more prominent because water is forced through a small part of the pipe, reducing the water coming out. When you turn on the faucet, it sounds like a forced flow, and the sound is depressing.
How to Fix: the most important thing about the squealing noises from loose pipes is to pinpoint the point of origin.
If possible, take the time to go through the pipe, inch by inch, to know exactly which area is affected. You can control the looseness by replacing the aerator or straightening the pipe.
In other cases, you may need a plumber to replace the pipe.
4. Main Valve is Faulty
In many cases, the pressure from your outdoor faucet is low or high, which means the volume of water coming out is inadequate or too much.
Another top culprit you should check for is a faulty water pressure regulator, particularly the house’s primary water valve that has developed a fault.
It is pretty common to find the main valve as the culprit. If the main valve is faulty, you could have issues not just with your outdoor faucet but the indoor faucets and other taps and drainages.
How to Fix: turn off the water supply immediately and contact a plumber to look at it. Depending on the severity of the damage, it could need a simple repair or a total replacement of the valve.
5. Issues with Ballock Assembly
Your outdoor faucet could become noisy because the filling cycle has become faulty.
What this means is if you’re having issues with the refilling after using the faucet, probably a banging sound inside the pipes, then you’ll have noise problems with your faucet.
The Ballock Assembly is likely the cause here and could produce unbearable noises as it deteriorates.
It usually starts from the inside and slowly creeps to the outdoor faucet, with a rattling sound that disturbs the ears.
How to Fix: there’s not much you can do here except get an experienced plumber to help you change the faulty ballock assembly altogether.
Final Words
Your outdoor faucet is supposed to be a respite for your outdoor watering needs and provides a means of relaxation for your kids if they love playing with water.
However, you could have issues with the faucet due to several factors.
The issue is these noises could even occur when you’re not using them and could be a problem.
Hopefully, with our suggestions on fixing them, you can get ahead of the problem and restore your once quiet neighborhood.
Links:
Chino Plumber Noisy water pipes and faucets
How to repair a noisy outdoor and faucet