As plumbing product manufacturers, we like to keep an eye on what’s changing in the industry, the best way to do that is to study understand what plumbers do on a day to day basis. Most plumbing work is visually physical; fixing a crack, replacing some pipe, installing a toilet etc. But can we use our other senses to be more efficient at our jobs? Of course we can, we can also rely on our ears to help diagnose issues, including what a particular sound means. All houses make noises, it’s a hub of a whole host of moving parts, but these following noises will tell you about the plumbing issues in the house, for sure… especially if they’re new noises. That often means something has changed and often, isn’t quite right:

1. Deep Gurgling:

All basins have a tiny gurgle as that last bit of water leaves the waste, but when your basin starts to gurgle loudly and deeper in pitch, that is the sign that there is a blockage building up, a new trap or under sink kit may be of utmost importance.

2. Thudding

Do you hear a thud when you turn on the water at your client’s home? Or maybe a clanging sound? Any of these noises are caused by what is often called a “water hammer”, which is what happens when a closed valve abruptly stops the rush of water through a pipe. This damages pipes too, so it’s probably best to look at the damage done and if it is reparable.

3. Shaking

If you can hear a metallic rumbling or shaking sound it could be that the pipes have come loose, or the mounting straps used to secure your pipes have worn away a bit. You can re-tighten the fittings easy enough if they’re not damaged, but often if they have come lose then they will be unusable or were just poor quality in the first place. Maybe get some new fittings?