Faulty Valve May Be Cause of the Noise in Water Taps

Question: I open any tap in my house and I hear train-like noises. It also feels as if air is being sucked into the tap. When we use both taps, the noise disappears, but this is not a permanent solution. Tell us what the problem is and how to fix it.

Answer: If faucets screech when you turn them on, and pipes hum when water’s running, chances are you have a bad main-inlet valve or a bad pressure-regulator valve. Water enters a home at only one point. If all faucets groan and howl the same throughout the house, the main-inlet valve is bad where water enters your home.

Over time, rubber gaskets can become brittle. Running water rushes in, passing over the gasket which acts as does a reed in a clarinet. Pipes carry the sound to every faucet and fixture, making it hard to pin down the source.

In this case, check the main-inlet valve. If it screeches at only one location, check the gasket of that particular faucet. Repairs can be done with basic tools.

Checking for Proper Waste-Water Drainage

Q: The waste water from the clothes washer and kitchen sink drain onto the floor of the garage or into the backyard through a pipe on the exterior of the home-kitchen wall. This pipe was broken before I moved in and remains open. Should I call a plumber?

A: Waste water from your clothes washer and kitchen sink should not drain onto the garage floor or into the backyard. This waste should discharge into an on-site septic tank or a municipal sewage system.

Contact a reliable plumber or sewer and drain service in your area to make sure that the drainpipes are configured properly and draining freely.

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