plumbing moans when the water is turned off

Check the pressure regulator at the water service. erik

What do you mean check the pressure regulator? Check that it is there? Check that it is metal? Check that it exists in our dimension? Please, a little more detail. Thank you!

Your pressure regulator is most likely mal-functioning...its on the main water line coming into the house. Either replace it or have it repaired. (this device lowers higher city main pressure to a safe level for your house) Its common for the device to shudder or hum when the unit has failed. erik

I'm still experiencing a loud vbiration from my plumbing. I tracked the most offensive pipe down to the cold water pipe to the washing machine, but the whole system seems to be vibrating. The pipe to the washer just seems to be more susceptible to whatever is causing the vibration.

I saw on another post that someone mentioned adjusting the thumb, or setscrew, on the pressure regulator to decrease the water pressure. I assume the pressure regulator is the item colocated, or part of, the main water shutoff for the house? If it is, then in addition to the shutoff valve handle, there was as a thubmscrew on the side. It was totally screwed down. When I "unscrewed" it, I was met with a shower of water escaping under pressure from the thumbscrew. I quickly screwed it back in. What gives? What the heck did I just uncover??? Should it do that?

Hey, the advise I got here was fantastic. My house had bee moaning for a few months and was frustrated and just could not figure out what was wrong. I put the gauge on the house, Pressure was 140 psi. Installed a new Pressure Reduction Valve and the house is once more quiet. Thanks

A simple thing to check.

Disconnect all your outdoor water hoses (and make sure their taps are closed!)

Noise gone? Here's why:

If any hose is turned off at the hose end nozzle and the tap is on even a teeny bit, the hose acts like a large pressurized balloon... and every time you turn a tap off ANYWHERE,it is similar to tapping a tightly inflated balloon! Propagates through all your pipes.

If this was the cause and you'd called a plumber... you'd feel silly and poorer!

The outdoor hose thing did the trick. Thank you so much for posting your reply!

Another thanks for the tip on the outdoor house. That did the trick for me also.

Yes, the outdoor hose was the culprit. Easy fix! Thank you for the hint!

Ditto on the hose tip -- was the culprit here too!

It was the outside water tap left on after I had the windows washed. This post saved me a service call.

Yep,...saved me a service call also, outside faucet left on after washing trash cans and, noticed after taking shower when turning on the faucet inside the house, it made the moaning noise. thanks to this website saved me $$$$! Jeff

Solved the problem by turning off the garden hose!

But thinking a little bit more: leaving the garden hose valve on by itself is not the whole problem. If the garden hose and/or washer is brand new, and the hose tightly connected to the valve, then the moaning noise might not manifested itself.

The noise will become more noticeable and more pronounced when the garden hose connection to the valve is loose, and/or the garden hose has deteriorated to the point of becoming a balloon itself.

My kitchen faucet moans when I turn off the water and then turns back on all by itself.

Hii Dear,

I think you need to check the pressure regulator at the water service.

Thanks. That was it! Saved me the cost of calling a plumber.

Outdoor hose was the culprit... thanks a ton.

I read all of these and tried the easiest one first, unhooked both hoses and make sure faucets were off...IT WORKED!!!
Thank you so much!!!

The hose recommendation saved me too! I didn't need to unhook my hose. I just turned off the faucet and the house stopped groaning.

Wow, this post started 16yrs ago and the 2016 outdoor water hose post saved me also in 2019.

We had figured out where the noise was coming from a few years back. But if you want your water to stay on outside for a motion detection sprinkler (to keep geese away) are you stuck with the noise????

Just today we started hearing a humming sound in the walls. When we turn the tap on it disappears but as soon as we turn it off it’s comes back. It’s been getting louder and now at 5am it is pretty loud. Our water pressure is usually low, so don’t think it’s that. I did backwash the pool too far today and we have a self leveller so it has been filling back up again, but this has never caused this noise before. I also have an older toilet downstairs that fills up very slowly after a flush but again has never caused this noise before. Can someone help me here as I really don’t know where to start.

OUTDOOR HOSE ISSUE DID THE TRICK!! THANK YOU SO MUCH, WAS ABOUT TO CALL A PLUMBER >.<

Omg. Thank you... my water hose was turned on which caused the resent groaning after I turn off the faucets or flush the toilets. Thank you so much saved me time and money from calling a plumber!!!

This had been going on for a few weeks. It was driving my wife crazy. I couldn't figure it out. Did several things to try and fix, per on line suggestions suspecting bad ballcock issue with toilets. NOPE...found this site, followed the outside line idea...SUCCESS...THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH...SAVED ME OODLES OF BUCKS.

BOB was my first exposure to home repair and now that I have AN OLD HOUSE I am so thankful for the things you taught me. You are a blessing to us. Best of Luck and Thank You. Vince P.

I have an anti-siphon valve attached to my hose bib to run a watering timer. The hose bib is open all the time with no noise but when the timer valve opens and water starts flowing it makes the loud humming. The anti-siphon/vaccum breaker is only about a year old - it’s a nice brass model. Do you think it’s just bad or there some other pressure issue?

Is anyone still checking this post? I’m having the moaning pipes problem. Nothing has changed at my house - haven’t used the hose faucet in months, there’s not even a hose hooked up so I know that’s off. Today the water department was doing work in my neighborhood and my service was interrupted. I let the faucets run until the flow was normal again, but now the pipes are moaning when I turn the water off or flush the toilet.

Outdoor water hose was the issue!!! Thank you to the person who originally posted that answer!

Man, the last thing I wanted to do is call a plumber during quarantine. Yep, was the garden hose for me too

This website and the post are ridiculously useful (even after 4 years). I had the same moaning problem and the culprit was the outdoor hose. Thanks for the tip and for saving me $$$

Omg how much money have you saved us all with your outdoor water hose tip? BIG THANKS!

I would have never guessed hose could do that, annoying noise is now gone, thank you.

Thank you! It was the backyard hose!!! You saved me a headache and a service bill. This is an old thread that continues to be helpful.

Amazing tip on the garden hose...it was the problem.

Hello,
My water was interrupted a couple a day ago by the city. Then it was turn back on, now we hear a humming noise. Any suggestions to stopping the vibration bodies.

My pipes from or to washer groans when filling almost a brrrr sound. I had a leaky faucet replaced by plumber next to washer last month. I have less water pressure, but the problem is noise when I wash clothes. It comes from water pipes filling the washer. All outside hoses are off. Do I need the plumber to return to fix this? Not handy woman

My shower starts dripping every time my sprinklers come on. Ant idea as to what the problem might be?

I had a leak in my crawlspace from the water line right after the meter. A plumber told me the plumbing was not installed correctly to begin with, and it needed Double Check Backflow Preventer which he installed.
Now there is a moaning whale sound after I shut off the water. It lasts up to 30 seconds. I ran all the water outlets in the house and outside to release any air. No outside hoses attached.
It is still happening. The moaning sound cannot be located... like it's not coming from one specific area. Just that area.
The plumber said if it's still doing this, he will replace the backflow preventer.
Is it possible the part is defective? He said it cannot be adjusted, although I see screws on it. Maybe he installed it wrong? Maybe crud got in it?
I don't know why he installed this. The house has not had it in all it's 26 years. He also installed a new expansion tank.
Any ideas?

I had a leak in my crawlspace from the water line right after the meter. A plumber told me the plumbing was not installed correctly to begin with, and it needed Double Check Backflow Preventer which he installed.
Now there is a moaning whale sound after I shut off the water. It lasts up to 30 seconds. I ran all the water outlets in the house and outside to release any air. No outside hoses attached.
It is still happening. The moaning sound cannot be located... like it's not coming from one specific area. Just that area.
The plumber said if it's still doing this, he will replace the backflow preventer.
Is it possible the part is defective? He said it cannot be adjusted, although I see screws on it. Maybe he installed it wrong? Maybe crud got in it?
I don't know why he installed this. The house has not had it in all it's 26 years. He also installed a new expansion tank.
Any ideas?

Yup , that was it even in 2020 . Thanks you .

Still the hose in 2021 Thanks for keeping the $$$$$ at my pocket

Apil 2021 same issue, but ours was a leaky ground sprinkler head. It was just the slightest bit turned and was spirting a little water. Once adjusted the pressure hammer sound and moaning stopped!

This saved me a headache and a warranty call. The backyard water hose was left on!!! Good call!

Thanks so much - noise problem solved. It was the garden hose!!!!

After flushing toilet , moaning happens....sometimes there is moaning and none of toilets have been flushed
Most of moaning happens on toilets on OPPOSITE sides of the house.

I have well water. I hooked up out doors hose this summer and two months later started having moans and groans in pipes. It started out after any water was used then turned off then hear it even when water not used. I took off hose a couple of weeks ago, and made sure the tap was turned off. I cannt find a plumber to come out, or answer any questions. I live in northern maine and most of the time they wont even answer phone and they dont empty their voice mails so you cannt even leave messages. Should i worry? Is this going to get worst? Im a disabled widow, and dont know plumbing. Can you suggest something?