Stephen Vitale
New Member
hello all. Got a plumbing question. Looked over the Internet and never was able to find the exact answer. Figured I would throw it out here to see what everyone thought.
I am trying to solve a tapping sound issue coming from the pressure regulator in my parents house. I tried to solve it last year when I visited with no luck. It isn't necessarily a problem at this time, but I am afraid it is an indication something else is going on.
The sound is only present when the water is not runing. It isn't loud. It is a tapping sound, random frequency. It is not a hammer after a faucet is closed. It is coming from the pressure regulator. I can feel the regulator slightly vibrating when I hear the tapping sound. But holding the regulator doesn't have a noticeable effect on the noise.
The regulator is plumbed in a way it can serviced easily, with shutoff valves on both sides. That's how I know the tapping sound is from the regulator; I close the valve and it stops. Again, this all happens while the water is not flowing. Opening the hot water valve to a trickle also makes the sound stop.
There is not an expansion tank on the cold water line. Nor is there one of those valves that let excess water pressure escape to the outside.
I checked the pressure last year when I was here and it was ok, both before and after the regulator. I can go measure again and give values if need be
I am speculating something is going on somewhere else in the system causing the tapping sound in the regulator
I was thinking of either taking apart the regulator to clean it or just replacing it but it seemed like it was working ok.
I have a feeling the only solution would be an expansion tank addition, but the house and plumbing is close to 50 years old and the tapping sound is recent. It didn't need the tank 50 years ago but it needs one now?
I haven't been able to replicate the tapping sound yet but it seems related to the hot water heater.
I will also see if I can record it and post the audio here.
2 plumbers looked at it and couldn't figure it out. Both said they could replace the regulator, but none said it would get rid of the tapping sound.
Anyone have any thoughts?
Thank you all and happy holidays
I am trying to solve a tapping sound issue coming from the pressure regulator in my parents house. I tried to solve it last year when I visited with no luck. It isn't necessarily a problem at this time, but I am afraid it is an indication something else is going on.
The sound is only present when the water is not runing. It isn't loud. It is a tapping sound, random frequency. It is not a hammer after a faucet is closed. It is coming from the pressure regulator. I can feel the regulator slightly vibrating when I hear the tapping sound. But holding the regulator doesn't have a noticeable effect on the noise.
The regulator is plumbed in a way it can serviced easily, with shutoff valves on both sides. That's how I know the tapping sound is from the regulator; I close the valve and it stops. Again, this all happens while the water is not flowing. Opening the hot water valve to a trickle also makes the sound stop.
There is not an expansion tank on the cold water line. Nor is there one of those valves that let excess water pressure escape to the outside.
I checked the pressure last year when I was here and it was ok, both before and after the regulator. I can go measure again and give values if need be
I am speculating something is going on somewhere else in the system causing the tapping sound in the regulator
I was thinking of either taking apart the regulator to clean it or just replacing it but it seemed like it was working ok.
I have a feeling the only solution would be an expansion tank addition, but the house and plumbing is close to 50 years old and the tapping sound is recent. It didn't need the tank 50 years ago but it needs one now?
I haven't been able to replicate the tapping sound yet but it seems related to the hot water heater.
I will also see if I can record it and post the audio here.
2 plumbers looked at it and couldn't figure it out. Both said they could replace the regulator, but none said it would get rid of the tapping sound.
Anyone have any thoughts?
Thank you all and happy holidays