Are your hearing something? Jordan Marsh, American Leak
Detection of Spokane & Tri-Cities Question: Over the past few
days, I have noticed a “humming” noise that seems to be coming
from the pipes under one of the bathroom sinks. Does this
indicate a leak of some sort? Answer: Usually yes. A “humming”
sound coming from water piping is often a good indication of
water loss occurring somewhere along the piping system. This can
occur in two ways: loss through a fixture or outlet (i.e. faucet
or leaky toilet) and loss through an actual leak along the line.
It is pretty easy to understand the way a running fixture makes
noise on pipes. Water flows at a rapid rate through the line and
causes the pipe to vibrate as the water leaves the outlet. Also,
friction created by the water flow against the inside of the
pipe sends vibrations that can be detected by the human ear. The
sound created by a leak in the pipe itself is a little more
complex to understand. Essentially, the humming sound created by
a leak in the pipe is