Many appliances in your home make noise. A refrigerator will create a constant humming sound, while you might hear the dispenser buzz when heating water. At times you might even hear sounds of water flowing behind the walls. However, if you hear a whistling sound from your gas lines, that should be a cause for alarm. Sometimes, when you hear sounds from your plumbing system, it is a sign that something is out of order. And that is the case with your gas lines. The gas is supposed to flow into your appliances silently. So, when you hear the whistling sounds, that is a cue for you to call a plumber near me in town to conduct further inspections on your gas supply lines. Causes of the whistling sounds include:
You Have a Gas Leak
Whistling sounds from the gas supply lines or any gas appliance is the most telling sign you have a gas leak issue. If a rotten egg or sulfur smell accompanies this sound, you should close the gas supply valve, open all the windows and doors, then call a plumber near me to fix the problem. The other common signs of gas leaks are:
- The presence of bubbles in your standing water
- Visible gas supply line damage
- Unexplained gas utility bills
- Patches of grass or plants in your yard turning brown
- Other unusual noises, such as hissing or roaring
- A dust or dirt cloud blowing near the gas line
Usually, gas leaks are caused by damaged connectors or gas liners. However, improper gas line or appliance installation, broken pipes, or weather corrosion can also result in gas leaks. Unfortunately, any gas leaks will result in a higher gas utility bill. If you suspect your home has a gas leak, you are in danger of fire or exposed to the health risks of inhaling gases. You should immediately call the gas company or dial 911. After the first responders deal with the emergency gas leaks, you can call a plumber near me to upgrade the gas lines or repair the existing ones to ensure that they operate safely and efficiently.
There Is an Obstruction in Your Gas Supply Lines
Is the whistling sound coming off near a gas appliance like the fireplace? That could mean the gas supply lines might be having an obstruction. Even tiny dust or dirt particles could disrupt the gas flow via the supply line. Whenever this happens, the pressure of the gas flowing against the obstruction produces a whistling noise that you hear. In such a case, you should have a plumber near me come for a gas line inspection. You can prevent further issues by keeping your gas appliances and their attachments clean. Hire a plumber near me for a regular maintenance and inspection service. Should the professional determine that the gas lines are compromised in any way, they will take the necessary measures to repair them.
The Gas Meter Is Faulty
Do you hear a slight whistling sound coming from the gas meter? That can be normal. However, it shouldn’t be constant. Continuous whistling sounds from the gas meter could indicate an issue. But how does a faulty gas meter result in the sound? To measure the gas volume used at your home, a gas meter is installed by your gas company between the distribution lines that send gas to different appliances and the main gas lines. Standard meters measure the force of the natural gas moving through your pipeline to determine the volume. As the flow increases, the dials on the meter move faster.
All gas meters have many moving parts. If either of these mechanical parts isn’t properly working, the gas meter could start making strange noises or even malfunctioning. For instance, the natural gas flowing via your meter might sometimes contain trace elements of other gases that could damage plastic parts of your gas meter. The damaged parts will produce strange whistling and squealing sounds. Since tampering with meters like gas meters is illegal in Illinois, if you suspect your gas meter may be faulty, call a plumber near me in town or your gas company to repair it. Never try the repair yourself.
Noisy Meter Regulator
Does your gas meter produce a whistling sound? That could be because of a noisy gas pressure regulator. The regulator controls the flow of the incoming gas into the water meter. It ensures that the meter supplies your home with gas, which flows at a constant and reliable pressure. It might be alarming to hear that whistling sound from your meter regulator, but that is not usually a big deal. However, if a sulfur or rotten egg smell accompanies the whistling sound, you should have a plumber near me take a look. The sounds may be caused by gas level changes in the tank, an increase or decrease in the outside temperatures, or humidity changes. These changes make the rubber diaphragm in your regulator vibrate, resulting in a whistling sound.
Kinks or Bends in the Gas Lines
Do you have a relatively new home? If you do, the gas appliances could receive the gas through flexible lines referred to as CSST (Corrugated Stainless Steel Tubing). Any sharp 90-degree bend or kinks in the gas lines can result in bottlenecking. This gas accumulation results in vibrations in the gas lines, producing a whistling sound. If the gas pressure is too high, you might still hear the whistling sounds, whether there are bends or not. Hence, you should have routine maintenance of your gas lines by a professional plumber near me in town. If they determine that your gas lines are kinked or bent, the plumber near me will straighten them to prevent bottlenecking.
Have you noticed that your gas supply lines have started producing sound? Contact us at Covenant Plumbing today for any plumbing service and to have the gas supply lines fixed.
See our previous post about this topic here.
