It’s not uncommon for someone to enjoy singing while taking a shower. But if the showerhead seems to be joining you by whistling, squealing, or hissing, it might change your tune.
These high-pitched sounds aren’t just annoying – they can be signs of a plumbing issue in your home. In this article, we’re cover the five most common causes of a whistling shower.
- Showerhead needs to be replaced – Sometimes, the easiest solution is replacing an old showerhead. Over time, minerals in the water can build up and clog the small nozzles. It’s fairly easy to swap out your showerhead for a new one and see if that solves the whistling problem.
- Clogged showerhead pipe – As water flows the through the pipe that comes out of your wall and to the showerhead, it has to pass through a small hole. If the pipe gets clogged up by any mineral deposits, the water may make a whistling sound as it tries to squeeze through. To fix this issue, remove the showerhead and cleaning out the showerhead pipe.
- Worn out shower valve – The shower valve is the part that you engage when you move the main handles of the shower. It controls the flow and mixture of hot and cold water. When the valve wears out, you may notice a few signs such as leaking or whistling. To replace the shower valve, you’ll need to get to the plumbing behind the shower, which usually means opening up an area of the wall. Because of this complexity, it’s usually better to leave it to a professional.
- Blocked shower cartridge – Another area that may be clogged is the shower cartridge, which is located in the shower valve. However, this part is trickier to get to and may require you bring in a licensed plumber to replace the cartridge.
- Faulty diverter valve – Ever wonder how the water changes from coming out the tub faucet to the shower head? That would be the work of the diverter valve. Check to see if the whistling sound changes when you pull the handle of the diverter. If it does, this may be the part that needs to be replaced.
You shouldn’t have to wear earplugs while taking a shower in your own home. If you’re tired of the whistling or squealing sound in your bathroom, call the local experts at Rick’s Plumbing at (203) 874-6629. We’ve been proudly serving the Milord, CT area for over 25 years.