Why does the gas pipe vibrate and hum in the apartment: causes of noise and solutions to the problem
Have you ever had to figure out the reasons why the gas pipe in your apartment’s kitchen vibrates and hums? Agree, ignoring such a sign is quite dangerous, since any malfunction of gas equipment often causes an emergency. The consequences can be catastrophic for all residents of a multi-story building.
The main danger of such a sign as gas pipe vibration lies in its inconspicuousness. You may simply not notice a faint hum for a long time, or you may get used to the unobtrusive sound, considering it a normal manifestation.
To avoid catastrophic consequences, it is important to learn to pay attention to suspicious noise or vibration inside the gas pipeline. We will help you understand the causes of unpleasant noise and teach you to determine in which cases you should immediately contact the gas service.
The content of the article:
Causes of strange noise in the pipe
Quite often, residents of multi-storey buildings complain about unusual sounds coming from the gas pipe in the kitchen.
Regardless of the frequency of use of the gas stove, the sound may intensify to a monotonous hum, or gradually decrease to a noticeable vibration.
Often, such manifestations are caused by strong gas pressure inside the pipeline, however, often the causes of noise and vibration of a gas pipe may be as follows:
- during the gas supply process, strong pressure drops are observed inside the pipe, which is accompanied by a characteristic hum;
- one of the neighbors installed some kind of device (hood or refrigerator) that is in contact with a gas pipe, which, in turn, conducts vibration from the device throughout the pipeline;
- the gas pipe is not secured well enough, which is why each time the gas is turned on may be accompanied by annoying noise or vibrations;
- a characteristic whistling sound accompanied by a strong smell of gas may indicate a gas leak, which requires an urgent call to emergency services;
- too much air is supplied along with the gas, which may cause a slight hum in the gas pipe;
- contamination of the nozzle nozzle prevents the normal combustion of gas, which is accompanied by a loud hum.
If the gas pipe in the apartment hums temporarily, and is not accompanied by any other signs, then the reason lies in fluctuations in gas pressure. Gas is transported via main pipeline precisely due to pressure differences, therefore, as the distance of gas supply increases, there is a need to increase the pressure.
The procedure is carried out in order to compensate for losses arising during the transportation of large volumes of gas. As pressure increases, the volume decreases and the density of natural gas increases, which, upon reaching the consumer, causes noticeable buzzing and vibration inside the pipeline.
How to determine the cause of noise?
If you notice that even slight noise systematically appears in the area of the gas pipe, then before calling the emergency service, we recommend that you independently understand the reasons for its occurrence.
Uncharacteristic sounds in the gas pipeline may indicate a serious malfunction that requires urgent intervention from specialists.
In this case, you will need to carry out a thorough, simple diagnostics of the gas pipeline:
- Check the pipeline for gas leaks. Moisten flange and threaded connections with soapy water in the area where bubbles should form when gas leaks. If the gas comes out in a strong stream, then in any case a distinct hum will be heard, reminiscent of the sound of a descending ball, and a strong smell of gas will also be felt.
- Pay attention to the tightness of the fastenings. Touch the gas pipe and try to move it. If the pipe loosens from side to side, and the vibration or noise disappears immediately after it is manually fixed to the wall, then the problem lies in the “walking” fastening.
- Observe the frequency of the noise. If vibration accompanied by a weak hum occurs on a regular basis, and there is an equal gap between each “sound accompaniment,” then most likely the problem is with your neighbors. Perhaps they installed a hood or refrigerator close to the gas pipe, which is why each time the device is turned on, it is accompanied by noticeable vibration throughout the pipeline.
- Take a closer look at the flames of the burners. When burned, the gas has a pure blue color, while the presence of an orange flame indicates intentional mixing of gas with air. If you hear a noticeable hum or vibration in the gas pipe area in your kitchen, then first you should light the burner and take a closer look at the flame. The cause of the noise may lie precisely in the large volume of air entering along with the gas.
- Check whether the injectors are dirty. The burner is a nozzle responsible for supplying gas. If it is contaminated, problems may arise with the supply of gas, which is why you can hear the gas pipe humming in your apartment. If you notice that the intensity of the flame has noticeably decreased, then most likely the cause of the noise is the contamination of the nozzle nozzles.
The very first thing you need to do as soon as you notice an unusual sound inside a gas pipe is to check the equipment for gas leaks.
A minor leak may be accompanied by a faint odor of gas, often unnoticeable to many people, so the problem can only be identified with a soap solution. If a leak is detected, it is necessary to immediately shut off gas tap, and call emergency services.
Solutions to the problem
Any malfunction of gas equipment requires urgent intervention from gas service specialists, but in some cases you can solve the problem on your own. Atypical humming sounds in the gas pipe area do not always indicate a gas leak or pressure drops during gas transportation.
If an annoying humming sound inside the gas pipe appears systematically, with regular intervals, then most likely the vibration is carried out through the pipeline from your neighbors’ apartment. Installing refrigeration or ventilation equipment close to a gas pipe leads to noticeable vibration throughout the entire pipeline of the house, especially in neighboring apartments.
After you have found out why the gas pipe is humming in your apartment, you will need to contact your neighbors with a request to fix this problem.
Cleaning gas stove burners
Unpleasant noise can also occur due to contamination of the injectors during operation. In addition to the hum, the gas pressure supplied to all four injectors drops. If the burner is difficult to ignite and the flame intensity is low, then you should try to clean the nozzle nozzles yourself, based on the detailed instructions. If the procedure is carried out correctly, the gas pressure will return to normal, and at the same time the buzzing will disappear.
Nozzles require cleaning only if there are problems with gas supply, the intensity of the flame has decreased, or unusual noise has appeared during operation of the stove.
To clean them you will need to do the following:
- Remove the burner cover from the stove and, if necessary, clean it on both sides.
- Find a small hole in the center of the burner - this is the nozzle through which gas enters the burner.
- Take a straightened paper clip or regular wire, insert it into the hole and twist it several times. Repeat the action twice to make sure there are no problems with the patency of the canal.
- Reassemble the burner and check the quality of the gas supply. Under no circumstances should you try to blow gas directly through the nozzle.
If, when trying to clean the nozzle, a thin wire does not pass through the nozzle channel, encountering some obstacle, then you will need to urgently contact the gas service.
Upon arrival, the technician will assess the degree of contamination of the injector and, if necessary, replace the part. In this case, you should not try to clean the nozzle yourself using water or vinegar, since no liquid should get into the nozzle.
Call a gas service specialist
Vibration or humming in the gas pipe area for no apparent reason can be a sign of serious problems with the equipment. If such “symptoms” are in no way related to the neighbor’s equipment, contamination of the injectors, or increased pressure during the gas supply, then it is better to immediately contact a specialized technician.
If an unpleasant noise in a gas pipe is accompanied by a strong smell of gas in the apartment, then you should call the emergency service as quickly as possible. This situation can turn into a serious problem not only for you, but also for the residents of the entire house.
Atypical sounds in the gas pipe area can appear both due to the operation of neighbors’ household appliances and as a result of a malfunction of gas equipment.
Regardless of the cause, vibrations and humming inside the pipeline cannot be ignored, as such a failure can have catastrophic consequences in the near future.
Conclusions and useful video on the topic
You can learn how to properly clean the burner nozzles of a gas stove from the following video:
Why is it better to choose universal fasteners for a gas pipe in the kitchen:
The article revealed the most common causes of vibration in the gas pipeline in the kitchen, which will help you independently determine the root causes of the annoying noise. In any case, if the humming is constant and has nothing to do with the operation of the burners, you should urgently contact gas service specialists. The technician will conduct routine diagnostics of gas equipment and determine the cause of the noise in the gas pipe area.
Have you ever encountered such a problem as humming and vibration of a gas pipe? Please share your experience with our readers, tell us about the cause of the unpleasant phenomenon and how you managed to solve the problem. Leave your comments and ask questions in the block below the article.
The pipe sometimes vibrates so that it can be heard by ear, sometimes only by touch. The type of vibration is similar to industrial and not household. but who and how can or should fix this problem. where to go? Is pipe vibration a sufficient reason to call the gas service? won't I have to pay for a false call later? the problem is that under the influence of vibration, the gas meter greatly (inflates the readings by several times) and shakes even when the gas valve (tap) is closed
I am asking a question and a request for help and advice on what to do with a huge problem associated with noise, vibration, incomprehensible pressure, as if air is floating in and pressing on the eardrums, there is no smell, on the general well-being of the body, blood pressure, immediately as soon as the neighbors on the floor turn on their Baksi heaters, or something gas? They have a Baksi pipe on top outside, which crackles when it works. I know that Baksi works when there is electricity, water, and gas. But we began to notice that when there was no light, something else was rattling and rattling underneath the pipe. The neighbor says that they only have Baxi, although even a fool will understand that this is a deception on his part. For about two months, we have been having a scandal with our neighbors, day and night, either Baksi or some other device, replacing each other. It’s impossible to be at home, it’s hard labor to sleep at night, everything in bed is shaking, especially at night, you can hear everything terribly. They called the police, she came in the morning and said that she didn’t hear anything. And that they don’t have the right to go to their neighbors, it’s their house, they can do whatever they want... They came from the gas department, checked my chimney, went down to them, and after half a minute they got up, saying that the owner said that They are all in order, and there are documents for Baksi. The gas department in Armenia is a collection of money printing, non-professional, arrogant gas workers. There is an example of even left gas additional lines at home. To delve into, help, check this is not for them. When I called them hundreds of times, and I explain, this didn’t happen two months ago, although the neighbors have Baksi, as they say, for five years. And suddenly, after some minor repairs, it all started. Various people came to us.Some people hear noise, pressure, while others say they feel nothing. My brother already has one ear blocked, and there is endless noise in the other. I'm already on the verge of a breakdown. The neighbors on the floor above us say that they wake up in the middle of the night due to some kind of pressure and cannot sleep. After walking around the bedroom for a long time, tired, they lie down and fall asleep like the dead. But these same neighbors, during a scandal with their neighbor, the culprit, retracted their words. They supposedly didn't say that. This is the principle, people are chameleons, to rake in the heat with someone else’s hands, my hut is on the edge. The neighbor on the first floor has convinced others that I am a brawler, and can write a complaint on behalf of the neighbors that I am disturbing their lives. A married couple came to visit us in the evening, so the husband calmly walked into the house, and the wife began to get nervous and speak irritably. What is this in your house? How can we live in such a Hell, where it’s impossible to breathe, my throat is squeezing. I felt bad, something was pressing on me, I couldn’t breathe. We'd better leave. Her husband began to reproach her that there was nothing. The same thing she felt has been happening to us for two months now. Because of this pressure and noise, you can’t even hear the sound of the TV. I see and feel the problem, but how to solve it? When I call the gas department, the operator asks what the problem is. I explain about air pressure, vibration, noise, she says that this cannot be, it’s better to call an ambulance. And the police say, at best, they can take you to a psychiatric hospital. Vicious circle. What about people? I beg, I ask knowledgeable professionals in Gas equipment and their work, advise what to do before something terrible happens. I will pray for you, for the savior. You will be our Guardian Angel.There is a lot of evil around now, but at least a drop of heart and goodness remains in people. I'm waiting for an answer from you, help.