5 Reasons Your Shower Is Whistling

There is no reason for you to wear earplugs while showering; hence, getting rid of any whistling sound is necessary!

A whistling sound coming from your shower may indicate a clogged showerhead or valves. This can reduce the water pressure, adversely affecting your showering experience. It may also signify other plumbing problems like clogged nozzles, a malfunctioning bathtub faucet, an old diverter valve or a clogged shower cartridge.

In the following section, we will discuss all the possible reasons behind the whistling or squealing noise that your shower might generate. Keep reading!

5 Reasons Behind A Whistling Shower

1. Clogging Caused By Limestone

If your area receives hard water, minerals or limestone can build up inside the pipes connected to the shower head. If the accumulation is not removed, the interior surface area of the shower pipe essentially becomes narrower. As a result, you may have a squealing shower, especially when the water supply pressure increases.

To address this problem, you can clean the shower head pipe with a solution that can dissolve the mineral deposits. But make sure the shower head metal is not affected by your solution. We recommend white vinegar, which should do the job and stop the whistling noise.

2. Wear And Tear

Have you been using the showerhead for years now? If so, its inner parts may have worn out from the constant water flow. Besides, there can be a build-up of minerals and other sediments, especially if the fixture hasn’t been cleaned regularly. Both these problems can make the shower whistle as water passes through its pipe.

In this case, you can call a professional plumber who will replace the old squealing showers with new ones.

3. Malfunctioning Diverter Valve

You will have a diverter valve if you have a bathtub-shower faucet. And the diverter valve will have a handle attached to it. However, it can malfunction because of rusty metal parts inside the cartridge or an old flapper that does not work well.

If you hear a whistling noise when you turn this handle, it can indicate that this valve needs to be replaced.

4. Worn Out Valves And Washer

The shower may contain a valve handle if it dispenses hot and cold water, which must be fixed to achieve the right water temperature. But a noise may be caused if the valve has worn out over time, and that is enough indication that it needs to be replaced.

Also, a worn-out washer can cause a whistling sound if too much hot water has softened it. In this case, you must locate and remove the washer.

Start by taking off the faucet handle. Then, you can remove the escutcheon plate from the inside and the stem. The washer should now be visible. Take this out and get a similar one once you know how it looks. Finally, replace the washer and reinstall the parts.

5. Blocked Shower Cartridge

You can find Shower cartridges inside the shower faucet, which help control the water temperature and flow, ensuring a comfortable showering experience. Consequently, if the shower cartridge makes a squealing or whistling noise, you must address it immediately.

This issue can arise because debris that flows with the water clogs the holes in the cartridge, leading to reduced water flow and the shower whistling.

Tips To Remember

To know if the showerhead is the only reason behind the whistling or squealing sound, take it off and turn the water on. If you don’t hear any noise, it’s the showerhead causing the problem.

You can soak the entire showerhead in vinegar and leave it there for a while. Then, brush any mineral build-up on the fixture, wash it thoroughly, and place it back.

If this does not help, you may need to change the showerhead to a new one. Besides, the showerhead pipe may also need to be replaced, so it is best to leave the job to a professional.

Also, while purchasing a showerhead, ensure you find one that does not hinder the water pressure. The shower head should be water efficient and handle high and low water pressure.

Strange Noises From Your Shower Head?

While you may try removing limescale build-up yourself from the whistling showerhead with DIY methods, replacing shower valves can be challenging. The shower valve will have parts behind the shower inside the shower wall, and inspecting them will mean looking into the system.

When trying to handle this yourself, you may end up causing leakage on the floor, which is unwanted.

So, to prevent further damage to the plumbing system, call up professionals who can be trusted with the repairs. They will look into the squealing showerheads, spot the problem and remove any mineral build-up to ensure the correct hot water supply. Also, the pull handle may need to be replaced to prevent further water damage.

Once all the repairs are done, you should again enjoy the benefits of high water pressure. For Melbourne plumbers who understand shower plumbing speak to our team. We can help improve your water flow, remove mineral deposits and even replace your showerhead pipe.