Houd Humming Noise From Backyard Faucet

Hello folks this is my first time in here. There is an outside faucet in our home that started making loud humming sounds. Yet the noise goes off as soon as we turn it on. It also goes off if any other indoors water source is on and that includes the faucet underneath the toilets. Is a humming noise (like a foghorn) coming from that pipe.

This same outdoor faucet has a strange pipe attached on its side with some sort of lever pressure relief valve. And when that faucet is turn off I am able to switch the lever and it releases water from the small pipe. Here are a couple of pix to make it easier to explain.
BTW when is off H2O drips from it.

Any help is welcome as to how I can solve this issue. Also please let me know the tools needed to solve this issue. TIA Peter

the thing with the lever is a P&T valve, it is leaking because you tripped the lever..

it has a rubber diaphragm inside of it, now that its tripped,,,,dirt/sand/rust is on the diaphragm, making it leak.

replace the valve. look on that metal tag and get another just like it.

use 2 -12'' pipe wrench's. one to hold a "backup" the other to unscrew it.

after replacing DO NOT TRIP THE LEVER

Frodo thanks for your tip. I went to home depot before I read your msg.

I figure that perhaps I didn't need the P&T valve so at the store I got a pressure gauge and a stopper or plug for the pipe. When I returned home and without doing any changes at all I measured the pressure at the same faucet with the problem and it was reading less than 70psi.

Then I took out the valve relieve valve pressure, which wasn't hard to do, then inserted the plug or stopper in there. See photo and the humming noise is gone so that is great for my wife is happy. But I did notice that now the pressure shot all the way to 180psi Perhaps that is why the P&T was there to start with. Apparently it went bad for the reason you mentioned and then started dripping and making the terrible humming noise. So my choices now are:

1. Buy a new PRV so it can control the H2O?

2. Fix the high water pressure issue coming into my home and how?

3. I was also told that I could get a PRV (pressure reduction valve) instead...that will also allow to maintain a fairly constant pressure 24/7. But where do I attach it to it? The same faucet?

Thoughts?

Also I do have an expansion tank in my basement attach to our water heater. Dont know if that is related to the water pressure at all. I included 2 pix too. I noticed that the cooper pipe attached to it has been leaking which I dont know what that means besides been bad & needing replacement. Or perhaps the expansion tank should also be replace. As far as I can remember it hasn't been done in over 8 yrs.

Thanks again!

PULL THAT PLUG NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! but a P&T back in that pipe!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

get that 180 psi off of that system before you start blowing **** up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!




1st,,,replace the p&T
2nd..replace the expansion tank
3rd,, you may need a PRV on your water service.

valve off the boiler... check the pressure coming into your house from the city
without the heating system being involved...valve it off/turn it off

you should have a make up water valve to that system,,

if the psi to your house from city is above 50---60 psi..you need a prv

others might also have ideas,,chime in guys...

OK I will return to the hardware store and get a new P&T valve right away. Thanks!

I don't know how good you are with plumbing but my suggestion is listen to Frodo get a pressure reducing valve and place it where your your water goes in your house. Also I would highly suggest you take a look at that expansion tank, if the copper pipe connecting to it is leaking then you should be replacing it if you can't do it at least call a reputable plumber.

Frodo I am going crazy here

I went back to the home depot, by now they may think I am a new high up worker or something else, and came home 20 mins ago.

I replace the plug with a new P&T. As soon as the mainline H2O came on it stripped the A&T for the pressure is still 160psi, I said 180 before but I meant to say 160psi which is still high. So is dripping again but not humming noises.

The mainline does have a PRV which I adjusted just now and is still 160psi. So do you think is the extension tank?

Any Strider or Aragon out there that could help with their ideas?

frodo said:

PULL THAT PLUG NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! but a P&T back in that pipe!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

get that 180 psi off of that system before you start blowing **** up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!




1st,,,replace the p&T
2nd..replace the expansion tank
3rd,, you may need a PRV on your water service.

valve off the boiler... check the pressure coming into your house from the city
without the heating system being involved...valve it off/turn it off

you should have a make up water valve to that system,,

if the psi to your house from city is above 50---60 psi..you need a prv

others might also have ideas,,chime in guys...

Click to expand...

Frodo pretty much covered it. Though I wouldn't use a T&P valve to control the over pressure, I would use a pressure relief valve, kinda like this one: https://sp.yimg.com/ib/th?id=HN.608012334203864056&pid=15.1&P=0

If you have shut off the water heater so that it is not causing the high pressure through thermal expansion, then you need to replace the pressure reducing valve on your water main. If the water heater is what is causing the high pressure, than you need to replace the expansion tank, and that screwed up piping and support as well.

Take a photo of PRV Most only have a range of 25 - 75 psi. others have a broader range. That relief vale only needs to be a pressure relief valve. You don't need a T&P (temperature & pressure ) Don't think you will have a temperature problem at he hose bib. But that is a safety valve installed for a reason. You need to replace the PRV and bring the pressure down to 50 - 60 psi.( ideal ) Local code here says 80 is okay, but anything over is excessive and requires a reducing valve. 160 will destroy your fixtures and system if you don't fix it.

To all of you folks thank you for all the great tips. I know my limitations and gave the best shot. I will hire a competent plumber

phishfood said:

Frodo pretty much covered it. Though I wouldn't use a T&P valve to control the over pressure, I would use a pressure relief valve, kinda like this one: https://sp.yimg.com/ib/th?id=HN.608012334203864056&pid=15.1&P=0

If you have shut off the water heater so that it is not causing the high pressure through thermal expansion, then you need to replace the pressure reducing valve on your water main. If the water heater is what is causing the high pressure, than you need to replace the expansion tank, and that screwed up piping and support as well.

Click to expand...

Let us know how it turned out. Not all plumbers are competent. Pictures!!!