"Usually, once you pinpoint the root cause like you did, you're pretty much set."
Yeah, that's usually true, but plumbing can be annoyingly unpredictable. Did you check if your pipes are properly insulated too? I had a similar issue last winter—thought I'd solved it by addressing condensation, but turns out the cold was causing some subtle expansion noises. Wrapping the pipes in foam insulation made a noticeable difference and didn't cost much at all. Might be worth looking into if you haven't already.
Also, did you notice if the noise was worse at certain times of day or after specific activities (like showers or laundry)? Sometimes tracking those patterns helps narrow things down even further. Either way, good on you for tackling it yourself—plumbers aren't cheap these days, and every DIY fix counts toward savings.
Good call on insulation—I had a similar headache a couple years ago. Thought I nailed the issue after tightening some loose pipe brackets, but nope...the creaking kept coming back, especially early mornings or after running hot water. Turns out temperature swings were causing the pipes to expand and contract slightly, rubbing against the wooden joists. Ended up slipping some felt padding between the pipes and joists, and it quieted things down nicely.
One thing I didn't expect though was how much difference water pressure adjustments made. Have you checked your home's pressure regulator lately? Mine was set way too high, and dialing it back just a bit reduced noise significantly. Might be another angle worth exploring if insulation alone doesn't fully solve it. Plumbing's definitely one of those "fix one thing, uncover another" situations...
"Turns out temperature swings were causing the pipes to expand and contract slightly, rubbing against the wooden joists."
Definitely agree with this. Expansion noise from temperature changes is pretty common, especially in older homes or places where pipes are tightly fitted through framing. Felt padding is a solid fix—another trick I've seen work well is using plastic pipe clamps instead of metal ones. They allow a bit more give during expansion and contraction, reducing friction noise. Adjusting pressure helps too, but sometimes it's just about giving the pipes enough room to breathe...
"sometimes it's just about giving the pipes enough room to breathe..."
Haha, ain't that the truth. I swear, pipes are like teenagers—give 'em a little space and suddenly they're way less noisy. I had a similar issue in my basement last winter. Thought my house was haunted or something with all the creaking and popping going on at night. Turns out it was just copper pipes rubbing against the joists every time the heat kicked in.
I tried felt padding first, which helped a bit, but honestly switching to plastic clamps made the biggest difference for me. Metal clamps were gripping those pipes like their lives depended on it, no wonder they complained so much. Plastic ones have just enough flex to keep things quiet without letting everything flop around.
Pressure adjustments didn't do much in my case, but hey, every house has its quirks. Glad you got yours sorted—nothing beats finally getting some peace and quiet after weeks of mystery noises...
Had a similar issue a couple years back—pipes rattling like crazy whenever the heat kicked on. Padding helped a bit, but honestly, rerouting one section slightly away from the joists made the biggest difference. Sometimes it's less about clamping and more about giving them just enough clearance to expand without friction. Every setup's different though...glad you found something that worked for yours.
