"Turned out the mounts holding the pipes had loosened up over time."
That's actually a pretty common issue—pipes have a sneaky way of loosening themselves up over the years. Another quick tip: if tightening mounts doesn't do the trick, try slipping some foam pipe insulation between pipes and brackets. Worked wonders for me when my plumbing decided to perform a midnight symphony. Thankfully, my pipes haven't started talking back yet... though if they did, I'd probably ask about that missing sock from the laundry room.
"try slipping some foam pipe insulation between pipes and brackets."
Foam insulation can definitely quiet things down, but I'd be careful about relying on it too much. Had a similar issue a while back—pipes rattling like crazy at night—and foam helped at first. But turns out the real culprit was water pressure spikes causing vibrations. Ended up installing a pressure regulator, and that solved it for good. Pipes haven't whispered a peep since... still no sign of my missing socks though.
Foam insulation's handy for sure, but like you said, it's usually just a temporary fix. Had a similar issue last winter—pipes were making these weird knocking sounds every time the heat kicked in. Thought I was dealing with ghosts for a minute there... Anyway, foam quieted things down initially, but it didn't last. Turned out the pipes were expanding and contracting from temperature changes and rubbing against the wood framing. Ended up adding some plastic pipe clamps with rubber inserts to give them room to move without rattling against anything solid. Worked like a charm—haven't heard a peep since.
One thing I'd add though: whatever you do, don't ignore it or just crank up the TV to drown it out (like my brother-in-law did). Those vibrations can eventually loosen joints or fittings over time, and then you're looking at leaks or worse. Better safe than sorry...
"Those vibrations can eventually loosen joints or fittings over time, and then you're looking at leaks or worse."
Exactly—ignoring pipe noises is asking for trouble down the line. Another thing worth checking is your water pressure. High pressure can cause pipes to bang around more than usual, especially when valves close suddenly. Installing a pressure regulator can help keep things steady and quiet. Has anyone here checked their home's water pressure lately? Might be worth a look before things get noisy again...
Good call on the pressure regulator—I installed one last summer after my pipes started sounding like a marching band every night. Noticed an immediate difference, and it's been quiet ever since. Definitely worth the effort if you're handy enough to DIY it.