Don't Call the Plumber Yet: Common Causes of 6 Plumbing Noises
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- Опубліковано 28 вер 2024
- What is that pipe sound? Should my pipes be making that sound? Jim explains the 6 common plumbing noises and their causes. Track down that noise before you call the plumber.
Your home may start making plumbing noises. Chattering, squealing, tik-tik-tiks, Jim is here to help with the plumbing noise in your home.
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Great channel! I just replaced my 20 year old electric water heater with a new one. The new one gurgles (sounds like air bubbles) every few minutes! I was thinking of emptying it and refilling to make sure it's full. Any ideas?
You’ve got me stumped. As you use hot water, cold water replaces it immediately. Are you sure the noise is coming from the water heater? I’ve had water heaters that were two week old that started percolating. If that’s what it is, you can drain it but the sound will probably come right back. It’s not hurting anything.
I’m hearing a banging noise in one shower when turning the nozzle to hot and then the water turns cold.
In the other shower the water pressure for the hot water is low and causes the shower to not get as hot enough.
What is going on with the plumbing?
The house is about 15 years old.
Man, this video finally put to rest some of my "plumbing paranoia". Thank you so much. I'll be rewatching it as a reminder whenever I notice a weird sound from my pipes and start obsessing about it!
Good video. I was hoping I might find an answer for why I have a high pitch whistling noise that seems to be coming from a bathroom faucet that I can hear when the water is off. The noise stops when running water in the house and then resumes when the water is turned off. Sometimes the noise lasts for ten minutes, other times much, much longer. We do have an expansion tank. I'm not sure that would be causing any issue. That is located in the basement. The noisy faucet is on the second floor.
I am redeemed, you answered your own question, it’s the expansion tank. It has a hole in the rubber bladder. If you have a well tank, that could also have a hole in the bladder. If you have a drinking water system, like an RO, that has a bladder tank.
Hello @@TheGrumpyPlumber. Thank you for replying to my comment. I appreciate your input. I'm so glad I found your video. We are planning on replacing the expansion tank soon. Thanks again!
Did you find the problem?
@@randellmathews5961 Yes we did. It wasn't the expansion tank or the faucet. It was a part in the toilet tank that needed replaced. Thank you for your question.
@I_am_redeemed was it the fill valve? Also is the noise still gone?
My shower sounds like water is running down drain but shower is off is this a problem?
After changing the valve in the kitchen, we started hearing noises in the bathroom wall between the toilet and the shower. Coincidentally, a few days later, also change the valve in the shower. The noise happens after using the shower and also flushing the toilet. It is a vibrating, banging noise like the pipe, vibrating against the wall, repetitively almost like as if you had pressed the spring on a door stopper. What do we do to fix? I can send a recording.
If you have an angle stop on the toilet that is a compression valve, the washer might be loose inside it. Just replace it. If you put in a pressure balance shower valve, you might have a bad cartridge, even if it’s brand new. Replace the cartridge. You may have old globe valves on the hot and cold shower supplies that have washers inside that became loose. It would be wise to replace the hot and cold shut off valves. Hopefully you can find the problem.
Hi. I hear a light knocking sound after I flush my toilet sometimes about 15 feet from the bathroom- in the kitchen after I flush and the toilet bowl is filling. It’s like a tapping. It stops as soon as the toilet kicks off. I don’t know what it is and I have home owner anxiety. Any ideas?
We have had two plumbers out with no success. When we have a shower and the gas hot water tank is reheating, if we flush the closest toilet to the hot water tanks it rattles the wall. It doesn’t do this at any other time if the water heater is not heating. Pressure is good to the house. They checked the pressure release valves and pressure in the expansion tanks and found nothing. Any thoughts would be appreciated
Replace the cartridge in the shower faucet. It could be a bad piston in the pressure balance valve.Replace the angle stop at the toilet. It could be a loose washer in the angle stop. If you have pressure balance tub/ shower valves, you probably have a bad cartridge.
Question...
We had plumbers come out, they worked on a leak above the ceiling in our master bedroom.
On the day they were finally down with the project, a loud vibrating/humming sound came about after they turned the water back on. The sound has now been on going for two days. We called them and they came out. They shut the water off the noise went away. 45 minutes later the noise came back.
Any ideas as to what it could be?
One guy said maybe they turned on the water too fast? Another one said it might coming from a leak in the boiler room?
Rebeca Andrade, do you have an expansion tank on the water heater? When the bladder goes bad, they can making a squealing sound. You might have debris in your tub and shower valves. You might have to change the cartridges. You can isolate the sound by turning off the angle stops at the fixtures. Turn one angle stop on at a time and keep going until you hear the sound. That might tell you which fixture is making the sound.
Hey did you figure out what happened? I think we have the same issue once an upstairs leak was fixed by changing the ball cock valve on the toilet.
@@justinethomas2962 it was due to the water pressure. They turned the water back on without caution
Yeah, I got a question... each time I turn on my faucets ((in the bathroom and kitchen)) water comes out slow... I tried this with both hot and cold water, and it still comes out slow. Also... when I have the water turned on, it also "spits" at times...? I went downstairs into my basement ((where the water pipes are at while the water is *TURNED OFF*)), and I'm hearing water running through them quite loudly too, but I don't see any leakage or anything like that...?
Thanks for the video. We have recently noticed that after closing the hot water tap, there comes a slight noice in the boiler.
If you have a boiler heating your house and the hot water, it might be a bad expansion tank. Have that checked out.
Thanks a lot, for your prompt answer.
Please inform me, where can I locate the expansion tank? Thanks.
An expansion tank is a cylinder that is about 16” long and about 12” in diameter. There is a tank that is smaller which could be 12”x8”. If it’s on a boiler, it’s a larger vessel but you should be able to see it. It’s attached to a large device called an air separater. If you have a water heater, the expansion tank is located on the cold water feed side of the heater.
Thank you VERY MUCH for your help!!
Alway great info!!
What about a horn like aound when the water is turned on or when a toilet is flushed. Not every time but every 3 or 4th maybe?
@@sbs1687 do you have a well tank? If so, the bladder is probably gone and that could be making the noise. If it does it only when you flush the toilet, I’d replace the fill valve.
New house with septic tank. Toilet and kitchen sink overflowed. When plunging I can hear the water trying to come up through the tub. No sewage water, all clear. What do I do?????
Jenny Weaver, I would call the plumber back asap!
My water heater is not even a year old. Takes at least 2 mins to get hot water from it and now it is hissing. What is that issue? Will it blow up?
I’d get the person who installed your water heater back ASAP because there is a one year warranty on the labor and six years on the tank. Sounds like there is a leak in the vent if it is hissing. Do you see water on the floor?
When we flush the toilet we hear drip then 3 seconds pause and continues like that for a little bit, behind the wall on the side of the toilet?
@@marcoflores5280 is it dripping on the floor? If you have a two piece toilet, the tank is probably leaking between the tank and the bowl. There is a gasket that can be replaced. If you have a Toto one piece, the toilet is connected to a trap that has a rubber gasket. When the water fills too high into the bowl, it will drip into the trap and that’s when you hear the dripping sound. If that is the situation, it’s not causing any harm. If you reach behind the bowl, you’ll feel the gasket.
I have a clicking sound in a little panel under the water heater- I have no water. Any way to fix this?
Sounds like you need a new pilot assembly. If the heater is under warranty which is six years, they will send you a new pilot assembly free. There is no warranty on labor. There is a blinking light( red or green) on the gas valve. If there is a problem with the heater, it blinks a code. (Consecutive blinks then a delay). When you talk to the manufacturer, tell them the code. There is also a chart on the heater that tells you what is wrong with it.
I have 2 bathrooms in my house. The bathroom that rarely used started to squeak constantly. I run the bath and while water runs the squealing seems to go away but when I shut the water off and turn tight it starts up again. This noise is only in that one bathroom .
Do they actually answer our questions? I notice a repetitive gulping in my left side sink when waters on, both drains open. Ranch with finished basement. Anyone familiar with the sound and actual vibration?
The drain is gasping for air as you don’t have a vent on it. You could install a studor vent after the trap. That would be the easiest fix. Yes, we try to answer all questions to the best of our knowledge.
I have a noise going through my pipes even when there is no water running or anything.Its as if someone is turning the tap on and off again and it sounds as if something is refilling. This can happen at any time,even during the night. I have a combi gas boiler so im wondering if its sonething to do with pressure
@@Bernadette-hd6qn you might have air in your boiler system. Even though it’s a closed system, you can still get air. You can bleed it yourself or have someone else do it for you.
We’re hearing a whistling sound around our water pressure regulator whenever we use water anywhere in our home. Is this from high pressure? Would I be able to adjust on my own?
isoygblitz, a whistling or vibration sound usually indicates a bad pressure regulator and you need to replace. If it is a type that has double unions, they are fairly easy to replace. The only time it’s hard to replace is when they didn’t allow enough room to get it in and out. A way to check this is to disconnect one of the unions and see how much play you have.
@@TheGrumpyPlumber thank you for the reply! Appreciate the time.
The top line on my water heater is vibrating looks to be the cold it just started doing it this evening. Also the shower sometimes makes a vibrating noise. Usually it will stop when I turn the valve. I’m not running any water at the moment anywhere in the house and the line on top of the water heater is still vibrating. Thanks for your help
You probably have pressure balance tub/ shower valves in your house and one of the cartridges is bad. There is a small spring and ball bearing in the cartridge. You need to replace the whole cartridge. P.S. If you have a few in your house, I recommend you repair all of them.
When my wife waters the backyard plants there is a squeal, shrieking noise that fills the whole house. To the point where I make her shut it off, it's so loud and high-pitched.
I have been hearing a noise for about 2 seconds it comes and goes sometimes it won't happen for 2 days and then out of nowhere it will happen.. it sounds like a someone turned the water on and turns off it's coming from under the house which is an older home, from the pipes under the house what could be the problem??? And when it happens no water is running in the house..
Do you have a well tank or a pressure regulator? The noise might be coming from one of those. I need more information please.
Sometimes we hear what sounds like rushing water through the pipes...oil heat, forced hot water. Didnt always hear this. Just started recently and even if theres no water running no one flushing a toilet or turning a faucet on...can just be sitting watching tv and hear it. Any idea of what that could be?
You said you have hot water heat, correct? You need to bleed the air out of your hot water heat zones. Not usually a big job.
@@TheGrumpyPlumber yes hot water heat.....thank you. I will look into that. At least I have an idea of what needs to be done so I'm not flying blind. I appreciate the reply. Thanks.
Hi, so all the drains, shower, toilet, bath tub sounds like the ocean, loud then soft sweeping sounds, whether a flush or just running the water, very strange - can tell something is wrong but every seems normal to the flush or when showering - almost like a struggle for seconds during and after.
I would make sure all the vents are clear by going on the roof and running water down the vents. Has anyone checked the piping in a crawl space ( if you have one) to make sure there is no broken pipes? Is there a fixture in the house that is not being used where the trap has gone dry? Check these things out.
Thank you will do
Airhammer is also common, due to high water pressure and pressure reducing valve
The noise I hear has one second between each drip sound inside the wall when upstairs bathroom sink is turned on I hear it downstairs. Does that mean it’s a water drip inside the wall?
Do you notice any water damage on the outside of the wall? You can hear water dripping in a pipe if the traps do not have a good seal. You have a pretty good drip going on. Look for water and wet walls. Have you checked to make sure you don’t have drippy faucets?
Do you notice any water damage on the outside of the wall? You can hear water dripping in a pipe if the traps do not have a good seal. You have a pretty good drip going on. Look for water and wet walls. Have you checked to make sure you don’t have drippy faucets?
Hello I have a sporadic knocking noise in the wall behind my washing machine?? Please help
I hear loud "water flow" noise stemming from the main input water shut-off valve, traveling to my washer hose, and water heater, nearest the main valve... however, when the main valve is shut off the water flow noise stops. No leaks in the house... no water hammer (I know that sound). No videos on YT addresses this issue. What say you, sir?
@lol_05.76, turn the water supply off to the water heater and see if the noise goes away. If it does, you might have a leak at an underground water pipe if the plumbing is in the concrete. Check your toilet tanks and see if water is flowing over and into the overflow tube. If so, you need to replace the fill valve. Turn the water off to the whole house, wait about a half hour, and check all the toilet tanks and see if the one or more tanks are empty. Replace the flush valve or flapper if that is the case. Check to see if you have an RP device for the irrigation as that might need to be repaired or replaced. Also check the T&P valve on the water heater. I say you check these things out.
Enjoyed the video. I have a problem with bathroom sink. I hear air coming from the drain sounds like if you are blowing into an instrument. Any ideas why.
Yolanda Watkins, if it’s a gurgling sound that means you have a vent problem and the sink drain is not getting air.
I live in a 6 unit condo building with poor insulation. I’ve recently started hearing, more so at night, what sounds like water running and then abruptly stopping. I’ve checked my unit and I have no leaks, I’m even having my water heater serviced this week just in case. I checked with my neighbor upstairs and he says he doesn’t see any leaks. It’s driving me nuts at night and I don’t know where it can be coming from. I don’t think it’s my unit as the it seems like it’s a bit further away. Any thoughts?
Karen, does the irrigation run at night? Is there a water softener or whole house filter system in your building? Water softeners run every few days and a filter system can be set to run every day. Ask questions about these ideas.
What about a sound like there’s air in the lines? It just started a couple hours ago. You flush the toilet in the master bath and it makes a “Pshh…psh-psh-psh……pshhhhh” as the water is refilling. Once it’s filled, no more noise. I also noticed a quick couple noises that are similar in the sink closest to the toilet when I turned the cold water on. The toilet flushes totally fine. I looked in the tank and I noticed a lot of black floating debris. It was on the surface of the water and clinging to the sides at the water line. That is new. I have never seen black stuff floating in that tank before.
When you flush the toilet, have you watched the tank refill? The noise might be coming from the fill valve. If it is, replace it. When replacing it, remove the flapper, flush and clean the debris and it will drain down through the fill valve outlet. Keep an eye on the faucet. I don’t think you have a leak.
What about clanking noise coming from the pressure meter whenever shower is turned on
Are you talking about the water meter or the pressure regulator? If it’s the water meter making the noise, ask your water department to change it. If it’s the pressure regulator, just replace it at your expense. Check to see if there are any check valves in the vicinity of the noise. They might need to be replaced.
@@TheGrumpyPlumber thanks
What about a banging or hammering sound? Every my mom uses her bathroom I hear in.
You probably have a gas water heater that is percolating. You can drain and flush the heater but I can almost guarantee you the noise will return. That noise does not cause any damage to the heater. Mine did the same thing. I don’t hear that noise anymore because I put in an on demand heater.
We have city water sir and noticed low pressure from our bathroom faucet(cleaned the aerator) and thought we fixed the problem. Then the washing machine valve quit having water come out on the cold side the same day. And now the bathroom faucet won’t have water more than drips coming out. Any ideas on where to begin looking or what to troubleshoot? Thanks
There are screens on the hose or washing machine connections that need to be cleaned or changed. Clean the faucet aerator again and it will probably work. If you turn the water off to the house or any valve connected to the house, turn the valves back on slowly.
In my townhouse, several times throughout the day, we'll hear loud thuds. Not knocking, clunking, or ticking. It sounds like when those guys that deadlift 200+ pounds drops the weight on the floor and the whole gym can hear it. We've been dealing with this noise for a year now but neither us nor the neighbor is doing anything to cause it. Sounds like it's behind the wall by the bathroom upstairs. Any thoughts?
Do you have expansion tanks on your water heaters? They can make that noise when they go bad. Back in the 90’s all the shower valves had to be pressure balance. The valves have a piston and they can make a noise, like when you flush a toilet or the irrigation goes on. Any change in water pressure can cause the valve to make a noise. You need to have new cartridges installed if that is the problem.
Any advice about a banging noise that seems to come from the water main into the house? I have a shutoff after the main before it goes to the rest of the house that I turned off and it still knocks really hard several times a day. Is there something in the water pit before coming in my house that could be bad?
A swing check valve could bang. RP devices can make noises because of the check valve. The foot valve at the bottom of my submersible well banged because the well was over 300 ft. deep. It sounds like you might have a problem with the check valve.
When using the spray gun at the kitchen sink, a loud, high pitch noise starts. Should the spray gun be replaced? The spray gun is separate from the faucet. Thanks for your videos !
In the body of your kitchen sink faucet there is a diverter for the hand spray. You need to remove the spout to get to it. A lot of old brand names have replacement parts. The first thing I would do is remove the spray head and see if it makes a noise. If it doesn’t, it’s probably the spray head that needs to be replaced.
Thanks for your video. There's a squeaky sound everytime we turn on the faucet and our toilet bowl after flashing. What causing it. Does squeaky causes pipes to burst? Thank you.
Alma Vizconde, you should probably replace the fill valve in your toilet. Squeaking will not cause pipes to burst.
I would like to know why my water heater whistles like a tea kettle?
Hello i just want to ask you that there is a water dripping noise on the ceiling but no water marks ,its frequent when raining or snow storm and its a single story house ,can you help me on this like what will be the issue .
It sounds like you might have a leak in the roof. If it was a water leak, it would be a constant drip and probably make a mark on your ceiling.
@@TheGrumpyPlumber but i have no marks on my ceiling,one more thing i want to add is i have a wood stove chimney there as well and its open from the top .
Are you telling me that when it rains or snows, you use the wood heater? Maybe it’s an expansion noise when the heater heats up. If you don’t see water, it’s probably not a water leak. Get in the attic and check it out for any water damage.
We have a 1973 house with copper pipes and the water supplied by a well and pump, and the previous owners did not have a sand filter on the pump.
Soooo the pipes have a little bit of sand in them. How do I know the bathroom toilet tank had about an half of a inch of sand in the tank.
But we replaced everything in that bathroom including the shower valve about two years ago. Just last night the wife was taking a shower in there, and the pipes started banging Constantly like a water hammer it didn’t stop until I went in there and opened up the sink valve and then it stopped. It definitely was coming from the shower.
What could it be?
Thank you.
You’re having a problem with the pressure balance valve. You need to replace the cartridge. It could be a problem with the angle stop on the toilet too if it has a compression stem.
Can a water pump used for faucets and toilet make noise when it is unplugged from the electrical circuit?
@rachaelj1111, I don’t quite understand what you are asking me. If the pump is off, it shouldn’t make a noise unless you have a leak. If this is a circulating pump used on the hot water and it was turned off without unplugging it, it can get air locked. You would need to bleed the line to get the air out. If your water source is a well and it’s an artesian well, the water is always flowing. I hope this helps.
When i turn on kitchen faucet it makes a constant thumping noise. If i use the sprayer or remove aerator thumping stops. Any idea whats going on?
Roger Lampton, you’re having a problem with the diverter for the hand sprayer. You have to remove the spout to find the diverter which is located in the body of the valve. If this is a $100 faucet, it’s not worth repairing and you probably can’t find the part. If it’s a Delta or a Moen, you can get the part. If it’s a very expensive high end kitchen faucet, you can also get the part by calling the manufacturer.
For about three weeks, every night from 12-8, I hear what sounds like a drumming noise. My father says it sounds like a heartbeat. It’s a “dum dum, dum dum, dum dum, dum dum.” Four sets of two, then it’s silent for 20 minutes, then repeats again. It doesn’t happen when the water is on, only at night and only when the water is off. I have no idea what this could be, there are no leaks in the lines either. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Kyona’s Content Corner, have you investigated the noise to see where it’s coming from? Do you have an expansion tank on the water heater? Do you have a boiler for a heatings system? If you have an expansion tank on the boiler and water heater, maybe the noise is coming from one of the expansion tanks. If it’s an electric heater, the noise is not coming from that. Do you have an RO system in the house as they can sometimes make a noise. Do some investigating.
I can hear 'water running' in my pipes, but found no leak. What can it be???!!!
Have you checked your toilets to see if they are running? That’s the most logical thing. You may have a bad flapper that could cause the water to run constantly.
The pipe to the toilet was sounding like a machine gun. I replaced the valve and the sound went away. But today it’s back. I think maybe the flapper was stuck opened. Thanks again
If it sounds like a machine gun, it’s the angle stop. The washer in the angle stop has come loose. Change the angle stop.
My plumbing make a shushing noise kind of like after you flush the toilet and it’s just finished filling back up except it happens randomly in different parts of the house. I have 1 bathroom downstairs and 2 up. Is the pressure too high?
TiffiT, one of your toilets might have a bad fill valve. I always recommend checking the water pressure even if you’re not having problems. Do you have a sewer ejector pump located in the basement? That can make a noise when pumping.
Hello. I just noticed a pulsing noise that sounds like it is behind the bathroom mirror. The rhythm of it is about the speed of a ticking clock or even a cricket. I turned the water off and it kept going. Any ideas?
Spencer Haynie,, LCSW, you might have a water pipe touching wood and that can make a noise. If you don’t see any water or the wall buckling, I don’t think I would worry about it.
@TheGrumpyPlumber Great Video. Recently I have been having this issue when I mix the hot and cold water in the bathroom, if the tap is running for a long time(like in shower), I hear a deep humming sound. At first, I thought it was coming from the boiler but it may be coming from the pipes in the bathroom. The weird thing is, it happens only twice during the day, roughly at the same time. Not sure what might be causing this. It does not happen if only hot or cold water is turned on. Could you please shed some light as to why this might happen? Thanks in advance :)
Do you have an expansion tank on the water heater? A bladder in the tank could have a hole in it, making that sound. Sometimes if you have corrugated water supply lines, that could be making the noise. If you do, just adjust them by moving them around. It could be a pipe in the wall that is touching some wood. Not much of a fix for that as you need to open the wall. See if any of these ideas help.
07:09 a.m. Sat Jun 24/03, please forgive me if this has been answered I scanned through here and didnt see what I was looking for: ok pipes between wall where the water sof and hot water heater sit in garage are making a back up warning beeping noise until i shut off the valve in the wall, is there blockage? Is there build up? I do not see a leak anywhere.... its like waiting for it to blow up or something lol ... tia Chris
I honestly have no idea. I don’t know if it’s your water heater or water softener but I’m positive it’s not going to blow up.
@@TheGrumpyPlumber so I figured it out, i started by turning all power in the house off, it still made the noise, I went out in garage by the softener the main water valve is a panel behind it, I shut the main off, instantly stopped the noise. Hmm so I turned the main back on I knew nothing in the house was on water wise, i walked around the house checking where we have hoses connected low and behold one side of the house i left a hose on but the sprayer closed, so there was a puddle of wated luckily there was a enough of a leak at the spicket to release pressure, but the pressure was building up all the way back to house for 3 days thats what the "beeping" was, if anyone ever asks you there you go!
what causes a growling sound when the camode flushes, you can turn on a facet and it stops then restarts when you shut the facet off.
Replace the fill valve (ballcock) in the toilet tank. Check and make sure you don’t have your water pressure above 70 lbs. feeding the house.
We’ve started to notice a sort of rattle-whooshing sound in the wall of our master bathroom, when someone flushes the toilet in our front bathroom (the other side of the wall). What are your thoughts on that?
Cheapest thing to try is replacing the fill valve in the front bathroom. You also might want to check your house water pressure.
Does a shower pressure valve need to be replaced if it's noisy or is it just annoying?
Larry Towe, I would first repair it.
Hi, I bought this house about 4 years ago. There are 3 showers in the house all have Kohler valves and there about 20 years old. About a month ago the shower (Only) on the second floor started to have s shrill whistle occasionally. Speaking with Kohler they recommended changing the 2 piece pressure vulve and the control valve. After I did that a few hours later the whistle was back, it lasts for about 30 to 45 seconds. Suggestions?
Is there an expansion tank on the water heater, RO system, or bladder type well tank? When the tank goes bad, they can make that shrill noise. If you have a hot water heating system, it could be the expansion tank on the boiler. It could also be the fill valve on the toilet. It doesn’t happen when the shower is running so it’s not the shower valves making the noise.
Thank You. I’ll replace the toilet valve and see if that stops the whistle. We do not have an expansion tank on the hot water or a well tank. City water.
I want to thank you so much, I never thought of changing the toilet tank fill valve, I purchased a kohler fill valve a little expensive but that resolved my issue! All quiet Thanks again for your advise and experience!!!!
Glad I helped. The next time don’t buy a Kohler fill valve because it’s a Fluid Master fill valve, costing less than $10 at Home Depot. Fluid Master is the flip valve a lot of toilet manufacturers use.
@@TheGrumpyPlumberFunny you say that I bought the kohler fill valve at home depot, the kohler came in a nice box for double the money. When I opened the box to replace the valve it was stamped kohler on top and then on the shut off it was stamped Fluid Master. Thanks Again for your advise and experience!!!
I have a continuous rushing sound behind my bathtub. It does not seem to be the toilet, as I've looked in both toilet tanks and they don't seem to be doing anything and they stop running soon after being flushed but the sound in the wall behind the bath/shower is still there.
IAMGiftbearer, to check the toilets to make sure they are not leaking, put a couple of drops of food coloring in the tank. Make sure no one flushes the toilets for at least an hour. In about 30-45 minutes, check to see if the bowl water is the color of the food coloring. If it is, that means the flush valve is leaking. That’s the part in the tank that has the flapper. Buy a new flapper that is manufactured by the toilet. Do you have a water softener? If you do, it might be caught in one of the regeneration settings. If you have a basement or crawl space, check if there is any water leaking. If you have an air conditioner or a swamp cooler, the noise might be coming from that. Check these ideas out.
Hi GP, thanks for the informative video. My PRV at the street was just replaced. I went to turn on my sprinkler system via the controller in the garage and noticed a loud whooshing/water surge sound coming from the water heater space. The first zone of my sprinklers do not pop up either, but all other zones do. Water PSI outside shows 60psi. Is the whooshing sound something concerning? Expansion tank was also replaced a couple months ago (also 60psi), along with the PRV. Please help!
Jonathan R, if you have water, I don’t think you have a problem. Don’t worry about it.
@@TheGrumpyPlumber The reply is much appreciated. A water softener was installed the same time the expansion tank was replaced. Luckily the issue didn’t occur again after that initial attempt (first use of sprinklers after PRV install). So it may have just been air purging or something of the sort. Thanks again!
Hello! I hear water running behind my walls. Could this be the hot water heater??
If it was the water heater, you would probably see water on the floor by the heater or water stains or mold on the walls. Check your irrigation system and see if a valve is stuck open. Check an outside faucet that has a hose connected to it and see if the valve has been left on. Check if you have an RP device on your irrigation system to see if it’s leaking. If you have a water softener, make sure it’s not caught in a cycle causing it to run constantly. Make sure you don’t have a running toilet. Check by putting a few drops of food coloring in the toilet tank and see if the bowl has colored water in it. If you have a reverse osmosis system, that could be running constantly and need to be replaced. Check these out.
I am a having a problem with my kitchen faucet. In the past two days it has developed a chugging sound like air in the line. what is this and how do i fix it. Please help
Diane scherer, It would have helped if you told me the brand name of your kitchen faucet. If you have a side sprayer, you can have a problem with the diverter. The diverter is built into the faucet body and when you remove the spout, it should be visible. If you have a pullout spray, there is a check at the end of the flexible hose that could be a problem. The problem is in the diverter.
@@TheGrumpyPlumber thank you very much for all that information. Since I'm not real savvy with plumbing would it be easier just to buy a new spigot or a new faucet and sprayer
We have new noise that sounds like there is water running when no water is running. (Almost sounds like that soft toilet refill sound) We can hear it at each bathroom and kitchen and at the garage laundry, Hot water heater is in garage. Hot water still very hot. We have checked inside and outside of the house and can't find and don't see any signs of leakage. Please help. Any thoughts or advise would be very appreciated. Thank you
Paul, I would check the toilets by putting two drops of food coloring in the tank. Don’t flush the toilet. Watch and see if the food coloring shows up in the bowl. That will tell you that the flapper or flush valve is leaking. Before you add the food coloring, make sure the water is not flowing into the overflow tube which is the one inch tube that’s part of the flush valve. If you have a water softener, check to make sure it is not regenerating constantly. If you have an RO underneath the kitchen sink, make sure that is not running constantly. Check these ideas out.
@@TheGrumpyPlumber Thanks I will look there.
Turned water on in upstairs tub to take a bath and my husband Heard dripping sound downstairs. Turned water off. Drip sound still there just less frequent. Husband told me to drain the water to see if it speeds up. It did a bit, then when all the water was out the tub which wasn’t much… The sound of that drip continued for about 4 minutes after and stopped. 😢. Do I need to call a plumber?
AunTee, so, you were taking a bath and hubby heard a dripping sound but no water coming from the ceiling. Check a wall on the faucet side of the tub and see if you can find an access panel directly behind the faucet. If not, you might have to cut an opening in the wall…about 13wx16h. Open the panel and you will see the tub waste. Use a flashlight to help you see if water is dripping. Turn the faucet on and see if water is coming down tub wall. See if you feel water at the bottom of the tub drain. Check to see if any of the tub drains are dripping. If no leak yet, splash water onto the trip lever ( the lever that opens and closes the stopper) to see if there is water running down wall of tub. Look to see if there is any water running down the outside of the drain pipe or trap. If water is coming down the faucet wall, repair the faucet. If it’s coming from the drain on the bottom of the tub, remove drain from inside tub and apply new putty, not caulk. If it’s a connection on the drain, you need to take it apart and put in new washers. If it’s the trap, you’ll probably have to open up the ceiling. If you can’t do this yourself, at least you know what the plumber will have to do. Use a plumber you pay by the hour, not one that charges a flat rate.
@@TheGrumpyPlumber
Thank you so much for your help. My Hub and I will proceed. Once all steps are taken. I will follow up with and update. Thanks you sooo much for your response😇
I have a noise that sounds like a ship's horn when we turn on the water. The plumber replaced the pressure regulator valve. The first one was bad then he put on another. I still get the occasional toot though. So he's coming tomorrow to try again. Did you ever hear this sound.
@nickbalandiat7419, do you have a bladder tank on your water heater or an RO system with a bladder tank? If the bladder gets a hole in it, it can make a loud noise. If you have bladder toilets, it can go bad there too. Check the fill valves on your toilets. I hope this beats the plumber there.
@@TheGrumpyPlumber No bladder tank or anything to do with the toilet. The fill valve in the toilet is ok too. This was weird. We DO have really high water pressure. He replaced the pressure regulator valve on Tuesday, Wednesday, and then again on Friday. The first two were the same manufacturer and he said he THINKS it could be a bad batch. This new one is a German one. It hasn't made that ship's horn. I hope it will be ok. It's making me paranoid. This happened in the past and the plumber just stuck a new one these and it was all quiet on the pipe front for years. Crossing fingers and toes. FYI, I only paid for ONE PRV. I told that this was costing him money and for us it was just driving us nuts!
Great channel by the way! I subscribed.
@nickbalandiat7419, I had problems with regulators when they switched to lead free. Sorry you experienced this. Fingers crossed this fixes problem.
I'm from England and keep getting a squeaking sound behind the wall.
Hopefully you don’t have a mouse family living in your wall. You might have an expansion problem. When a pipe gets hot, it expands and if touching a piece of wood, can make a noise. If you only hear the sound when the heater is heating the water, that’s usually the problem. If you constantly hear this noise, you might have a leak but should notice water somewhere. It’s a lot cheaper to put up with the squeaking Matt from Jolly old England.
@@TheGrumpyPlumber Many thanks for your help and support and it seems to have quietened down now. My dad was a plumbing and heating engineer as well. I thought it might have been rodents but I haven't heard any further noise thankfully. Happy New Year 🎊
Yep definitely got a tiktiktiktiktik that just changed to paradiddle tap after flushing the toilet.
Hi Jim. Thanks for ur tips. However, there's one noise u haven't addressed n that's the problem I'm experiencing. In the morning when I turn on my basin faucet there's a high pitch squealing noise. The noise only happens for a second or so...what's the cause? please advice. Thanks again.
Sean Wong, I need more information as noises can come from any faucet or toilet or even an expansion tank if you have one in the house. Do you mean the lav faucet? The first thing I would do is remove the aerator and see if that does anything. The noise could even be coming from the fill valve in the toilet. A squealing sound often indicates a bladder with a hole in it on the expansion tank. I would also check the water pressure at the water heater before you use the faucet. You might be getting thermal expansion when the heater heats up. In that case, you would need to add an expansion tank on the cold water inlet side of the water heater. I gave you some homework so check these ideas out.
Hi again Jim n thanks for ur quick reply. The whistling notice I get in the morning is from my basin in my master bedroom. It just happens for a few second n then it stops ? I'll try ur suggestion n remove the areator n c. Thanks !
Hi GP, I live on 19 floor of a condo. Building is from 2008. I’ve heard for the 4th time in a row, a very loud thump noise (just 1 loud BANG) while in the shower. It’s always the same sound and it happens about 10” min into a shower. Warm temp or warm/hot. Thump seems to come from under tub or under wall. I’m racking my brains out and very concerned. Any insight is much appreciated. Thx, Fernando
F, if your shower is a pressure balance valve, it has a piston inside of it which could be making that noise. It could affect another shower valve in another location. Have you ever replaced the cartridges in the shower valves? A lot of times, if the shower is not used a lot, it can cause that noise. That would be the first thing to look at. You might check to see if there is a bladder tank on the water heater or RO system.
@@TheGrumpyPlumber thank you. Will replace the pressure balance. Thank you for getting back to me. Very much appreciated!
Hi You did not mention anything about the Horn Noise that is ongoing for many seconds after flushing........it's a real annoyance at night. Thanks.
Mdlnima Soan, it sounds like you need to replace your fill valve on your toilet.
Before I received your response, I thought of something.....I shut off the main water valve of the house, let the water running out in each sink, which let out the air. Water valve back on and problem solved. However, I do appreciate your answer which could be the next fix. Thank you.
Hi, I am currently renting a home and have been here for two years. The hot water heater is in our kitchen and started making a sqeauling/ whistling noise and then stopped. My husband turned it off for safety reasons. However I NEED TO SHOWER and do not want an explosion! Please help!
Anthony Wallace, you might have a leak in the water heater vent. When the water heater heats up, it expands the tank and if there is a leak, it can squeal/whistle. When you turn the heater off and it cools down, the noise will go away. To make a long story short, you probably have a leak in the water heater. You can do two things: you can turn the heater back on until it leaks noticeably OR call your landlord and have him replace it. Don’t worry about it exploding.
Okay thanks we appreciate it, just freaked us right out when we watched the video of one exploding
Why do it hear water running in my walls.
Hi - believe it or not, I have a noise that is a bit faint - not very loiud - and it resembles the low noise s donkey makes (not the high pitch) or a little like oje of those dinosaur moans on Jurassic Park. Im being serious, this is the closest I can compare it to. I think it happens aroujd eveey hour or so. Could it be the expansion tank bladder failed? My pipes and faucets are all new.
@@jeffkelly636 good diagnosis on your part. It could be the bladder in your well tank or, if you have a reverse osmosis, it could be the bladder in the storage tank. Pressurized toilets also have bladders which can make a noise when they go bad.
We have been experiencing a rhythmic slow tapping/knocking sound coming out of our master bedroom floor. It’s been ongoing, on and off but consistent. Is this something we need to address asap? We can’t figure out what it is…
@sw33tm3, do you have hot water radiant heat? Do you notice the noise when you use your hot water? Do you have the noise when the heat is turned on? Are you on a well system or municipal system? Do you have an expansion tank on the water heater and is it located under the bedroom? Check these out and get back to me.
@@TheGrumpyPlumber thank you for responding! we have central heating. Our house was build last year. It is winter here and can be very cold, it was -4 last week. This has been going on for a couple of months. We notice the sound more at night when we go to bed because it’s quiet and more noticeable, but it seems to be there on and off but rhythmic, not tied to use of water. It almost sounds like someone is tapping on a surface in a slow tempo. Our master bedroom is above our computer room in our basement, which doesn’t contain any water heater.
@sw33tm3, in all my years of installing hot water heat, if the hot water pipe is touching wood or going through wood without an insulator, it will make a tapping/ squeaking noise. If you hear it a night, turn the thermostat all the way down for a half hour to an hour to cool the pipe down and see if you continue to hear the noise. It could be very challenging to fix but most people get use to the noise.
@@TheGrumpyPlumber Hey there, so we recently bought a home and did a complete remodel. Our masters bathroom has this same problem. Random tapping sounds that isn't tied to the use of water. Is there anyway to get rid of/fix it? Will it be a big haul to do? Thanks!
Why is my plumbing sounds like someone is pounding inside the wall? Please help.
@julietruong8792, I assume you only have this noise when you turn on/off a faucet. If you have old faucets with washers, one might be loose. Best way to check is to slowly turn on each side of the faucet and if there is a chattering sound, that’s the faucet with the problem. If you don’t have these types of faucets, you probably have angle stops on each fixture, hot and cold, that have washers that would be making the noise. To check, turn them all off and turn on one at a time. The only other thing making that noise could be a hot water pipe expanding on wood.
I have this noise for many years already and now it's getting louder. I have two bathrooms and I rarely use the hallway bathroom. That bathroom however makes noise every 7 or 10 minutes even I don't use it. The sound is like something hitting something so I'm not sure what it is
Phil, it could be the fill valve or the angle stop in the toilet. When you use water anywhere in the house and then turn it off, it could cause that noise. Change the flapper on the flush valve and see if that helps.
@@TheGrumpyPlumber interesting diagnostics. I will replace the flappers for all the toilets. Thank you for your advice.
Hey GP, I just replaced a Delta shower faucet cartridge (17 Series) and am now hearing a rattling, or clicking sound, from the walls when the hot water is turned on. I traced the sound back to our gas water heater in the attic. It doesn't matter which hot water faucet I turn on in our house I can hear the sound at the water heater. I'm thinking I might still have air trapped in the piping at water heater since I had to drain water in plumbing system to replace the cartridge. I continue to flush the system but still have the sound. What's your thoughts?
Enjoying your videos. Thanks!
Darren E, some water heaters use to use a ball check on the cold and hot water supply nipples. That might be one thing for you to check as they can cause a chattering noise. You could have a bad shower valve cartridge. You might look for a swing check in a water line. If there is a pressure regulator, that could make a chattering noise. I really think you might have a bad cartridge.
@@TheGrumpyPlumber Thanks for the reply GP! I changed out the shower cartridge again this morning and I still have the same noise. No check valves or pressure regulator in the system. There are three drops from the hot water heater header pipe in the attic and when I open a hot water faucet located on any of those three drops I get the same noise at the hot water heater. So I'm thinking maybe it has something to do with the hot water heater or air trapped in a high point piping loop at the hot water heater outlet. A vent valve there would be nice to have.
Could a loose pipe on one of the drops be vibrating just due to system pressure drop when water is turned on? For example I open a faucet on one of the drops and a pipe vibrates on another drop with no water flowing through it?
Thanks again for your help!
Darren E, did you check the inlet and outlet supply nipples on the water heater? Were there ball checks in the supply nipples? If there are, just change them with 3/4”x3” brass nipples.
@@TheGrumpyPlumber Thanks again GP.
It's clear that describing the sounds isn't enough. Maybe you can solicit audio clips to add to this video.
Hi Guys. I bet, you never face a problem like one I got. After flushing the toilet, the reservoir immediately stops filling. Similar things with my shower. I turn on the main valve and water flows normally. When I switch to shower positions, water stops running, like a magic. In 20-50 minutes everything goes back to normal. What can you say..??-Miroslaw
Well, I guess you have a unique problem there. First thing I recommend is bypass the water softener if you have one. Replace the fill valve on the toilet. When you turn the water on at the tub, will it run continuously until you switch to the shower? Do you have a pressure regulator on your main water supply? Check that out as it might need to be replaced. If you have a pressure balance shower valve, you might need to replace the cartridge. You might have an older style pressure balance valve located near the bathroom that is causing the problem. If so, remove it. Here is some homework, see if you can figure it out.
Thanks for your response. I will try to follow this instructions. We have no money to call a plumber again. Problems starts after a plumbing company repleaced broken boiler. After they left, we found, there is no pressure in kitchen hot water. Additionally there was no water in bathtube faucet. We called them back. They told us to pay additional $600 to fix up the problems. Before, with the old boiler we have no problems. How do you think what they were going to do for that money.?@@TheGrumpyPlumber
When 1 of our toilet flushes it creates a distinct “rat, tat, tat” (my best car talk impression without sound) noise approximately 20 feet away near where the outside water spigot is located? I have not gone in the crawl space yet to pinpoint further Any ideas would be great
Steven Bliss, first, I would replace the fill valve with a new one to see if that helps. Really tighten the angle stop handle and then open it back up to see if that works. If there is a shut off valve on the outside faucet in the crawl space, it might not be open all the way. I think the noise is either coming from the fill valve or the angle stop.
@@TheGrumpyPlumber thanks
@@TheGrumpyPlumber I tried turning the main water line off and opening all faucets and flushing the toilets…. Didn’t work?
I loosened the little plasticity pressure release in the outside spigot…MAGIC
I have a knock knock knock sound after the flush and the tank fills up.
Drain the water heater and the sound might go away but it will probably return. We call that percolating. It is not going to damage your heater.
Shower squealing…😱 googling like crazy n seems it’s the tub spout not shower valve? ..thanks
@kathbiddle-dutton7069, if the noise stops when you pull the diverter, that would be the first thing to replace. If you have a good shutoff when you pull the diverter and you still hear the noise, it could be the shower head. I doubt it’s in the valve.
MY PIPES STARTED MAKING A WHISTLING NOISE WHEN I TURN OFF FAUCETS, IT ONLY LASTS FOR A COUPLE OF SECONDS THEN IT'S GONE UNTIL I TURN OFF THE FAUCET AGAIN. 😊
Remove the faucet aerator and see if it still makes that noise.
When the toilet tank completes filling up there is a "bang" just as it is completely full
Sounds like you have high water pressure. Do you notice that on only one toilet? You might want to change the fill valve. That would be the cheapest thing to do if installing it yourself.
I get a bang downstairs every now and then when the water is turned on upstairs
Have you checked your incoming water pressure? If you have a pressure regulator, that could be causing the bang. When you turn on the hot water, the heater could be percolating causing the banging sound. A pipe will rattle when you turn off the water. Check these out. Give me more information if these ideas were not helpful.
My pipes continuously make a loud noise... I can barely sleep at night... it never stops... this has been going on for three years now...
The only thing I can think of that would make a constant noise is a circulating line on the water heater that could have air in it. Give me more information so I can help.
Radiators making a loud banging noise??
@dsd-downshiftdave8056, it’s been over twenty years since I’ve worked on a hot water or a steam boiler system. Sounds like you have a bad expansion tank or a bad air vent on the boiler.
what makes a toilet make gurgling sound, we have 3 toilets and only 1 makes the sound ???? when flushed...
@ckdk1219, is your toilet vented properly? Check and see if the vent is blocked. You can do this by running water down the vent at the roof top. You might check the water level in the tank to make sure it is one inch below the overflow tube. Is this toilet on a sewer ejector pump? If so, make sure the pump is working.
What makes pipes make a load popping noice.
Are you sure it’s your pipes and not the water heater? If it’s the water heater, don’t worry about it. If it’s your pipes, a pipe could be touching some wood. Not to be concerned with that either.
@@TheGrumpyPlumber thank u
Thanks for the great video 👍 we have terrible dong dong dong sounds inside wall without open any faucet periodically ; especially after flushing toilet and using water. Expansion tank is new, wonder if there is special pressure requirements for the tank? Plumbers had been to house few times, at that moment everything is fine. It happened quite often during night. And advise? Thanks Jim🙏🙏
Shirley Li, there is a way to set up an expansion tank. Look at the brand name, google it, and that should tell you how to set the pressure. Turn the water heater off and open up a hot water faucet until it stops running. Then you’re able to set the pressure on the bladder tank.
No squealing or ticking sound just a groaning growling sound
Do you have bladders in your toilet tanks? Do you have a well tank with a bladder in it? That sound is caused by a bladder that has gone bad and you then have to replace the tanks. Sometimes when you have high water pressure, the fill valves on the toilets can make that noise. Same thing with pressure balance valves on the showers. Check your house pressure to make sure the regulator is good. Check if you have thermo expansion on your water heater.
I hear a fog horn when I flush my toilet and after I fill my bath tub and turn off the faucet
Connie Ray, do you have a pressure regulator in your house? Sometimes the regulator will make that noise. If you don’t have one, it could be your well tank and the bladder inside could have a hole in it. See if you can locate the noise before calling a plumber.
It would be very helpful if you have recordings of the actual sounds so we can zzcompare them to what we’re hearing in our house. 🥹
YES! This would be helpful
During a bathroom remodel, our other bathroom shower started to make a banging noise coming from inside the wall where the shower valve is. It only happens if we have the valve set to both cold & hot (to make it warm). If we turn it all the way to hot or cold, it stops. My thought was, as the contractors were turning off & on the main water valve to work on the other bathroom, they turned on the water to quick and it ruptured something in the valve. They said it's just air in the pipes and it will go away the more we use the other shower, but I think the valve got messed up. Thoughts?
Hi, thanks for the video. My pipes make noises when I open or close any faucets in the house or after flushing a toilet.
I have searched high and low on UA-cam to find information that might help me find the cause of a clunking sound you so accurately described in #6 in your plumbing noise causes. Every time I turned on a faucet in my home there was an immediate clunk sound in the water pipes. After finding your post I replaced the pressure balance valve as you recommended on my shower valve and the clucking sound was gone! HALLELUJAH!! I wanted to " THANK YOU" for sharing your experience and knowledge with us out here that are far less informed on these matters. Thanks again!
You made my day. Thank YOU 😊
We have a clunking noise, but it comes on when any valve is opened…. Washer, shower etc… I am thinking the pressure reducing valve may be having issues
I would check out the pressure reducing valve. Also check your pressure balance tub shower valves as they can make noises.
@@TheGrumpyPlumber thank you…
Fog horn sound when open taps in bathroom and kitchen.Recently had plumber out due to low cold water pressure..problem solved.However our expansion cylinder had to be changed also but now hearing these sounds but not all the time.We have adjusted pressure but still making noise.Plumber been out no obvious reasons why this is doing it.Noise wasn't happening before the work was carried out.Your help is much appreciated
@@hpplayz2725 the expansion tank could be bad, even if it’s new.
I have a constant humming sound going on that I hear all through the house. I turned off the water to all the toilets and I still heard the humming sound. It's constant it sounds like it is all over the house including both levels. I even hear it in the garage as well. I also turned off all the power to the house and the hum was still there. Thanks much Jim!
@Bobby what caused the noise? How did you obliterate it?
Constant humming-me too. Can’t figure it out
There's many cases where some factory miles away caused this sound. There's a famous case of some tire or glass factory in in the north east had a machine that caused an entire town to have a hum and they only found out 25 years later, the day the plant shut down. Turning your master breaker off is a good start things like refrigerators have humming compressors.
Hi, Mr. Plumber, I have a sound coming from the supply line from within the wall that the downstairs toilet has a compression shut off valve, it's not leaking. I shut off the outside main shutoff valve and the running water sound was still there. I went to shut off main water valve at the meter and the sound went away. What could be making the running water sound.. could it be air in water supply line or the supply line shutoff valve is bad ? I'm puzzled to see if what is causing the vibration. It sounds like running water inside the wall, but the meter has a red gear that is not showing any water usage. But the sound is still there... it can't be a busted pipe no water is coming out from the wall? Or the water meter is not showing water usage..! Any suggestions? Thank you..! I have a video of the sound of the first floor supply line in the bathroom toilet.. Do you have an email address that I can send you the video.
@@AROD500500 you answered your own question……if the little red triangle on the water meter is not moving, then there is no water flow into the house. The vibration could be a compression angle stop. Turn the angle stop real tight and then open it back up and if the sound is still there, you need to replace the angle stop.
I have a rotational sawing type noise next to water heater. That expansion tank is within 2ft of noise?
@@jasweett the way to check the expansion tank is to see if the bladder has gone bad. Disconnect it from the water line after you relieve the pressure. The best way to relieve the pressure is to turn off the supply line from the water heater and open a faucet until the water stops flowing. Turn the faucet off. ( The expansion tank should have been installed between the shut off valve and the water heater on the cold supply side.) If installed somewhere else, you need to shut off the water supply to the house, open a hot water faucet to drain the pressure down and then close it. When you take the tank off, if it’s really really heavy, the bladder has gone bad and the expansion tank needs to be replaced. If it feels light and empty of water, the tank is still good. It probably is the expansion tank making the noise. I don’t know if you have any other equipment around the water heater that could be making that noise.