Plumbing pipes question NOISEY

[Craig D Peltier]

Hi I may have posted this here before but there still making noise.
I have a house built in 1992. The pipes make this sound like a fog horn from a boat at any time.Usually after using upstairs sink, but i the toilets make it happen too even when we are not using them.Water may run for a split second in them and then it happens.

So someone told me to shut off water, I have a valve under stairwell that does this, and open all faucets so theres no water coming out and then turn the water back on slowy flushing out all air in pipes. I did this and made mistake with one of three outside faucets by not turning it on, maybe thats the issue. I turned on hot an cold.
Also though I didnt flush toilets so water ran out of them.Maybe thats an issue?
I also didnt turn off washer water.

Any ideas please? It seems to be happening more often since yesterday but this has been going on now for months.
Thanks

[Lee Schierer]

I doubt it is air in the lines. Loose valve seats or valve stems can cause this noise. It is caused by the pressure in the and is related to flow starting and stopping rapidly. The seat or valve stem is fluttering and producing water hammer in the lines. There are several cures. Change out the offending faucet or valve. Change the water pressure in the line. Another way is to install water hammer devices in the water lines. These are expansion chambers designed to absorb the instantaneous fluctuations in water pressure caused by rapidly closing valves. You may need several, but I would start with the water lines most distant from the source. Typically the water hammer arrestors are installed next to the sinks in the walls.

[David Epperson]

The pipes make this sound like a fog horn from a boat at any time.
Lee could be right, But my experience with water hammer has never made me think of a foghorn. For the price of a new regulator I'd replace that first just to eliminate it as a posibility. The regulator, in my opinion and experience, is much more likely to be the sound maker during continuous flow conditions.

[Ben Grunow]

THis exact issue was shown on Ask THis Old House and it was due to a fill valve in a toilet. When another fixture was turned off in the house the pressure would rise slightly in the system to the point where the old toilets fill valve would make the fog horn noise as a little water would make its way past the valve.

Try holding the float up in the toilets and see if it stops the sound. If so replace the fill valve (cheap and easy) and write a letter to ATOH saying thanks. If not dont ask me.

[Craig D Peltier]

THis exact issue was shown on Ask THis Old House and it was due to a fill valve in a toilet. When another fixture was turned off in the house the pressure would rise slightly in the system to the point where the old toilets fill valve would make the fog horn noise as a little water would make its way past the valve.

Try holding the float up in the toilets and see if it stops the sound. If so replace the fill valve (cheap and easy) and write a letter to ATOH saying thanks. If not dont ask me.

Cool Ill try that.. Ill thank you for paying attention and write a letter to ATOH.

[Joe Chritz]

I agree that the fill valves are a good candidate.

I would start by shutting down one fixture at the shut off valve and draining the water. Keep doing that and you should narrow the search.

There should be air in the lines at the hammer arresters. It is good to occasionally drain the lines to keep the air where it belongs. Water hammer sounds just like you would imagine. :D

Joe

[Craig D Peltier]

I agree that the fill valves are a good candidate.

I would start by shutting down one fixture at the shut off valve and draining the water. Keep doing that and you should narrow the search.

There should be air in the lines at the hammer arresters. It is good to occasionally drain the lines to keep the air where it belongs. Water hammer sounds just like you would imagine. :D

Joe
Yeah I tired one more time ot turn water off, turn on all faucets an flushed toilets.Then turned water on slowly but very consistent.It quited down and not as often but its still there.
I have no idead where these valves are but I have a how to plumbing book.So I will look.

Thanks

[Ben Grunow]

Craig, figure out what you have to do to make the noise. Once you know, turn the supply off to one of the toilets in the house (the little valve behind the toilet coming out of the wall or floor) and try to make the noise again. If you hear it, try shutting off another toilet and trying to make the noise again. By this process of elimination you should be able to find which toilet it is.

The fill valve is at the top of the little tower inside the toilet tank and I have no idea how to fix them but someone might if this is indeed the problem. The guts for most toilets are cheap and easy to replace.

The air chambers are just a vertical stub of pipe with a cap on top behind the wall at most fixture locations. If you drain the whole house you will drain them and your problem might go away if ti is water hammer (as the pipes fill up the stub does not and air is trapped which creates a compressible cushion of air that helps to eliminate water hammer) .

[Craig D Peltier]

Yesterday I turned off one toilet I still heard it then I turned of another and didnt. So today I will double check it for sure that theres no noise.Although turned off shower this morning and the fog horn blared.Its right next to toilet that I think is the one at fault.