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Author Topic: Wierd Pipe Noise  (Read 10038 times)

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Offline MojaveSidecar

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Wierd Pipe Noise
« on: Oct 30, 09, 04:44:56 PM »
I have a very weird noise coming from the pipes ( I think) inside the wall between the kitchen and the bathroom. On the bath side of this wall is the sink, toilet and shower and on the kitchen side is the kitchen sink. The water heater is directly below in the basement. All the piping  for the cabin is concentrated in this area.
It is a small single story cabin 2 br 1 full bath with a good sized crawl space/basement.  The water heater and main water shut off/drain valves are the only things in the basement.

This noise sounds like water is flowing through the pipes, yet all the faucets etc are off.  The toilet is not running and we still hear it even when the water heater is off.   There is no sign of leaks anywhere in or under the cabin or outside along the path the water main takes to the meter and out to the street.


The most puzzling thing is the sound diminishes alot when I shut the main valve off, but I still can hear the sound when I put my ear to the pipe near the main shut off valve.

I first noticed this noise when I came up for the evening last Sunday.  I recorded the meter reading and checked it when I arrived here yesterday.  The meter reading / needle did not move one bit.  Even the little indicator that spins in the middle of the meter is completely stopped. 

At this point, I am puzzled.. ??? any ideas what it might be?

TIA

Randy from Burbank
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Offline ChrisLynnet

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Re: Wierd Pipe Noise
« Reply #1 on: Oct 30, 09, 05:54:03 PM »
I'm sorry that I can't begin to answer your question, Randy. But I had to share that when I read the subject line "Wierd Pipe Noise" my brain flashed to the PAN PIPES of folklore. I was worried about what you were hearing outside your house! (BTW, if any of you ever hear Pan pipes in the forest, run the opposite direction.)  :o
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mototman

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Re: Wierd Pipe Noise
« Reply #2 on: Oct 30, 09, 09:36:44 PM »
make sure all water is off, except the main valve, then check to see if the meter is running, if it is you have a leak that needs to be fixed
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Plumberford

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Re: Wierd Pipe Noise
« Reply #3 on: Oct 30, 09, 11:47:53 PM »
It sounds like the noise you are hearing is most likely a faulty pressure regulator.
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Offline tach18k

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Re: Wierd Pipe Noise
« Reply #4 on: Oct 31, 09, 11:41:30 PM »
Another thing to look at is your neighbor. Depending on how close you are to your neighbor, you may be hearing his water through your pipes. I know I hear my neighbors sprinkers at night when they are on. You may also have a pin hole leak on the hot water side. Even though you have shut off the main water supply, there is still pressure built up in the lines.
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Offline MojaveSidecar

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Re: Wierd Pipe Noise
« Reply #5 on: Nov 01, 09, 02:27:39 AM »
Quote from: tach18k on Oct 31, 09, 11:41:30 PM
Another thing to look at is your neighbor. Depending on how close you are to your neighbor, you may be hearing his water through your pipes. I know I hear my neighbors sprinkers at night when they are on. You may also have a pin hole leak on the hot water side. Even though you have shut off the main water supply, there is still pressure built up in the lines.

I have both CFord plumbing and the water company coming out first thing Monday  Cabins on either side of our are vacant so I wanted to rule out any chance the sounds were telegraphing  from a possible broken pipe there.

However, I believe plumberford pegged it, I will find out for sure on Monday.
I'll keep you all posted.


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Offline MojaveSidecar

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Re: Wierd Pipe Noise
« Reply #6 on: Nov 03, 09, 04:01:55 AM »
Well, it looks like I had both a faulty pressure regulator and a main line leak (on the water company side of the meter).

CFord came out and threw a pressure gage on the water system and there was  100lbs of pressure going into the house. He installed a new regulator and the noise was gone.    :2thumbsup:

While CFord was installing the new regulator, the water guy showed up. I was in the middle of explaining to him how I was concerned that there might be a broken pipe (because we had a leak before) but that the regulator seemed to solve the problem and sorry for calling him out;  when he said..."Whats that water in your back yard?"   "What water" I said?   And sure enough,  I had an artesian spring in my yard that was not there yesterday.   :o  Turns out that there is a 4" water main running through my back yard.

The water guy said he could have a back hoe there within the hour.
Turns out a good sized tree root pierced the pipe. They patched it and filled the hole up and were done in an hour.

Top notch service from both CFord and Golden State Water Company :crowngrin:

So a patched water main and a new regulator .... problem solved...  ;D
no more Wierd Pipe Noise....

... except for the Pan Pipe noise coming from the middle of Wright's Bog last midnight...whats up with that?    ???
 

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