Why do my pipes sound like a fog horn?

[Woodywoodchuck]

Hello hope you'll can help me. My house was built in 1992 2 stories. I get this noise from my pipes about every hour or so some longer than others, maybe frome 2 seconds to 6 seconds long.Sounds like a ships fog horn.Its always in the same wall, above is toilet and sinks.I have heard the horn for both. Below is sink and toilet also heard same thing.On the other side of wall is garage where wter heater is, but I have been right there in garage when I hear the noise and its not in garage.
Ive turned off all water.Turned on all faucets outside and in and flushed toilets, then turned water back on slowly hoping to get any air out but that didnt work.
Is it valves tapping? I couldt say its just one due to the sound from several units, or maybe its a valve in the wall between water heater and T where they branch to both bathrooms?
IM a wood guy and dont know much about plumbing but I have books on it and we dont have money to repair it with a plumber unless its dire.I will try the fix myslef I think:eek:

Thanks
The toilets dont run, although upstairs one I think has but just for like 2 seconds but not very often.I dont even notice it but my thought tell me I have before.

[apf]

Oh, you want Rick , he should reply shortly , lol

[Velosapien]

I saw that exact same thing in one of those home improvement TV shows. :D The fog horn sound on the pipes was caused by the toilet fill valves or something like that. I don't know much about plumbing though, I'm sure one of them will answer soon.

[BAPlumber]

try turning off each toilet at the angle stop and see what happens. It could also be a valve stem. try shutting off each angle stop to try and isolate the problem.

do you know what the water pressure is?

[Woodywoodchuck]

try turning off each toilet at the angle stop and see what happens. It could also be a valve stem. try shutting off each angle stop to try and isolate the problem.

do you know what the water pressure is?

Know will there be on the water heater? or near it? I will try to turn off both toilets one at a time and wait abit for noise.
Thanks

[freddy]

Replace the toilet fill valve in your toilet, and the flapper,Parts should cost no more than 15.00 per toilet. That should cover your problem. Get it done soon, the vibration could cause other problem to develope.:)

[PLUMBER RICK]

try turning off each toilet at the angle stop and see what happens. It could also be a valve stem. try shutting off each angle stop to try and isolate the problem.

do you know what the water pressure is?


that's also my suggestion.

don't know about a fog horn sound, but a toilet that refills should be real easy to isolate. try putting food coloring into the toilet tank. don't flush and see if the dye comes out into the bowl. if it does, it's most likely a bad flapper. after you lose approx. 3/4'' of water level in the tank, the ballcock will turn on to refill. this should happen at approx. the same interval and that should give you a good hint.

rick.

[PLUMBER RICK]

Oh, you want Rick , he should reply shortly , lol

thanks for the compliment. my wife hates to read these praises.

fortunatly the forum is getting alot more regular posters and guys that really love their work. westcoast and crappy would be good go to guys.

dirtyhands is also sharp, but more of a ruff in guy.

mark/ utah is great but typically a night poster:D

bob d is amazing with links and knowledge.

bhd is also amazing.

wousoko is wousoko:D

and for all the rest i forgot, sorry. especially the canadians.

almost forgot about the dog. dog is very sharp but sometimes very ruff,ruff:D

rick.

[BAPlumber]

and for all the rest i forgot, sorry.
rick.

And I was just quoted, short memory?:p maybe I just haven't been here that long.:D
Brent

[PLUMBER RICK]

And I was just quoted, short memory?:p maybe I just haven't been here that long.:D
Brent

brent, i quoted you. that's a hugh compliment in this case:D

true, you haven't been here long and i'm not good with names.

i guess if you start to ruffle the feathers, i will take more notice.

prior to the junior, sr. member status, there was a rating system to rate other members.

problem is, it was more of a popularity poll.

if the old system was still in place, i would give you 2 thumbs up;)

like i said sorry to all the members i missed.

sort of like the thank you speeches for the academy awards. you get 30 seconds and then the music starts. there's always going to be people you skip.

30 seconds is now up:D

rick.

[freddy]

Al though the almost famous rick, agreed with how to find out if toilet may be leaking.The fix for this would be to change the fill valve with a fluidmaster 400 valve and new flapper, just to save you a trip to the hardware store. Pick up new flex S/S connector for a new toilet supply. could be high pressure problem but it dose not sound like the problem you have described.:)
The sound is caused by washer in refill valve worn out cheaper to replace with new fluismaster 400 valve IMO :D

[Woodywoodchuck]

I turned off the toilet upstairs and the pipes stopped making noise. Now im not sure if its the thing on left ( tall valve I suppose)or the thing on the right with the flapper that lets the water go into the bowl.
Thanks for help so far.

:)

[PLUMBER RICK]

the ballcock is cycling because the flapper or flushvalve is leaking.

there is one other possibility that see every now and then.

if the refill hose is shoved down into the overflow pipe lower than the water level. the refill tube will create a siphon and slowly create a drop in water level causing the ballcock to refill.

make sure the refill tube is above the overflow tube and properly supported.

check the flapper and make sure it's not worn or warped.

the dye test i spoke of earlier will show a leak if the problem is either the refill tube or flapper/ flush valve.

you just need to narrow it down.

fortunately all the parts for a basic common toilet are $15.00:D

a not so basic older 1 pc. toilet can run up to $300.:eek:

rick.

[Drip Leg]

I just instaled a $100.00 dollar curtain style top fill ballcock today on a crane saneto toilet. Big price difference from the 400-A :D

[PLUMBER RICK]

I just instaled a $100.00 dollar curtain style top fill ballcock today on a crane saneto toilet. Big price difference from the 400-A :D

wait till you price out a case #62 ballcock or an american std. vent away, or some of the older 1 pc. kohler designs. $200-400.

fortunately the new 1.6 low flow toilets all use fairly inexpensive ballcocks. most use fluidmaster. some use hunters.

the flush valves are still proprietary on most.

the american std. champion flush valve with the no leak 6 year warranty is a joke. instead of them sending out the flush valve seal that takes 10 seconds to replace. they are sending out a complete new flush valve assy. you need to remove the tank to replace it. not a 10 second job and not a homeowner do it yourself job. so far only 2 of the champions, that i've installed have had this issue. the rest are ok:confused:

at the trade show last week they were demoing the australian caroma dual flush toilet. they were flushing potatoes down them. it's a full 4'' wash down design. if only french fries would come out the bottom:D

rick.

[freddy]

"I turned off the toilet upstairs and the pipes stopped making noise. Now im not sure if its the thing on left ( tall valve I suppose)or the thing on the right with the flapper that lets the water go into the bowl.
Thanks for help so far."


The thing on the left is your toilet fill valve. Replace it with fluidmaster 400
fill valve, and the flapper is on the right, also replace toilet supply pipe as mention in my other post. :)

[Woodywoodchuck]

Al though the almost famous rick, agreed with how to find out if toilet may be leaking.The fix for this would be to change the fill valve with a fluidmaster 400 valve and new flapper, just to save you a trip to the hardware store. Pick up new flex S/S connector for a new toilet supply. could be high pressure problem but it dose not sound like the problem you have described.:)
The sound is caused by washer in refill valve worn out cheaper to replace with new fluismaster 400 valve IMO :D

Thanks I will do that tommorrow.I had toilet off all day and thats definately the culprit.