# Noisy Water Pipes



## Frank4d (Sep 10, 2006)

I recently replaced the valve in a toilet (one with the floating ball). Now everytime the toilet flushes and the tank fills with water I hear this VERY LOUD high pitched noise for a few seconds before it finishes filling. It is loud enough to be heard in every room in the house.

What's up?


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## etaf (Oct 2, 2003)

its possibly the restriction in the flow and the pressure - due you have a valve on the inlet water pipe - so you can reduce the pressure

It may be a faulty ball valve - I'm not a plumber , just when I installed a new toilet and with a new valve we had some noise and reducing the pressure very slightly on the isolation valve cured it


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## NICK G (Sep 11, 2006)

After a flush water is returned to the tank via a tube, rubber, inserted in a PVC pipe.
Maybe adjusting the position of this hose may help or maybe there is a kink causing 
undo pressure and the noise. With the tank lid off you should be able to isolate where the 
noise is coming from.
Good luck.


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

It may also simply be a cheap valve. Some toilet valves have a "snap action" closure to avoid the very slow closing of the valve at shutoff.


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## Frank4d (Sep 10, 2006)

I tried adjusting the inlet valve from full open down to about 1/4 open with no effect.

I noticed last night if I touch the brass rod between the valve and ball I could stop the noise. So I no longer think it is water pipes. It is the ball and rod vibrating at some frequency and gets quite loud.

I tried bending the brass rod and now most times I flush it doesn't make any sound. But it still does sometimes.

I am inclined to agree with JohnWill's suggestion "it may also simply be a cheap valve". Off to Home Depot tomorrow to buy a better one.


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

The reason this occurred to me is I had the same problem, and I replaced the guts of the toilet and the problem was solved.


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## NICK G (Sep 11, 2006)

Get a floatless water inlet valve assembly. Easy and works better..


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## hewee (Oct 26, 2001)

I think it is air in the line.

How to Bleed Air From Water Pipes

[URL="http://www.irrigationtutorials.com/waterhammer.htm"]Water Hammer and Air in Pipes
[/URL]

http://www.bobvila.com/wwwboard/messages/31018.html

http://www.factsfacts.com/MyHomeRepair/PipeNoises.htm

http://www.askmehelpdesk.com/plumbing/pipe-noise-following-toilet-flush-172002.html


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## wacor (Feb 22, 2005)

air should be gone after a couple flushes unless he had to drain the pipe leading up to the toilet shut off valve. Harmonics can make weird things happen. I have seen it where in a basement there is a minimal noise yet you could go to the 2nd floor bath and it would be howling. It probably is just a faulty valve. If you think it is air then flush the toilet and hold the ball valve up for a while to purge the line. It would take a lengthy line to have been drained out though for it to be air and that to be continuing after several flushes. IMO


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## Frank4d (Sep 10, 2006)

Probably a faulty valve... and harmonics. If I barely touch the brass rod between the valve and ball (like put an ounce off pressure on it) I can stop the noise. Otherwise it can be heard through the pipes in the garage 75 feet away.

I am going to try one of the floatless inlet valves suggested by *NICK G* before this makes me go crazy.


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

I suspect you'll be happy with the result.


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## NICK G (Sep 11, 2006)

Some may find this funny and some not but here goes anyway.....
Some flappers open and stay open long enough for the water to drain and then shut down.
Other flappers rise and shut immediately making it necessary to hold handle down longer.
I filled one flapper with foam and it worked better but then I tied a piece of foam to flapper
with some string and it worked great. What a concept. Thought I invented a better mouse trap.
But looking again in the bathroom hardware again sometime later I saw that this very same 
configuration was sold already complete with float and string/chain. I was deflated.
Now that was funny.


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## Cholin (Nov 20, 2009)

Try damping the arm with a lump of modelling clay or wrap a piece of lead round it if you can find some!


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## hewee (Oct 26, 2001)

Just get some ear plugs and you will not hear it.


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