We have loud jackhammer sounds in our walls even when water has been shut off. The noise is random and can be heard in all parrts of our house and at times is so loud our windows vibrate. The sound is much like that of a jackhammer being used in shor bursts. Help!

Hey Rhondalynn...

Most likely you have a leak at one of your toilet's flappers... ;) To confirm this you could pour 10-15 drops of food coloring into the toilet tank and then wait 20 minutes (or so) and come back to check if the coloring is in the toilet bowl. If it is, the flapper is defective and needs to be replaced.

Here, the toilet flapper is defective in that it allows a small amount of water to trickle past it and over time drains the toilet tank to a level that requires the toilet fill valve to become activated and fill the toilet tank back to the proper level.

The "jackhammering" sound is the fill valves washer/seat trying to mate up. Here, the water flows in at such a slow rate that you can get a chattering sound that can result in loud/banging sounds if the pipes in the wall are loose.

First thing to do then is to replace the flapper in the toilet(s) and see if that resolves this 100%. Be sure to replace the flapper with a flapper from the same manufacturer of the toilet for best result. If the flapper won't seat you may need to replace the entire flush valve assembly.

Back to you...

Mark

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Massplumber...

Thanks! I'll pick up some food coloring this afternoon and give it a shot!

Rhonda

Let me know what you discover... :)

Mark

Hi Mark,

We used food coloring to determine whether we have a leak, we do! We will be replacing the flapper, at your suggestion, this afternoon.

However, I do have another question: after noting that we do indeed have a leak, my husband shut off the valve to the offending toilet - this in an effort to avoid the noise and get some sleep. Whereas the loud jackhammering in our walls stopped, we still heard an intermittent low rumbling sound; any idea why, or what, this would be?

Thank you!

Rhonda

Hi Rhonda...

It could be that the toilet shutoff is not closing completely... could cause a little "rumbling", for sure.

Relace the flapper and see if the noises stop. If not, you may need to change out the fill valve to the toilet next...

Keep me posted.

Thanks... Mark

Hi Mark,

We changed the flapper and the fill valve but still have the noise, what next?

Thanks!

Rhonda

When does the noise occur... before, during, or after the toilet has filled, or is it an all the time noise? Let me know...

Mark

Do you have a PRV (pressure reducing valve) installed?
Perhaps your air chambers need to be recharged.
"Water hammer" happens when you abruptly shut off the water. You have at least 40 pounds of pressure pushing the water flow. The weight of the water hitting a 90 degree bend causes the sound that you hear. We put in air chambers to cushion the hammer much like the shocks on your car.
Back in the 60's we were required to to put air chambers on all bath lavatories and kitchen sinks. Over time water and condensate built up in them and they must be recharged. First turn off the house at the main house shut off valve. Then open hot and cold faucets at the farthest bathroom to prevent air lock.(This is important.) You will find under each fixture little brass or chrome valves. These are called angle stops. With a small pail held under the angle stop to catch the run off look under the handle of the stop and you will see a nut with the stem running through it. This is called the bonnet packing nut. Put your wrench on it and back it off counterclockwise. Now open the stop and remove the stem and washer assembly, The stop will began to drain. When it has quit draining reassemble the stop and move on to the next one. Do this on each one of your angle stops. There will be six of them in a two bath home. When you are done, close off the faucets you have opened, turn on the water to the house, and give yourself a pat on the back.
You have just recharged your air chambers and saved yourself a hefty service call bill. Hope this helps you out and thank you for rating my reply. TOM

Mark,

The noise can occur at ANY time - there simply is no rhyme or reason to this!

Thanks!

Rhonda

Tom,

The noise doesn't occur when we shut off the water, it occurs ALL the time! Is this information (RE: recharging the air chambers) still relevant and something we should do?

Thanks!

Rhonda

OK Rhonda,

Are you saying that no water is being run or nothing is being flushed or drained and you still get the noise? Something has to be moving to make noise. I can only assume that in your case it's water. Sooo,
Let's start with the chrome angle stop. When the noise starts will turning the angle stop clockwise can you stop or reduce the sound? Let me know, Tom

Hi Tom,

Thanks for the reply; my husband will read this and address the issue this evening and I will keep you informed.

For what it's worth; the noise occurs even when all water has been shut off to the house.


--Rhonda

Hi Rhonda...

Bear with us, OK... gonna take some time to figure this one out... ;)

When you say the noise happens when the main water is shut off have you actually shut the main water supply to the house and opened the faucets to confirm no water and you still have this noise? Let me know...

Answer the above question... also tell me if this is city/town water or are you on a well/pump?

Mark

Do you live near a Border?
If it has any duration to it, you might try opening a faucet while it is happening and see if there is a change?

No, we do not live near a border. We live in the central valley of CA.

Thanks,

Rhonda

Mark,

We're on city water and yes, we have shut off the main water supply to the house and opened a faucet to relieve residual pressure.

Thanks so much!

Rhonda

OK... next step... describe the sound.

Then, have you tried turning off the electricity to your home? If not, unless this is totally nuts because you have heard the sound, I'd recommend shutting off the electric panel and seeing if the sound stops after that...

Another thought, how about your heat/AC system? What kind of system and is it up and running right now? What happens if you shut this system down?

Back to you...

Mark,

I know this sound nuts...

The sound is a very loud rattle - when it happens the intensity can make our heavy dual-pane windows vibrate! You can recreate the sound by holding a large coffee mug over a wooden table and oscilating your hand (as though with a tremor) such that the edges of the cup hit the table randomly.

The sound occurs any time, day or night, in completely random fashion; no pattern that we can discern.

Central heat and air; gas heat - the system is less than 10 years old and seems to function well.

Will try shutting down electricity when my husband returns from work tonight.

Thanks!

Rhonda

Could this be contraction and expansion due to the weather?
Knocking, popping, creaking and crackling pipes are a common complaint, especially in colder weather. I can tell you what's happening and take the mystery out of it but you're not going to like the repair. When a draw is made on a hot water line the line expands against a pipe strap next to a stud and when you drain hot water from your tub or shower it goes into a chase that is a little cooler then room temperature. The heat expands the pipe causing it to rub against the stud to which it is pipe strapped. This is the sound you hear. As it cools it contracts and the noise is heard again. To repair it you must tear open the walls and locate the pipe strap that's causing the problem and shim it tight. Good luck and thank you for rating my answer. Tom

Tom,

You said: "To repair it you must tear open the walls and locate the pipe strap that's causing the problem and shim it tight."

Where would we begin? We can hear the sound everywhere in our home so I wouldn't even know which wall to *tear open* first...

We also have pipes under the house, which would certainly be easier to gain access to, is it possible the problem could lie in one of those pipes?

Thanks!

Rhonda