Hello. I'm living in a 2 story house with 1 bathroom on the 2nd floor and one in the basement. We keep getting these increasingly loud pulsating sound throughout the main water pipes. It lasts about 10-15 seconds and happens inconsistantly about every 20 minutes. One of the effects that it has is that it forces air bubbles up through the toilet tank in the 2nd floor bathroom. It also makes the water pressure in the shower pulse while this is going on.

Can anyone give me some troubleshooting tips to help figure this issue out?

Thanks in advance,
-Jack

Jack, Are you on a pump or city water? Cheers, Tom

I am on city plumbing.

I fixed the thrusting problem. There was a filler system in the upstairs toilet tank that looked like this:

http://www.olfactoryhues.com/temp/old.gif

I replaced it with one that looks like this:

http://www.olfactoryhues.com/temp/new.jpg


What exactly that old one was doing that would cause such a ruckus through the house, I have no clue. There is a new noise now in the upstairs toilet, a whoooshing sound that lasts 1-3 seconds that happens about every 5-10 minutes. It's as if water is slowly leaking through the flapper, eventually causing the valve to open and let a very tiny amount of replacement water to come in. I can't hear any kind of leak or tickle coming from the toilet between 'whoooshes' that would indicate a defective flapper. I guess I'll replace it anyway and see if that fixes the problem.

Did you adjust the new ballcock correctly?

The water level in the tank should be about an inch below the overflow tube of the Douglas valve.

Well, I adjusted the ballcock to the highest point (allowing highest possible water level) when I first installed it and it's still 2-2.5 inches below the top of the overflow tube. Do I need to purchase a 'taller' fill value?

Well, i adjusted the ballcock to the highest point (allowing highest possible water level) when i first installed it and it's still 2-2.5 inches below the top of the overflow tube. Do i need to purchase a 'taller' fill value?

No, I'd look elsewhere.

Is water leaking past the flapper valve, causing the ballcock to cycle?

As for the pulsating sound -- This is usually indicative of a worn washer vibrating against the seat -- Usually in a fixture shut-off valve.

I can't hear water leaking through the flapper. I sat there and watched it last night and I can't see the water level change or the ballcock dropping between cycles. One interesting effect I did notice is that air bubbles shoot out of he bottom of the ballcock stem when the water turns on. Is it possible air is getting in the line and filtering up? Could having a build-up of air inside the stem cause the valve to open? Then again, there is no sound of sputtering air coming out with the water when the valve is turned on...

Thanks for your time!
-Scott

Well, i adjusted the ballcock to the highest point (allowing highest possible water level) when i first installed it and it's still 2-2.5 inches below the top of the overflow tube. Do i need to purchase a 'taller' fill value?

2 to 2 1/2" below the white overflow tube won't give you the volume needed for a good flush. If you can't adjust the FluidMaster ballcock any higher then I would opt for a new ballcock. Let us know. Regards, Tom