[modamom66]

I can be anywhere in the house and hear a drip with an echo-tone to it. It's fairly rhythmic - it drips maybe every 15 minutes. The hot water heater floor is dry, the toilets and sinks aren't leaking. Any ideas?

[massplumber2008]

Hi Modamom...

I can't be sure, of course, but these kinds of sounds are usually related more so to expansion and contraction of a hot/cold water pipe than an actual drip. Here, when the hot/cold water enters into the water pipe the pipe will expand and it can sound like a dripping pipe with an echo effect... continues when the pipe contracts as well. This is usually due to a water pipe being hung so tightly that it has trouble expanding/contracting and you end up with all kinds of different sounds... ;) My guess here is that in your case, this limited expansion/contraction shows up as a dripping sound.

You will, of course, want to continue to monitor the situation, but I'm betting this is the case for you.

Please let us know if you would like to discuss this more.. OK?

Mark

[ballengerb1]

I agree but to test close your main and open the lowest facuet in the house. With most of the water drained and no pressure does the sound stop immedaitely?

[modamom66]

Hi Modamom...

I can't be sure, of course, but these kinds of sounds are usually related moreso to expansion and contraction of a hot/cold water pipe than an actual drip. Here, when the hot/cold water enters into the water pipe the pipe will expand and it can sound like a dripping pipe with an echo effect...continues when the pipe contracts as well. This is usually due to a water pipe being hung so tightly that it has trouble expanding/contracting and you end up with all kinds of different sounds...;) My guess here is that in your case, this limited expansion/contraction shows up as a dripping sound.

You will, of course, want to continue to monitor the situation, but I'm betting this is the case for you.

Please let us know if you would like to discuss this more..OK?

Mark

Thank you, Mark -
Some quick background info - two homeowners claims within the year for damage from leaks has me very hypersensitive to anything that sounds like a drip!

If it is the expanding/contracting of pipes, it doesn't sound like something I can call a plumber in to check, especially since it doesn't seem to happen all the time (haven't heard the noise in the last day or so).

Fingers crossed your answer is right...

[massplumber2008]

*fingers crossed*... :)