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    kp2171's Avatar
    kp2171 Posts: 5,318, Reputation: 1612
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    #1

    Feb 18, 2009, 12:32 PM
    Toilet "possessed"... boo!
    So... my betrothed told me one night that our toilet was "haunted"... making "strange sounds"...

    At the same time, id heard, on the other end of the ranch house, a noise that sounded like someone lightly banging a pipe with their finger, for about ten seconds. Not enough time for me to fine the source, but it happened enough to make me wonder what the hell was happening. And when I heard the noise, it would happen several times.

    So... I have a ranch home with a finished basement. The toilet in question is one of two on the main floor.

    What I can describe is this. Occasionally, but not most of the time, one toilet on the main floor, and only this toilet, sounds like it is lightly running... like the reserve isn't quite full and it just needs a little more water to fill... it will do this for a time and then there's a sound suddenly like water might be drawn down into the waste line... almost a sucking sound. The "sucking" sound happens for maybe less than ten seconds. The bowl doesn't empty, but it looks like there some disturbance.

    I put food coloring in the reserve tank just to see if this was getting into the bowl and it was.

    On the other end of the house, in the basement, it sounds as if there might be water "dripping" at the water heater... just the sound of maybe a "drop" now and then... and then, when the "banging" noise id heard when on the first floor hits, it seems to be in the supply lines near or at the water heater.

    So... not sure where to begin.

    Everything is functioning fine. I tried to apply pressure on the first floor toilet.. on the seat, inside the reserve tank... just to see if maybe a seal was off...

    So I don't know if there's something happening at the water heater causing a "vacuum" in the line or whether its at the toilet... the other toilet on the same floor isn't making this noise, so I suspect the toilet.

    Any ideas? Holy water in the bowl to exorcise demons? ;)
    speedball1's Avatar
    speedball1 Posts: 29,301, Reputation: 1939
    Eternal Plumber
     
    #2

    Feb 19, 2009, 06:54 AM
    my betrothed told me one night that our toilet was "haunted"... making "strange sounds".at the same time, id heard, on the other end of the ranch house, a noise that sounded like someone lightly banging a pipe with their finger, for about ten seconds.
    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. Most people when they learn what causes it just elect to live with it. So much for the popping sound,
    I have a ranch home with a finished basement. The toilet in question is one of two on the main floor. What I can describe is this. Occasionally, but not most of the time, one toilet on the main floor, and only this toilet, sounds like it is lightly running... like the reserve isn't quite full and it just needs a little more water to fill... it will do this for a time and then there's a sound suddenly like water might be drawn down into the waste line... almost a sucking sound. The "sucking" sound happens for maybe less than ten seconds. The bowl doesn't empty, but it looks like there some disturbance.
    I put food coloring in the reserve tank just to see if this was getting into the bowl and it was.
    Several things come to mind, Well, three to be exact.
    (1) Run you finger around the seat. There should be no rough spots or nicks. If there are replace the entire flush valve,(seat and overflow tube).
    (2) The flapper chain must have 1/4" of play when the flapper's seated and the tank filled.
    (3) Flappers come with a ring that you slip over the white overflow tube to install on older flush valves,(the seat).
    Newer tanks have small hooks at the base of the white overflow tube for the flapper to hook into. If your tank has those hooks and you didn't cut the ring off on the lines indicated with a pair of scissors and install it correctly it will seep water from the tank into the bowl. One of the above should solve the problem. Oh yes!! The water level in the tank wants to be 3/8 to 1/2" below the over flow tube when the tank's filled
    on the other end of the house, in the basement, it sounds as if there might be water "dripping" at the water heater... just the sound of maybe a "drop" now and then... and then, when the "banging" noise id heard when on the first floor hits, it seems to be in the supply lines near or at the water heater.
    Is this a electric ot gas heater?
    Just one more question. Did you save all these problems to give us all at onetime or this they all happen over night? Just curious! Cheers, Tom
    kp2171's Avatar
    kp2171 Posts: 5,318, Reputation: 1612
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    #3

    Feb 19, 2009, 01:27 PM
    Thanks for the reply tom.

    I didn't "save" these... and they happen all together and all recently started...

    1) the toilet on the main floor (just this one, not the other toilet) suddenly begins to sound like there's just the tiniest amount of water running to it, as if the float wasn't adjusted right and too much water was getting into the tank or the flapper wasn't sitting right. It'll do this "slow leak" sound for a few minutes.

    2a) suddenly, you hear a noise that sounds like... geez... think hannibal lecters fava bean moment in silence of the lambs, just not with the creepiness. The bowl doesn't empty.

    2b) at the same time the toilet makes that noise, the banging, which seems to be at the cold line feed to the gas water heater, happens. The banging lasts as long as the suction sound at the toilet, less than ten seconds.

    3) the whole thing might happen again. And again. And again. Or not at all.

    The toilet is on the complete opposite end of the house from the heater, and honestly, I never knew it was making noise until my wife told me right after id heard the banging sound.

    Its not like it happens much when I'm home. Can't speak for when I'm not. Might go days without hearing it. And, as mentioned, we just realized the two things were happening simultaneously.

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