AllExperts > Plumbing in the Home 
Search      
Plumbing in the Home
Volunteer
Answers to thousands of questions
 Home · More Plumbing in the Home Questions · Answer Library  · Encyclopedia ·
More Plumbing in the Home Answers
Question Library

Ask a question about Plumbing in the Home
Volunteer
Experts of the Month
Expert Login

Awards

About Us
Tell friends
Link to Us
Disclaimer

 
 
 
 
About Cortez (cort) Cate
Expertise
I can answer most questions related to residential and commercial plumbing for buildings up to ten-stories in height. I have excellent knowledge of the UPC, Uniform Plumbing Code and UMC, Uniform Mechanical Code. In the event there is a question I am not sure of I will at least let you know what I think and try to give you realistic options. Some problems are unique and may not have a simple answer. In those cases I will try to give you all the variables I know of.

Experience
Since 1972 a California licensed B-1 General Building Contractor, C-36 Plumbing and C-16 Fire Sprinkler Contractor; also installing and servicing Heating, Air Conditioning and Sheet Metal operating as C and C Building and Plumbing, California State License 279516. In 1995 I downsized the company to become semi-retired. Still I remain active in the construction industry. As head of a company I placed personnel and job safety as the number one objective followed closely by training and continuing education. Always seeking to stay informed of leading edge technology in the industry. Also I have spent several years as an Apprenticeship Instructor in the Pipe Trades Unions. Additionally I am a certified OSHA instructor.
 
   

You are here:  Experts > Home/Garden > Home Improvement/Repair > Plumbing in the Home > Sound of running water

Plumbing in the Home - Sound of running water


Expert: Cortez (cort) Cate - 1/17/2006

Question
We live in Justin, Texas. It is in North Central Texas, close to Dallas. We are on a well and have a septic tank with lateral lines. We have a gas water heater, a sprinkler system.  Our problem is that we hear water running in the house where there is plumbing. We have turned the water off where we can and still hear it. We have checked all of the obvious places for a leak. We have turned the water heater off and still the sound. Please help.

Answer
Hi Cathy,

Just have to get systematic on this one and trace it out. We can allude to the old saying that if it looks like a duck and walks like a duck and quacks like a duck then most likely it is a duck. You hear what sounds like a leak so we have to assume you have a leak.

In my experience the culprit is usually a water closet ball-cock or tank fill mechanism. That is probably wishful thinking for your situation since I am sure you have already investigated the toilet tank(s). If by some chance you have not then by all means check them…What usually happens is that you will see water running or trickling inside the bowl. It can be very slight. If this happens then water is of course leaking out of the tank through the flapper and flush valve. When enough water leaks the ball-cock will reactivate and refill the toilet tank thus the sound of water running when no one has used the system. Now in the case of the FluidMaster ball cock or tank fill assembly (ball-cock is not a good name for the FluidMaster because it does not use a ball but the float rides around the upright fill mechanism; there is a common problem when the relief line (a little ¼ inch tube that comes off the top of the fill valve and dumps into the flush valve stand pipe [a ¾ - 1” tube that this ¼ tube is supposed to attach to] is just stuck down in the stand pipe. That is a no no. The ¼ inch tube must have an air-gap where it dumps into the standpipe, It (the tube) cannot be immersed in water inside the standpipe or the tank itself for that matter. In the case of the FluidMaster it will siphon water out of the tank into the toilet bowl and the valve will come on mysteriously when the water level in the tank is reduced enough to activate the fill valve. I hope this all makes sense to you but the directions on installing a fluidmaster are included with the valve.

It was strictly speculation what I have given you above and I usually will not take the time to do that without evidence that it may be relevant to your problem. If that is not the problem then you have to determine how much water you are loosing and when. The well pump is a telltale and if it is coming on often when you are not using water you can get some idea of how much is leaking.

I would buy a stethoscope at Wall-Greens or WalMart and start tracing the noise from the well forward. Find the first place you hear it and you are on the track to finding the problem.

Good luck,

cort


Add to this Answer   Ask a Question


 
User Agreement | Privacy Policy | Kids' Privacy Policy | Help
Copyright  © 2008 About, Inc. AllExperts, AllExperts.com, and About.com are registered trademarks of About, Inc. All rights reserved.