Noise from water through pipes - nothing running

[y_p_w]

Not sure what's happening here. There are certain areas of my home where I can definitely hear where water is running through the pipes, especially if our washing machine is using water. It's more or less a continuous noise when there is water flowing. I couldn't figure out what was causing it since nothing was running. I checked our toilets, water heater, washing machine, and all faucets. Also all the outside faucets. Just in case I shut off the water heater and the gas to the gas dryer.

I haven't touched the main plumbing in a while and got into the crawl space until I remember that the main water shutoff was outside. I shut it off but was still hearing the sound. So I opened one of the faucets, the water came out at a trickle, and the noise went away. I shut off the faucet and the noice came back. So it is the water and not gas.

I was just worried that something was using lots of water, but I don't think that's happening. At this point it's just annoying. Any ideas?

 

[Delta]

Think you're just hearing the harmonics in the pipes when something is running. I have old thin copper piping in my house and when anything is using water you can hear it going through the whole house. Sometimes you think there's a break in the line it's so loud. It's eventually getting replumbed, whoever thought to run type M was definitely a cheapskate.

EDIT: just re-read the post. You might need to check your water meter when everything is off. If you're hearing noises with everything shut off then you got something going on.

 

[JLTD]

Got an icemaker?

 

[y_p_w]

Originally Posted by JLTD
Got an icemaker?

No. I do have a leaky water heater (going to get it replaced) and our washer has this problem where it's filling with water slowly when it should be shut off. But I shut off the washing machine when not using it. And the sound is still happening even after I shut off the mains. And then it goes away when I open any faucet.

As for the other suggestions, I did go outside and check the meter. There was a nice layer of dirt on the dial (on a Neptune meter), but I guess they typically dust it off when a reader comes by to check. I didn't hear any noise going through it, but of course it's surrounded by dirt.

 

[spackard]

Use the numbers on your water main, do a 24 hour run w/o using any water, see if the numbers incremented.

 

[doitmyself]

Do you have a hot water recirculation system that gets hot water to your faucets instantaneously? https://www.pmmag.com/articles/101559-what-you-need-to-know-about-hot-water-recirculation

 

[Snagglefoot]

Do you have a water softener, or a reverse osmosis water filter? The water softener will use water when regenerating and the RO uses water when filtering water to a tank.

 

[Snagglefoot]

Originally Posted by y_p_w
Originally Posted by JLTD
Got an icemaker?

No. I do have a leaky water heater (going to get it replaced) and our washer has this problem where it's filling with water slowly when it should be shut off. But I shut off the washing machine when not using it. And the sound is still happening even after I shut off the mains. And then it goes away when I open any faucet.

As for the other suggestions, I did go outside and check the meter. There was a nice layer of dirt on the dial (on a Neptune meter), but I guess they typically dust it off when a reader comes by to check. I didn't hear any noise going through it, but of course it's surrounded by dirt.


You may have a small leak somewhere. It sounds logical that when you open the faucet with the main closed you are relieving the pressure and the sound stops.

 

[Snagglefoot]

Originally Posted by Snagglefoot
Originally Posted by y_p_w
Originally Posted by JLTD
Got an icemaker?

No. I do have a leaky water heater (going to get it replaced) and our washer has this problem where it's filling with water slowly when it should be shut off. But I shut off the washing machine when not using it. And the sound is still happening even after I shut off the mains. And then it goes away when I open any faucet.

As for the other suggestions, I did go outside and check the meter. There was a nice layer of dirt on the dial (on a Neptune meter), but I guess they typically dust it off when a reader comes by to check. I didn't hear any noise going through it, but of course it's surrounded by dirt.


You may have a small leak somewhere. It sounds logical that when you open the faucet with the main closed you are relieving the pressure and the sound stops. I'd take the lids off the toilets and have a closer look, especially there the hose is clipped to the overflow tube.

 

[Trav]

Originally Posted by y_p_w

I do have a leaky water heater


Just shut that water off that is going into the water heater for a short time and see it it stops. Bet it does.

 

[Drosselmier]

Close the main valve. Wait 1/2 hr then turn on. Have someone stand in the bathroom and listen if the toilet refills. If so, the flapper valve is leaking.
That is how I found a leak.
Good luck.

 

[Rand]

turn off main valve.. wait 30min see if there is still pressure at the sink.. if so there is no leak.

 

[Danno]

Long shot, if your P traps dry out due to not being used, you will here noise from the sewers through them and also have sewer gasses let into the house.

 

[oilpsi2high]

My pipes do this if they get air in them.

 

[y_p_w]

I shut off the main source and then turned it back on. Don't hear any noise any more, although I can't be sure why that's the case.

Also we've got a separate tub and shower. We don't really use the tub any more because the tub's faucet used to leak like crazy, and would vary depending on how it was shut off. Once I got it shut off without it leaking a drop, we stopped using it. But as a result there's rarely any water going through the tub's drain.