GROANING PIPES WHEN LOO FLUSHED

by **HELPMEPLEASE** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 6:03 pm

Hi there - newby lady here with groaning pipes! I have tried the suspended yoghurt carton as per the 'noisy pipes' instruction but my cistern is so small it doesn't look like the picture! Although I have managed to suspend said carton it hasn't made a difference. It's when I flush to loo it makes the noise and from looking in the cistern it is when the arm goes down that the noise starts
Any other DIY suggestions please or is my only hope to save up and :( get a man in?

by **plumbon** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 5:07 pm

A more adaptable option to a yogurt carton: Fill a small plastic sandwich bag with water and tie the neck so that little or no air is entrapped. Suspend this from the ball-cock arm with a non-rot non-rust 'string' so that it is fully submerged in the water. As the bag is almost weightless in water a few strands of nylon thread should fill the bill. Though weightless it still provides sufficient drag to dampen any flutter of the valve action. I know of one situation where this has served for some thirty years. As it is weightless it should be more effective nearer the flotation ball where there is more movement yet not affecting the boyancy . Of course if the diagnosis was wrong in the first place this is not going to help. Is the vibration arising in the feed pipe? Has air got into that part of the system?

by **Bay Plumbing** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 6:54 pm

Could be one of two things Help,
the washer in the float valve has gone or the white or red(depending on if your cistern is fed from a tank inthe loft it will be red,white if off the mains cold water,to check turn off the stop tap,if water stops when you flush the chain then it should be white) flow restrictor has worn out or got grit through it and has scored it,any DIY store or merchant will be able to help you out.

Let me know,

Mark

by **plumbon** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 10:13 pm

Sorry, forget all I said. I was talking about a cold water storage tank. It wouldn't start complaining immediately the toilet was flushed. Hope my 'solution ' is helpful elsewhere.

by **HELPMEPLEASE** » Thu Nov 01, 2007 7:29 pm

Hi there and thanks to you both - please bear with me! I've checked and there's no red anything in the cistern. I have a storage tank in the loft - how do I know what type it is - could it be a cold water storage tank?! I never knew there was so much to a loo... :oops:

by **muttley** » Fri Nov 02, 2007 7:38 am

if your cistern is the two button flush type it may be the syphon making the noise when you flush.It mite be the rush of water passing sealing washer at the bottom of the syphon,this could the problem.