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MasterPlumbers
I hear water dripping behind the wall in my downstairs bathroom. What is strange about this is that the dripping is only heard when I run hot water from my bathroom sink faucet. After a few minutes, I hear the drip. After I turn the hot water off, the dripping sound is heard for about 3 minutes then goes away. The time between drips is around 20 seconds.I know the water feed pipes behind the wall are at ceiling level and come down the wet wall to attach the sink and toilet. So the drip travels around five feet or so before hitting the foundation, which makes the sound. There is no sign of water damage anywhere in the bathroom or outside the house. This dripping problem began about 8 weeks ago. What causes an intermittent leak and should I fix it?
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The water would come from a point after the seat of the hot water faucet; this is near and above the sink so you would be able to feel water somewhere in that area. You see no water anywhere.
You do describe a noise I have heard regularly for 26 years. The vent for my bathroom is plastic. When hot water heats the plastic pipe it expands much more than a metal one would. While expanding, the pipe rubs against wood and bracing making a ticking noise; the noise stops when the pipe cools down again. The noise may be from that; but do check to see if you can actually find water there, it can still be a leak.
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I agree with Harold, the sound you hear dripping could be the penetration of the hot water pipe trough a wood stud or plate. the pipe is rubbing against the wood causing a creeking sound. best thing to do find exactly where the sound is open the wall and put some tar paper around the pipe if possible.
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Hey Kevin, tell how I would personally check for this phantom leak.
Turn on the faucet that makes the “dripping ” sound and shut it off MAKE SURE ALL THE FAUCETS and washing machine, etc. are all off also.
Then stand by your water meter and watch it very carefully.
If indeed there is a very slight leak the water meter will pick it up.
Hey its worth a shot rather then guessing what it could be.
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Make sure you bring a scissor to trim your beard while you wait for one drip every 20 seconds to move your meter.
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Fill a bucket with hot water from a tap elswhere in the house, then pour it down the bowl of the bathroom sink ….. can you hear the sound ??? if yes the waste pipe is expanding and catching on some as the other boys have said, if no, then the the hot water pipe is expanding and catching on something. At least then you know in which direction you need to expose
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quote:
Originally posted by SylvanLMP:
Hey Kevin, tell how I would personally check for this phantom leak.Turn on the faucet that makes the “dripping ” sound and shut it off MAKE SURE ALL THE FAUCETS and washing machine, etc. are all off also.
Then stand by your water meter and watch it very carefully.
If indeed there is a very slight leak the water meter will pick it up.
Hey its worth a shot rather then guessing what it could be.
Get some hair dye to hide up the fact that you have been there for the years it will take to see the meter turn, bring a phone with you to can call for food dilevery also, don’t want to starve to death do you, heaven forbid you kill over at the time the meter does show movement.
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quote:
Originally posted by SylvanLMP:
Hey Kevin, tell how I would personally check for this phantom leak.Turn on the faucet that makes the “dripping ” sound and shut it off MAKE SURE ALL THE FAUCETS and washing machine, etc. are all off also.
Then stand by your water meter and watch it very carefully.
If indeed there is a very slight leak the water meter will pick it up.
Hey its worth a shot rather then guessing what it could be.
Get some hair dye to hide up the fact that you have been there for the years it will take to see the meter turn, bring a phone with you to can call for food dilevery also, don’t want to starve to death do you, heaven forbid you kill over at the time the meter does show movement.
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quote:
Originally posted by SylvanLMP:
Hey Kevin, tell how I would personally check for this phantom leak.Turn on the faucet that makes the “dripping ” sound and shut it off MAKE SURE ALL THE FAUCETS and washing machine, etc. are all off also.
Then stand by your water meter and watch it very carefully.
If indeed there is a very slight leak the water meter will pick it up.
Hey its worth a shot rather then guessing what it could be.
Get some hair dye to hide up the fact that you have been there for the years it will take to see the meter turn, bring a phone with you to can call for food dilevery also, don’t want to starve to death do you, heaven forbid you kill over at the time the meter does show movement.
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Kevinvl:
I think what Sylvan LIMP is trying to say is that you should contact a licensed professional such as himself. That way, he, himself, “would PERSONALLY check for this phantom leak” the way he has suggested. Then, of course, he would bill you for it.
How are ya, Sylvan?
Jack -
PlumberJohn:
3 identical posts???! Damn, you’re annoying. It would not be so bad if (1) you knew how to spell, (2) you knew how to punctuate, (3) you had an original thought, or (4) your attempt at humor was even slightly amusing. But you failed on all four points.
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your not a plumber are you jack-ass
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SOME FOLKS JUST GET OUT OF WHACK,
WHENEVER THEY COME UNDER ATTACK.
SOME THINK IT CRASS,
WHEN CALLED A JACKASS?
JUST ASK PLUMBER JOHN..OR JACK. -
Unfortunately the Moron is on here again posting what he doesn’t know.
A lot of water meters have this little red dial that spins with ANY LOSS of water.
What the idiot who posted didn’t know is a hole 1/64 of an inch losses about 125,000 Gallons per YEAR @ 45 PSI.
As professional Plumbers and Gas fitters we learned to use equipment for our advantage.
The unknowing have no idea that to find out if there is a gas leak we cap all gas outlets and watch the meter. The same holds true with water, Except we only have to shut off the faucets as there are no standing pilots to give a false reading.
Only a true Brain dead person would knock a suggestion without asking HOW it works.
Bungie also had a great suggestion about dumping water down this drain.
If the drain trap is pitched back to much you could hear a dripping sound as the trap weir losses part of its seal as it drips down the drain.
the meter is only one way we use to find out if there is indeed a leak. Good luck
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I once had a sheet metal tech work for me, on one of our first jobs we had a small problem with a septic system, seems that there was disagreement on whom was resposible for the water usage. The tech wanted to run through all the buildings and check the faucets for drips. I told him slow down, lets just spend ten minutes taking some meter readings and return tommorow. This guys eyes lit up, like I was Einstein!Sure it’s easy to talk a lot, but what you say REALLY matters.Post like professionals, not nit wits.
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quote:
Originally posted by PlumerJohn:
your not a plumber are you jack-ass
YOU’RE not an english major, are you PlumberJohn-Jackass?
LOL
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