Mains Water Pipe Noise - ONLY At Night

[Cpplumber]

A complete stab in the dark, but I had this scenario recently...

Just check you don't have a fast drip/slow trickle on a tap when the noise is occurring. I had a customer who had the same problem and I found a 1/4 turn lever tap had a very loose gland. This was allowing the tap to open the slightest amount creating the same noise you describe when the pressure increased during low demand times.

I appreciate this is an unlikely scenario but considering all the excellent suggestions you've had, this was something just worth checking.

Carl

 

[Tidesy]

Look at Toolstation 93058 for a shock arrestor, or 64117 for an appliance one.
Do you think there's a chance of the problem being the jumper within the stopcock all along? Its also worth checking that its been fitted the right way round.....
John

Hi John,

In latest news...a make-shift arrestor has been fitted in the loft next to the water tank. Last night the noise was again occuring, louder than the last few nights (because I turned the pressure up on the PRV). I let some air out of the arrestor but this only reduced the sound and did not clear it. The noise started at midnight and finished at around 6am.

I had a broken stopcock before, when the noise was first heard. I had it completely replaced and it still makes the same sound, I'm beginning to think air is stuck in the system, as we have now had a new ballcock, stopcock, PRV and arrestor and the same noise remains, despite the heating/water being off, the tank full and the toilets not being used. What do you think?

 

[Tidesy]

A complete stab in the dark, but I had this scenario recently...

Just check you don't have a fast drip/slow trickle on a tap when the noise is occurring. I had a customer who had the same problem and I found a 1/4 turn lever tap had a very loose gland. This was allowing the tap to open the slightest amount creating the same noise you describe when the pressure increased during low demand times.

I appreciate this is an unlikely scenario but considering all the excellent suggestions you've had, this was something just worth checking.

Carl

Hi Carl,

No there is no slow drip/trickle from any of the taps. Last night we drained the system as well, and nothing is improving the situation. Could it be air in the system?

 

[rich6920s]

I have for the last week experienced a "ding ding ding ding ding" noise somewhere in my mains pipes which occours randomly although mainly around 5am and gets worse until 8 am then continues randomly. It does not happen with the mains tap turned nearly off but pressure is too low so has to be opened up again. Have bled system and no luck, have replaced the hp cistern valves in the two tanks in the loft but no luck. When i tap the ball on the valve of central heating tank in loft it makes the noise. I turned the toilet and bathroom sink isolator valves off and am sure it still makes the same noise but could not be sure as there were noises outside so could not hear clearly. It is really bugging me now! It started around the time there were some roadworks a couple of miles away, when my bottom fill toilet cistern got knocked and when several houses in our street all had their boilers replaced. Im sure it is getting slightly worse?

 

[Noisypipes1234]

Hi,

I need help with a problem that's been causing me sleepless nights for weeks! It's driving me mad.

Around 1am each morning, the mains water supply pipe to the house starts vibrating causing lots of noise (sounds like the noise is coming from far away, then reaches a peak and stops for a few seconds, this repeats over and over). The noise stops around 5:30am-6am. We believe it has something to do with higher water pressure overnight. The heating and water are both OFF all night, and go off at 8pm approx at the moment. We live in a semi-detached house and our neighbours claim not to hear the noise in their house.

We have tried the following which does NOT seem to help in any way...

Turning taps on (nothing)
Flushing the toilet (nothing)
Replaced the ball cock in loft water tank (nothing)
Replaced stopcock in kitchen cupboard (nothing)
Turning the stopcock outside down (this reduces water and flow and lessens the noise but does not get rid of the problem totally)
Turning the stopcock inside down (this doesn't really do anything at all unless it is turned completely off and then there is no noise/vibration).
Draining the water tank (nothing)

It is making sleeping very very difficult, can anyone help??? All ideas welcome. I have considered an "Arrestor" or "Pressure Reducing Valve", would that help? Our regular plumber (someone we know and trust) is completely stumped by it. It has only started recently (maybe after we had a leak fixed and a tap replaced?) and we have lived in the house many years.

Did you ever get to the bottom of this? We have the exact same thing!

 

[bernardgreen]

If the vibtation is comming from a ball valve then this might solve the problem

Vibrations through house linked to feed and expansion tanks float valve

Hi all, Apologies for the lack of knowledge here, but I will try and progress with what the internet has taught me so far. We bought our first house exactly a year ago, and all has been fine with the boiler and hot water system though the initial survey advised that the boiler was 20 years old...

www.diynot.com

 

[Agile]

A worn/loose ball valve can produce a "rumble" or "snorting" noise as it is almost turning off. But only for a short while until the level increases and it turns fully off.

But this could be almost continuous if you had a leak anywhere supplied by the tank!

 

[mcmoby69]

Turn your stop tap off before you go to bed, if the noise still occurs it's vibration on the water main, shared supply maybe? Neighbours might be heavy sleepers or deaf.
Change toilet ballvalve washer, they harden over time.
Change loft tank ballvalve(s)
Operate kitchen tap and basin tap when the noise occurs, if it stops when operated tap cartridge is faulty. Normally monobloc lever types.