Any plumbers out there?

[Marty73]

Got a question for any plumbers out there

Whenever I run water in the house, the bathroom pipes vibrate very loudly. Sounds like it is coming from directly behind the master bath toilet. This has slowly gotten worse over the last 6 years and now is too annoying not to be fixed!

Questions - I realize I have to open the wall and anchor the pipes but... On a slab built home - do the pipe run up through the wall or down into the concrete pad? I want to cut as small a hole in the drywall as possible

I have to remove the toilet to get ot the wall - are the two covered bolts the only thing that holds those down?

   Thanks to whomever helps!

[FY1Cuda]

Plumbers usually put in a few "air chambers" which are vertical, capped pipes on the water lines above faucets.  they're usually around a foot tall.  When the pipes are filled with water, these dead-end pipes have a pocket of air in them that acts like a shock absorber for the water pressure changes.
Since you don't want to break up the wall, you might try turning off the water to the house, draining the lines, and then refilling them hopefully to refresh any air pockets that might have dissapated over time.

[dutch]

do you have the problem when you use water from any tap?  I had the same problem and it turned out to be a bad tap.  I only had the problem using that one tap though.  Replace it & done.

[whitesatinmopar]

do you have the problem when you use water from any tap?  I had the same problem and it turned out to be a bad tap.  I only had the problem using that one tap though.  Replace it & done.

I'm not a "professional" plumber but have done a few repairs and remodels. Dutch just may have touched on your problem. Depending on the style of faucet valve, there is a small screw under the plastic cover, if that screw has backed out for what ever reason it will indeed cause a vibration when you turn it on. It sure would be something to consider before tearing anything up.    Usually though this noise if caused by this problem will only vibrate at a certain water flow through the line, less or more water flo should stop the noise. And if your water has been off this also may have allowed an air pocket to build up, but sounds like your problem has developed and become worse over time.?

[dutch]

limescale?   

[burdar]

I had that happen to my half bath toilet.  I had the toilet out for about a week while doing a cheap bath remodel.  When I put the toilet back it, the pipes rattled really bad right before the bowl was completely filled.  I replaced the internal mechanism in the toilet and the problem went away.  I assume that a seal dried out durring the week the toilet was dry and didn't allow the valve to close smoothly.

I have those large expansion pipes under my sinks but thought they were to protect the pipes from breaking if they froze.  I was planning on removing the ones under my kitchen sink but may re-think that idea if they are to surpress vibrations.

[72cudamaan]

Those " expansion pipes " are anti-hammer pipes. They absorb the air pocket pounding pressure. You don't want to remove those. As a matter of fact, they are code in some area's

[4Cruizn]

How old is your home?   

[burdar]

I had never seen those expansion pipes before.  My house was built in 93 and is modular.  I thought they were installed because not every modular home is installed over a basement.  Mine is so I thought I could do without them.  I guess not.  Both the home I grew up in and my parents current home don't use them.

[vinb]

I had the same problem when I used my dishwasher..
Go to your local hardware, Home Depot , Lowes etc. and sweat in a Line Arrestor.
You have a air pocket and this acts like a shock absorber..

Install it as close to the source as possible, you need to sweat it in....

[Marty73]

Thanks guys - lot's of responses

Pipe vibrate no matter which faucet you use. I can run the kitchen faucet and the pipe in the bathroom vibrates

How was built in 2001 - when the noise is vibrating, I can hold the pipes under the sink and feel them vibrating. But the worst vibration sound is definately coming from the wall behind the toilet

[Aussie Challenger]

Here in Australia you used to be able to buy a fitting that went on a tap, usually outside and it would stop the "pipe hammer". When I built my current house I paid extra to get a special rubber/synthetic pipes installed.   

[Marty73]

Last night I turned down the feed to the toilet and the vibration is a lot better - not nearly as loud or as frequent. I'm thinking if I do the same thing at the sink I might have this licked without having to cut holes in my wall!

[tactransman]

http://www.builderswebsource.com/techbriefs/waterhammer.htm   

[Pistol Gripper]

So,

If I'm intrepreting this right, there MAY already be shock dampening pipes installed that have become waterlogged.  Draining the system at it's lowest point and then re-pressurizing might work.  At worst you've wasted some time & water.

P.G.