Toilet Making Noise After Flush? The Various Types and What to Do About It
If your toilet is making strange noises, you may be wondering what is causing it. Toilets can make a variety of different sounds and each one depends on the cause of the noise.
Toilets can make a variety of different sounds depending on the cause of the noise, but the two most common sounds that you will hear from a toilet are from the flush valves and the fill valves, which lead to sounds of running water. Even so, there are many other noises you may hear and, in this article, we will explore the different types of sounds coming from your toilet and what they may mean for you and your situation.
Why Do Toilets Make Noises?
According to Angi.com, there are many reasons why a toilet makes noise and the most common noises you will hear, as stated above, come from the fill valves in the flush valves. If the tank continues to fill up with water, it means that the flush valve, which is also referred to as the flapper, is not keeping its seal on the bottom of the tank.
This issue allows the water to continually drain, which then activates the fill valve to continually refill the tank of the toilet. The noise that you hear is from the fill valve operating and if it is not adjusted correctly, it can very well overfill your toilet tank, which then spills water back into the toilet bowl through the overflow tube.
Read on for more possible noises a toilet makes and what they may mean.
1. Noises From the Fill Valve
If a fill valve is faulty or is improperly adjusted, it becomes the most common source of all toilet noises. The fill valve is basically a device that allows the water to flow into the toilet tank when the float is activated. The float is the air-filled container inside your toilet tank that rises as the tank fills with water, activating the fill valve.
If the fill valve is faulty and allows the tank to overfill, it will cause water to spill into the toilet bowl through the overflow tube and that is why you hear that running water sound. It is imperative to have the water level in your toilet tank set at 1/2 inch to one inch below the top of the overflow tube.
To check to see if your fill valve is operating correctly, simply remove the lid of your toilet tank and watch the tank fill with water. If the water fills the tank to about 1 inch below the top of the overflow tube, then it is set properly and you should not have any more problems.
How to check and fix:
You can also adjust the float that is inside your toilet tank since it has a screw or knob on it that you can turn counterclockwise to lower the water level or clockwise to raise the water level. If you have an older style float, it will be a rubber-filled sack that is connected to the fill valve by a rod made of metal that is called the float arm. To adjust the arm, you will bend it upwards to raise the water level and bend it downwards to lower the level of water.
If the fill valve activates but you are still having an issue, it could be due to a hairline crack in the fill valve that is causing a leak. This means that the tank will lose water, which will then activate the fill valve and cause a toilet noise. The noise of the fill valve activating is going to be louder than if the tank is overfilling. So basically, if you have ruled out that the problem is not the flapper valve, then it may very well be due to a crack in the fill valve and you will simply need to replace it.
If you are hearing a high-pitched squealing noise from your toilet when you flush it, this can also be due to a defective fill valve. To check this out, flush your toilet then remove the top of the toilet tank lid and press down on the fill valve itself. If the squealing stops, then you will know the problem is definitely the fill valve and you need to replace it.
2. The Flush Valve Noise
The flush valve, which is also known as the flapper valve, is basically a seal that is flexible and it is located on the bottom of your toilet tank to prevent water from entering into the toilet bowl.
When you flush your toilet, it raises the flush valve so that water can flow into the toilet bowl from the tank. If the flush valve is not working properly, it can allow the tank to drain, which will then activate the fill valve and cause a gurgling sound. This sound is caused by the toilet bowl filling up with water very slowly from the leaky flapper valve.
To attempt to see if this is the problem, you should look for ripples in the water of your toilet bowl.
How to Diagnose
To inspect the flush valve of your toilet, you should see if it feels hard and inflexible because if it does, it means your flesh valve is old, outdated, it needs to be replaced. If any damage has occurred along the edges of the flush valve, it can also allow water to get through. You could also check to see if the flush valve is dirty or corroded at its opening area which resembles a ring, since it will allow water to drain into your toilet bowl also.
You can diagnose a problem with the flush valve by sticking your hand in the toilet tank and pressing down on the flush valve. When you press down on the flush valve, check to see if there are ripples in your toilet bowl because if there are, it means the problem has been verified that it is the flush valve that is not sealing correctly.
Be careful
On your flash valve, there is a chain that connects the flush valve to the handle that you flush your toilet with. If that chain is pulled too tightly, it can prevent the flush valve from closing completely. There needs to be some amount of slack in this chain so that the flush valve closes properly without allowing water to leak through.
You need to be careful, though, not to create too much slack in the chain, because when you flush the toilet, not all of the water in the tank will drain which will give you a very poor flush.
Is It the Drain Pipe?
If you are hearing a gurgling sound when you flush your toilet, it could be from a drain that is partially clogged. You can use a toilet plunger to resolve this issue, but if that does not work, it may be time to call in a certified plumber. Just check, first, that the sound is not coming from the toilet tank itself.
Water Valve Vibrations
When you flush your toilet, if there is a loud vibration sound, it could be coming from the shut-off valve that is next to your toilet down by your floor. There could be an air bubble that is trapped inside of that shut-off valve which will then cause a quick and loud vibration sound to occur.
The best way to remove an air bubble from the shut-off valve is to close off the water valve and then reopen it. If you can still hear the loud vibration sound, you may need to shut off the water to your entire house or building, drain all of your water fixtures, then turn the water back on. if you are unable to remove the air bubble, it is time to call in a qualified plumbing service because you may need to have a new shut-off valve installed professionally.
The Water Hammer
If you hear a loud banging sound after you flush your toilet, it may very well be the water hammer. This is almost definitely the case if you hear the water hammer sound coming from your pipes and not your toilet or the water valve.
Basically, a water hammer is a type of hydraulic shock that can form when there is a rapid deceleration or acceleration of water. When you flush your toilet, it causes water to surge through the pipes and into the toilet, then suddenly stops when it is filled to its limit.
Due to the way your pipes are made, the sudden stop or the changing of direction of the water can cause a water hammer which basically begins to rapidly vibrate or even shakes the plumbing pipes to your toilet. The easiest way to fix a water hammer is to install what is referred to as a water hammer arrestor behind your toilet or somewhere else in your bathroom.
This water hammer arrestor is a very short section of pipe that will allow the water to escape and relieve the pressure that can build up, causing a loud banging noise.
Creepy Ghost Flushing
If your toilet suddenly begins flushing on its own, it can be super creepy and very unsettling. The worst part is that you usually notice this in the middle of the night since it is obvious that no one is using the bathroom at that moment.
So while you may think you have a ghost in your house, it is more than likely the fact that the water in your toilet tank is slowly leaking out, possibly through a faulty flapper. When this happens, the float in your toilet gets below a certain level so the water switches on, and then the toilet flushes on its own, hence creeping you out and making you feel like you live with a ghost.
According to e-How.com, to determine if the flapper is really the issue, you can put some food dye in your toilet tank. Wait for about half an hour and then check to see if any of the food coloring has made its way into your toilet bowl.
If so, you will now be able to see your ghost up close and personal and it will mean that you need to replace the flapper of your toilet which is a quick and easy fix that will not break the bank.
The Hissing Sound is Not a Snake
A hissing sound is another very common noise that can be coming from your toilet and it is not caused by a snake but rather a deteriorating or dilapidated flapper in your toilet tank. It can also be caused by water that is draining into the overflow tube. When your toilet tank fills to its correct level, the fill valve or toilet ballcock will stop it from running.
If either one of those mechanisms is not adjusted to the correct level, it will allow water to fill into the overflow valve. You should make sure the fill valve or toilet ballcock are set to a proper level that is below the overflow valve and the hissing sound should go away.
Now you have the information you need to assess the situation when you hear strange or alarming noises coming from your toilet. Most of these can be handled as a do-it-yourself-project, but some may require you to call in a professional plumbing service, depending on your knowledge about plumbing.
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