Plumbing Drain Noise FAQs

Frequent questions & replies on plumbing drain sounds

Bubbling Drain Noise FAQs

Bubbling & bubbling noises at basement floor drain

My house is about 40 years old, and we did remodeling 3 years ago. Starting last week, I noticed a bubbling noise lasting a few seconds from the basement floor drain. This noise happens every minute or so without obvious reasons, even when no water in use. All draining of fixtures seem to be working fine, no slowness or noise. No gas odors smelled. Do you have any idea what might cause the noise and how to fix it? - Peter in Toronto

Reply:

Bubbling in a basement floor drain might be a slow building drain that is backing up; even if you haven't just run a plumbing fixture,

if, for example, you flushed a toilet earlier and all of that wastewater emptied just fine, but really just ran into a larger-diameter sewer pipe under or outside or still near the building, where then it ran into a partial blockage, what would happen is that the wastewater would drain past that blockage slowly, causing gurgling or bubbling sounds.

When the noise seems to have stopped, go flush a toilet and wait a few minutes to see if you hear the sound beginning anew. If so we may be on to the right diagnostic.

Grinding Noises at Drains, FAQs

Grinding sound when new dishwasher drains

We just had new under mount sink installed In the kitchen that required old pipe and p-trap to be replaced with shorter pipe, and dishwasher drain to be reinstalled to new dishwasher nipple.

Prior to the new install, we had no problem and no noise.

Since the install we have grinding sound when dishwasher drains and when full kitchen sink drains.

We do not have noise for water running or low drainage flows. I have checked the dishwasher filter, etc and no issues there.

The noise seems to be coming from the pipes and up the drains. - On 2021-04-06 by Ed Jules -

Reply by (mod) - failing dishwasher pump or clogged dishwasher drain

@Ed Jules, I think I would look first for a crimp or bend in the dishwasher drain in its route in between the dishwasher and the new connection at the dishwasher nipple or tee at the sink drain tailpiece.

Also double check that nothing has fallen down into the bottom of the dishwasher where it's obstructing either the rotating bottom water arm or the pump itself.

Less likely, since your dishwasher is new, would be a bad or failing dishwasher drain pump motor bearing.

Gulping or Gurgling Plumbing Drain Noise FAQs

Glug glug while draining solved by snaking the drain

My kitchen sink drain seems connected to the laundry drainG

When dishwasher, kitchen sink or laundry is in use it sounds like glug glug while draining.. sound changes after use..

It seems like air is coming out from laundry drain every 5 seconds. I used drain cleaning liquid and Almost 3 bottles have finished (3 littlers of cleaning liquid ), but still the same problem is there. What it could be? On 2018-12-21 by Betty -

Reply by (mod) -

That indeed sounds as if the drain line is partly clogged.

Liquid drain cleaner, when it works, is a blessing. But drain cleaners can't handle all possible clog situations such as physical clogs, broken pipes, soil or root invasion.

It's time to hire a plumber to try a mechanical drain snake. An expert can tell by feel if the snake is encountering broken pipes or other obstructions, and can if necessary recommend scoping the drains with a sewer camera.

Let me know what you find.

Followup by Betty - a plumbing snake fixed the drain glug glug sound

thanks a lot.. problem got solved with snake only..

Why are our laundry room drains gurgling when it rains?

We are hearing a gurgling sound In our laundry room when we have a lot of rain. It’s never happened before and we are wondering what it is.

The outside drains and gutter are all clear and running. On 2020-01-02 by Maggie -

Reply by (mod)

Maggie

I suspect that your drainfield or septic tank are flooding - signs of failure, but we need to look more-carefully:

See the diagnostic steps and cures at GURGLING DRAINS

Why do Our Drains Gurgle When the Heat Pump Switches to Cooling Mode?

When we switch our water source heat pump from heat to cool, the bathtub drains periodically make, loud, gurgling sounds.

What is the cause and how do we cure this problem ? We are on well water & we do have a septic system. - G.B.

Reply: Check that Heat Pump Condensate Drain First

A competent onsite inspection by a plumbing or HVAC expert usually finds additional clues that help accurately diagnose a drain gurgling noise and heat pump problem. That said, here are some things to consider:

I am just speculating wildly, but a plausible explanation is that the heat pump condensate line may be draining into a pipe that is transmitting noise back to your tubs. If you're sure it's gurgling and not a vibration from something mechanical, that's my first guess.

More obscure: if the condensate drain (cooling systems produce condensate by taking moisture out of the conditioned house air during the cooling cycle) is not properly piped, a fan coming on could cause a vacuum or backdraft up the condensate drain line that might also make noise - but I'd think you'd hear that in either heating or cooling mode, while in contrast, your heat pump would only be producing indoor condensate in the air handler when it is in cooling mode.

Gulping sound when the tub drains

I'm newly in an older single-story house and occasionally get sewer gasses near the main bathroom. I can occasionally hear a gulping sound when the tub drains, but nothing noteworthy from the sink or toilet.

Inspecting beneath the tub (thanks to a hole around the plumbing in the wall below the kitchen sink) I can see that the tub drain drops straight into the concrete slab, so any p-trap is in or below the slab.

That said, I can't see any vertical pipes leading upward in that area. Could a lack of vent stack be causing the gasses to migrate back into that bathroom? I only see one 4" vent pipe coming out of the roof, but have no idea what it might be connected to. On 2022-10-09 by Josh Allen -

Reply by InspectApedia-911 (mod)

@Josh Allen,

The two common causes of the sound you describe are a partially blocked drain or a vent that is inadequate.

Flush toilet makes a gulp noise at kitchen drain.

When I flush my toilet I hear a gulp from kitchen drain .

Only happens once a day some days doesn’t happen at all .

No other noises from any other drains in whole house . No signs of anything being blocked . Drains draining just great . Weather has been cold . No smells either . Vent blockage ? On 2021-02-09 by Kelly -

Reply by (mod) -

@Kelly, That does sounds like either in adequate venting or a vent blockage or on occasion a partly-blocked main drain.

Bathroom fixtures gurgle and water comes up from them when the washing machine drains

I have a septic system. Pumped a month ago. My tub, bathroom sink gurgle and water comes up them when the washer drains. When the washer is filling with water the toilet water drains down. I replaced the vent under the bathroom sink that water was leaking out of. Help

Also we get fumes in the house. On 2020-11-09 by Shelly -

Reply by (mod) -

@Shelly, @Anonymous,

Watch out: that sounds as if your main building drain is blocked or, as your drains connect to a septic system, the septic system mayt be in failure: a blocked failed drainfield or septic line will cause building drains to back up and wastewater will come out at the lowest fixtures such as a basement or first floor toilet or washing machine drain.

Pumping a septic tank is necessary to protect the drainfield and extend its life, but if there is already a septic failure or a blocked drain, pumping the septic tank will not fix that condition.

If on inspection of the septic tank by a professional you learn that the levels in the septic tank are normal, and that wastewater flowing into the tank sends an like amount into the drainfield, then your description sure sounds as if there is a blockage or partial blockage in your building drain system.

Gulping or “swallowing” sound when water turned on

Trying to figure out why the water line makes a gulping or “swallowing” sound when water turned on. It’s not the drain. I have heard the noise when filling up a pot so the water was not going into drain - On 2021-11-21 by Bob Olson -

Reply by y Inspectapedia Com Moderator

@Bob Olson,

- water velocity
- air in the lines
- supply piping not adequately-supported

are some possibilities

Try closing the main water valve slightly to see if changing the velocity makes a difference.

let me know

Gurgling and drain vent noises

Hello. Please see my attached drawing for details of my situation. We have an old home and over the past year, have been dealing with a lot of gurgling and drain vent noises.

I've ruled out septic tank/line issues through professional pumping/augering. The shower and sink drains all work quickly, but I ruled out partial clogs as well.

I believe our old cast iron vent stack is clogged with debris, perhaps even iron rust buildup. I say that because this spring I ran a garden hose down the stack, per a recommendation. That ended up being a bad idea!

Where the cast iron elbows, it must be rusted out on the bottom side and at a minimum, pinholed. I ended up with water coming down my wall cavity, visible in the basement.

What are your thoughts? I'm hoping to not get incredibly invasive and redo the entire setup, but I realize at least any rusted out/plugged unions need to be addressed, with the subfloor and/or some wall access potentially. - On 2021-06-06 by Aaron

Reply by inspectapedia.com.moderator

@Aaron,

From your description it sure sounds as if you're close to an accurate diagnosis of that gurgling drain problem.

As you found water leaking into the building's basement when you ran water into the drain-waste-vent system, presumably from the roof, it is likely that there's more than a pinhole leak as well as a blockage in the vent line. The leak could be

- at a plumbing connection

- a rusted opening

- a cracked cast iron or even galvanized drain line if over the life of the building a blocked drain also froze

It's possible that insects, rust, debris, damaged piping materials, or something else, possibly right at the point of the water leak, has also blocked the vent line. I've found every imaginable blockage in such piping, even once, a frog.

As you've read on the page above and in this article series, blocked plumbing vents not only cause drain gurgling; a blocked vent also can siphon water from sink, tub, shower traps, venting sewer gases into the building (potentially unsafe as well as nasty),

and

Watch out: while your "old home" may have plaster walls that are a bit less mold-friendly, drywall and even plaster as well as exposed wood surfaces can become mold city if you send water through building walls, ceilings, floors,

and

in an exterior wall, soaking the building insulation also invites both mold and loss of insulating value.

1. I would go to one or two most-suspect areas and make an opening of sufficient size in the wall near ceiling and/or floor to inspect conditions there.

2. You might get temporary relief from drain gurgling by adding vacuum breaker vents at sinks, ( AIR ADMITTANCE VALVES AAVs https://inspectapedia.com/plumbing/Air_Admittance_Studor_Vents.php )

but ultimately it's likely that the damaged DWV piping needs to be exposed and replaced.

I have run vent pipes up the outside of older buildings at which we didn't want to tear open walls, but IMO that's a rather ugly solution and one I prefer to avoid.

The photo is of a more-modern PVC DWV line that that was found to have completely separated in a building wall cavity.

Gurgling noise in first floor drains when second floor sink water is run

I live on first floor of a condo and every time when the second floor releases water from kitchen sink I hear loud girgling and can see water splashing in the drain. what is the cause of this. Second floor installed a back stop on his pipe in case of back up. - On 2020-08-06 by Mary

Reply by (mod) - lower floor drain takes water when upper floor fixtures are drained

@Mary

My GUESS is

you are describing what sounds like one of these problems:

- a partly-blocked building drain that causes water to back-up out of the building drain into your kitchen sink drain line

- the building's drain system is inadequately-vented so upper floor drain use is drawing air through your kitchen sink trap, along with air, causing splashing in the trap

or

- your drains are connected to a failing septic system whose drainfield or drain lines are blocked

Regular gurgling noise at bathub drain

At regular intervals, approximately every 10-15 minutes, it sounds like our bathtub is draining water. There’s no drip as far as I can tell but I’m uncertain what else could cause this. Help? It’s quite perplexing. On 2021-02-03 by Lindsay -

Reply by (mod) - water in other drains gurles at tub if venting is inadequate or drains are blocked

@Lindsay,

Water flowing down other building drains can cause gurgling noises and an individual fixture if there's a plumbing defect like inadequate venting, and occasionally if there is a remote drain blockage.

 

Question: Gurgling or glub glub sound in drains and slow drainage - septic tank was just cleaned and I heard water pouring back into the tank ..

i just had my tank cleaned out 2 months ago & now i think, but don't know how to tell if there is a problem with building vents. i getting a Gurgling or "glub glub" sounds in the drains and slow drainage, we also have had very heavy rains this month, after the tank was pumped out i could here water pouring back into the tank,

how can i check the vent pipe from the roof to the basement, there r no openings from the roof to basement what to do? - Tony

Reply:

Tony, the bad news is that when water pours back into a septic tank during pumpout that suggests that the drainfield is saturated, not working, and may need a costly replacement. Sometimes, especially after heavy rains, surface runoff can be saturating the drainfield

. In that case the "fix" may not require drainfield replacement, but rather the installation of an intercept drain system to keep surface and subsurface runoff away from the septic drainfield.

Your slow drain problem can be from a blocked main drain or from a flooded septic tank and backing up drainfield.

Gurgling problems with island sink drain in kitchen

(July 2, 2014) Bud Kent said:

Our house is about 10 years old. We seem to constantly have the plumber come to clear the kitchen sink line.

This sink is on a peninsula and the line is also connected with our washing machine. We too have loud gurgling when the washer is in rinse mode. It seems like when this happens as bad as it is now we soon will have to have the plumber again.

He was just here 4 week ago. We flush nothing down our sink or disposal at all. Seems that based on previous discussions it will likely be a clog much further down the line? We were told the venting may be inadequate but the builder insisted otherwise.

Reply:

Bud

Island sinks require special measures to properly vent the sink drain - into which the dishwasher will also empty.

See ISLAND SINK PLUMBING VENTS or search InspectApedia.com for that term.

My cousin Neal B. had this problem in a new home. It was traced to improper original drain line installation work that failed to slope the drain (1/8" to 1/4" per foot) piping.

Gurgling is an indication of a partly blocked drain.

Either the plumber has not found and cleared the clog effectively, or you have a recurrent clog problem caused by a problem such as

- bad drain slope
- crud flushed down drains
- a broken pipe
- root invasion
- improper pipe routing, bends, elbows

Burping Noise at Drains, FAQs

Burp sound from sink drain

water appears under the sink after hearing a blurp sound every once in a while

Reply by inspectapedia.com.moderator

Is there a vacuum breaker event under your sink or is your drain waste vent system pipes to include a normal Plumbing vent that extends above the roof? On 2021-06-19 by Marsha -

Also take a look at the center of the wet area and look directly above it to see if you can spot the Water Source. Attach a photo.

 

Question: Drain Noise Burp Complaints Traced to V-200 Anti-Siphon Valve Installation

Just bought a 40 year-old house. Sump pump drains into city sewer. V200 plumbing installed on drain pipe up in the rafters about 16 inches above pipe.

After the sump pump turns off a loud burping or gurgling sound is heard. It lasted about 10 seconds.

I changed the V200 for a new one and the same sound occurs but now for only 4-5 seconds. Any ideas? thank you - Louis

Sorry. In that last comment i shouldn't have said rafters but rather between the basement floor joists. I also meant a V-200 plumbing vent (also called anti-siphon I think) - Louis

There is ONE vent coming out through the roof for the plumbing in this house (two bathrooms and one kitchen) while the bathroom in the bedroom has a vent that terminates in the attic.

The kitchen sink also has one of these V-200 things. Any way to stop the noise without venting this pipe through the roof? Given the construction it wouldn't be easy. Thanks for your help Dan

Reply: V 200 cheater vents

Louis the V-200 or "cheater vent" is intended to allow air INTO the drain line when needed, and may be making noise during that function - as water runs down your drain line, and presuming that your building lacks proper vent piping to outside above the roof, the V200 is breaking the vacuum and allowing air into the drain as needed.

Louis a plumbing vent that terminates in the attic should have been run to outside the building to avoid a potentially dangerous sewer gas problem indoors. It's common for vacuum-breaker "cheater vents" like the V-200 to be retrofitted in older buildings where the original plumbing did not include or did not include enough plumbing vent piping.

The V200 - which is indeed an anti-siphon valve) and similar products, are a stopgap or retrofit measure that we use when there is just no economical way to get a proper plumbing vent installed. But I don't blame the V200 anti siphon vent itself for the noise problem.

That's a feature of the type and location and routing and size of plumbing fixtures and drains. In my experience noise complaints around anti siphon valves are rare.

You could try moving the piping and anti siphon valve a bit, or you could try some sound insulation around it - just be sure to leave a way for air to get TO the anti siphon valve or it will stop working.

Motor sound from the kitchen sink drain

This is about the kitchen drain in our office -- when liquid goes down the drain, within a few seconds a sound like a motor comes from the drain. Can you tell me what that is? On 2021-09-07 by Laurie Magers -

Reply by inspectapedia.com.moderator

@Laurie Magers,

Possibly a pump is turning on to pump the drainage up to a drain that is higher than the plumbing fixture itself.

Loud ticking when we drain the wash basin in cold weather

Once the cold weather starts, we get loud ticking when we drain the wash basin. I'm told it's due to the expansion/contraction of the of the wash basin drain pipe.
Is there a simple way to eliminate this? - On 2022-12-20 by Donald McColm -

Reply by InspectApedia (Editor)

@Donald McColm,

It might be possible to eliminate thermal expansion/contraction noises coming from drain or water supply pipes if you can trace the noise to pipe touching and rubbing against other building materials such as flooring or a cabinet or vanity wall or base.

In that case just enlarge the opening through which the pipe passes, and then if there's a draft concern, add a bit of insulation in the opening.

Hissing Noises at Drains, FAQs

Running sand noise at toilet flush

(May 12, 2014) Anonymous said:

when the toilet is flushed sounds like sand running through the line

Reply:

(May 12, 2014) (mod) said:

Sand sound is one I've not come across vis a vis toilets, Anon. Perhaps it's a hissing sound? Could there be an air leak in a vent pipe? Or a water leak or spray in the toilet tank? Lift the lid, flush the toilet and let me know if the controls are doing something odd.

I suspect that the noise you hear is a hissing, perhaps of water or air in the toilet flush tank or cistern during fill-up.

Low water pressure, running water in drain, and hissing noise in water pipe by valve

I have low water pressure (about half normal) accompanied by hissing in the water pipe by the stopcock and the sound of running water in the main toilet/bath waste pipe.

I have checked that nothing from the house is running into the toilet waste downpipe eg toilet overflow ot condensate etc.

This all continues when the stopcock is shut. There are no external signs of a water leak. Is it possible for mains water to be leaking from the external main into the waste pipe underground? or any other ideas. - On 2021-03-06 by Gavin -

Reply by (mod) - look for a running toilet

@Gavin,

After five decades of building diagnosis and inspection I am not going to claim that very much is impossible.

But it would be quite unusual for a building supplier or water main to be leaking directly into the waste piping.

For that drain running water noise, look for a fixture that's leaking into the drain, such as a leaky toilet tank flush valve that is continuously draining and thus also continuously feeding more water into the toilet.

Go through the diagnosis and repair steps

at TOILET RUNS CONTINUOUSLY

A much larger water flow, including from a leaky or burst water supply pipe, can give low building water pressure and make hissing noises, but I'd expect to find evidence of the leak somewhere in or under the building.

See the weak water pressure diagnostics

at TABLE 2: PUMP RUNS, WEAK or NO WATER PRESSURE - separate page

How to vent a gutter drain (downspout)

I think I need to vent a gutter drain but not sure how or where. 2" drain is 25 ft vertical, makes a 90 degree turn and runs 15 ft horizontally to a cistern. During tropical heavy rains, I'm getting a glug. Only horizontal run is accessible, but is fixed to the underside of a cement floor.

Can I vent by running 3/8" tube down the vertical from rooftop? Sideways mounted saddle clamp? - On 2020-10-27 by Migs C

Reply by (mod)

Migs:

You can run a vertical vent down from rooftop but probably need it to be 2-inches not 3/8";

You might also see if this alternative

AIR ADMITTANCE VALVES AAVs is permitted and works as it's trivial in effort.

You also will want to read

DRAIN & VENT SIZE & DISTANCES to FIXTURES

Banging noise at drain pipe when toilet is flushed

Hi guys, what causes the waste drain pipe on a toilet to bang and knock in the wall only when flushing waste or toilet paper down the line?

We live in a town house and it makes a load banging noise in the line as the waste is dropping down the line.

I don't think it is water hammering as it still does it when I shut off the main water line to the toilet and we have tried draining all lines from top to bottom as recmmended to create a new air space to prevent hammering.

Nothing seems to help. Please help, this is so annoying and I am concerned the system will fail at some time in the years to come if this banging continues. Thanks Ken On 2020-09-21 by Ken-

Reply by (mod)

@ Ken

I suspect you're heating water hammer as the toilet is re-fillilng - please check

WATER HAMMER NOISE DIAGNOSE & CURE - home

and let me know what you think

Whining kitten noise from the drain after shower isused

When I'm finished with my shower, I can hear a noise coming from the drain. It sounds like a kitten whining.

My house is on a slab and built 2003. I do not hear the sound from any other drain. - On 2020-08-06 by Melanie

Reply by (mod) -

@Melanie

I suspect that the shower drain isn't adequately vented and you're hearing noise of air being drawn into the drain waste pipe from a nearby fixture or other source

OR there is a partial blockage of the shower drain

Freight train noise when people upstairs flust their toilet

I live in a condo and any time the people above me flush it's like a freight train going through my room
why? - On 2020-08-05 by Angelos -

Reply by (mod) - Improve sound insulation to stop annoying drain noise from normal drain use

@Angelos

You're describing plumbing drain noise and noise transmission that is worse in buildings using plastic drain pipes and in particular worse, still, when the pipes run near occupied space without adequate sound insulation.

You may be able to improve the noise problem by having the passage around that drain line insulated - I like using spray foam insulation but you'd need to use a profssional to fill the cavity. Just squirting a bit of foam from a little spray can wont' be effective.

Tapping noise in wall behind shower

I hear a tapping noise in the wall behind the shower. This is on the second floor with a roof above it so I’m not sure .

Ddo you think it’s the plumbing or something from the attic or roof? It’s very quiet and seemingly random like it could be drip drip drip dampened by the walls or just tap tap tap.

Driving me crazy and husband just gets annoyed when I ask for help with it. = On 2018-03-26 by Jen -

Reply by (mod) - tapping noise in wall may be a leaky drain or water supply line

Jen

Watch out: I've heard a tapping noise in a wall behind a tub or shower when there was a water leak that drips in that space. Sometimes such leaks occur only when the tub or shower faucet is "on" or opened.

I'd look below that area or in a plumbing access opening if there is one (or when you make one) for moisture or leak stains. A bit of invasive inspection will enable you to find the trouble and if it's a leak (as we suspect), fix it now before the trouble becomes a costly mold remediation job.

Twangy sound after sink has been used or toilet is flushed

I have a sound that has not been described by any of your reports. It is a twangy sound and appears to happen after the bathroom sink has been used, or it could be after the toilet is flushed, but just a bit more delayed in that event.

It sounds like if you had a big flexible knife blade whose tip was held flat on a table and then twanged, but the sound is louder. In case this is part of the issue, i will mention that the apartment beneath us has been vacant for at least 2 months.

Workmen used it periodically before that, but virtually it has been vacant for 6 months. Also it appears to only happen in the morning when we have not used the bathroom more or less overnight. There is no water gurgle but this more metallic or maybe even wooden sound reverberating for about.3-4 seconds.

I am the landlord btw, hence why i am on alert to weird sounds in this old building. However lots of new plumbing on all floors but still have the original stack/drain. Thanks in advance for any ideas on this one!- twangy sound after sink has been used or toilet is flushed - On 2019-12-29 by personagrata108-

Reply by (mod)

@persona

Are you sure the twang noise is from the drain line? More likely it's a water supply pipe noise or perhaps water supply pipe noise being mechanically picked-up and transmitted through a drain pipe ? (Less likely).

Try slightly closing the main water shutoff valve to see if that changes the noise.

And take a look at

WATER SUPPLY PIPE WHISTLE NOISE

If that gets nowhwere, have the drain line inspected using a sewer line camera, looking for partial obstructions.

Question: Humming sound while water is running

I have a two story house. When I flush the toilette or run the kitchen water, I hear a humming sound that last the whole time the water is running, but when I use the water up stairs I don't hear any sound.

What could it be? - Vic

Reply:

If you have a private well I suspect well or pump noise transmission, say of a vibrating pump motor or loosely-mounted water pipes.

If you're on municipal water I'd be looking for a valve that's obstructing the water and affecting the velocity just to create a noise to annoy you. Try slightly closing a supply valve.

When I flush my toilet, it makes loud slurping sounds

When I flush my toilet, it makes loud slurping sounds and won't get enough siphon going to clear the bowl with a gurgle.

However, if I pour in water from above, it just shoots right through in a great siphon. I keep thinking that maybe air is being sucked in somehow, but I don't see just how .

I checked that when I pulled the toilet to replace the wax seal.

Did the '5 gallons down the drain hole' test to see if it was backing up at all, and it drained like a champ. The sound seems to be coming from the commode itself, not the drain lines.

Other than no siphon, the toilet and tub right beside it drain with no problem. Is it that perhaps the commode is just getting old and clogging with scale? - On 2019-12-26 by Sieggy-

Reply by (mod)

If the noise is coming from the toilet itself not the drain, I'd look carefully at the fill valve mechanism. While the toilet is filling, with the tank top removed, briefly lift up the float.

Does the noise stop?

Did a smoke test and I had smoke coming in from my bathroom sink.

My city just did a smoke test and I had smoke coming in from my bathroom sink. The worker came in and said it was normal and to turn the faucet on. He left and I turned the water in but it didnt drain it just gurgled the water.

I called him back in and he looked at it and told the other workers to stop the smoke test. He suggested that I had a clogged plumbing vent. My signifigant other went on the roof and use a long pole to check if it is clogged.

He said he pushed the pole all the way into the crawlspace so it doesnt appear to be clogged. Do I have an issue with my sewer? Pipes? Or was this simply the result of them still pushing the smoke into the system below?

Should I be worried and if I need to fix something how to I know what that would be and where to start? On 2019-12-02 by Natasha -

Reply by (mod)

Thanks for your interest in question about Plumbing drain and vent system failing a smoke test, Natasha.

Watch out: Is never normal to see smoke coming out of a plumbing drain during a smoke test.

That's telling you that there's no water in the drain trap. In turn the loss of water in the drain trap means usually that there's a problem with the venting system which could be a clogged vent or improper distances or improper vent sizing.

The risk is that dangerous sewer gas also enters the home when the Trap seal is siphoned such as happened in your case. It seems to me you need a more thorough inspection by an experienced plumber to find the problem. I'm not sure from your message if the problem is only event problem.

There may also be as you suggested a clogged drain. However event problem alone can cause drains to gurgle and drain slowly.

Cars driving over sewer access hatch in road make noise up into our house4

I have a plastic soil pipe outside serving an upstairs bedroom cars passing the house run over a road access hatch and the drum sound travels all the way up the pipe and into the house where there is 1 meter of soil pipe running to the toilet is there any way that I can stop this constant noise inside or outside the house - On 2018-02-06 by beoffwith you

Reply by (mod) -

BeOff

It might be possible to excavate the soil pipe trench, install solid (maybe concrete walls and top) reinforcement over the piping so that it's not affected by over-traffic - that might also reduce the chances of breaking the sewer line.

Or replace under-specified sewer piping with the proper weight and strength pipe rated for under drives (sch. 80?)

Loud weird noise from the sanitary pipes - drain siphoning?

[Re-posted without link - for reader security - we'll check out your recording]

Having loud weird noise from the Sanitary Pipes in the toilet of my flat. Please refer to the youtube url for my video record. Toilet Weird Sound -

I heard that the sound should be from upper floor via the Sanitary Pipes (marked red box in attached picture)

Not sure what actually goes wrong - On 2022-11-06 by K -

Reply by InspectApedia (Editor)

@K,

Your photo shows an odd drain line configuration; that upside down 180 degree bend just past the first highest drain trap could actually be siphoning water out of the trap when water runs down the drain.

We listened to your recording - it sounds like clanks or thumps - without being on-site we can't guess at direction or source.

It's possible that noise is being picked up from another cause and is transmitted by the piping from a mechanicals room.

With no information about your building: type, age, location, construction, location of mechanical systems, other occupants, etc. any more-specific guess we could make about the cause of this sound is so speculative as to be just about useless.

You can use the page top or bottom CONTACT link to send us the sound file and we can add it here to invite comment from others who may have some suggestions. (YouTube didn't let us download the file ourselves without signing up for a for-pay service. )

Question: Drain glug glug, klug klug, & whirring noises: why do I hear a clug clug sound when the toilet is flushed?

Why do I hear a "clug,clug "sound when the toilet is flushed? The toilet is upstairs and the sound is coming from the basement on the other side of the house - Karen Canning

I have slow drains and saw a 1 foot x 1 foot soggy spot over my septic field. When one person is in the shower for more than 15 minutes (teenagers) or if the washing machine is running, we get the glug, glug sound. Toilets do not like to flush right away, they fill, then suddenly drain out. Suggestions? - Susan in Florida

We are a single family two story (plus basement) home in central Connecticut with city water and sewer. Yes, our home has a proper through-the-roof plumbing vent pipe. Recently my wife noticed a strange whirring sound coming from the (upstairs) bathtub drain.

Honestly, I thought she was nuts, but sure enough now I notice it also. Think of a muffled police siren; whirr-whirr-whirr. Lasts about 5 to 10 seconds, then may or may not happen again within minutes, and so on.

Any time of day; a few nights back I woke at around 3:00 AM and, while using the bathroom, there it was. I had not yet run any water, flushed the toilet, etc.Any hints as to what could cause such an odd sound to emanate from the bathtub drain? It is the only fixture in the house where we have noticed this.

I am confidant that it is not related to the hot water heater which is of the indirect-fired type.

Our high-efficiency gas-fired condensing boiler has a small motorized condensate pump which empties into the main branch (cast-iron) drain pipe in the basement, but I am pretty certain the noise is not coming from that either.Home was built in th 1920's with typical plumbing for that era. Bathroom was remodeled two years ago, so bathtub and related plumbing is all relatively new. - Carmine in Connecticut

Reply:

Karen: if you hear a "klug klug" when the toilet is flushed it may be a blocked or missing plumbing vent. Sometimes a slow partly blocked drain will do that too. Carmine:
The whirring sound from the bathtub drain may also be due to a blocked vent, especially if it happens when the toilet is flushed or other drains are in use.

A home like yours, built in the 1920's may also not have plumbing vents provided at all fixtures, or the vents may be undersized or even clogged. Even if some fixtures were updated it would be unusual for 100% of their drain runs and vents to have been replaced.

Susan:
That glug glug glug sound along with slow drainage is often water draining slowly past a blockage somewhere down the septic or sewer drainage system.

If it were a venting problem unless something just clogged a vent, it would have always been present. Combined with the wet spot in the yard sounds like a saturated drain field but until you do some investigating we don't know if it's as inexpensive as fixing a broken or clogged pipe, or replacing an entirely saturated failed septic drainfield.

CLOGGED DRAIN DIAGNOSIS & REPAIR can help diagnose tracking down a clogged drain and distinguishing between a local drain clog and system drain clogging: knowing where the clog is located will define the type of drain repair needed.

SEPTIC SYSTEM INSPECT DIAGNOSE REPAIR can help you diagnose what's going on with a blocked or partly blocked septic system or drainfield. .

Running Water Noise in Plumbing, FAQs

Question: Sound of water constantly coming down pipes in master bedroom, maybe from upstairs A/C ?

I have lived in on the 12th floor of a 13 story building, constructed in 1928, for 10 years. About a month ago, I started hearing what sounded like water constantly coming down the pipes in my master bathroom.

The problem was noted as likely being from my upstairs neighbor's ductless air conditioning system, which apparently cools via pipes and flushes water down the same pipe as the toilets. No fix has yet been arrived at for that problem. In addition, the air conditioner contractors who came to look at the issue indicated that such noise shouldn't be audible since the pipes in question are cast iron.

At the same time, I can now also hear my upstairs and downstairs neighbors' use of their plumbing - from toilet flushing to tap use. This seems odd, not only because I've never heard it before in all the years I've lived here, but also because the pipes are cast iron. We did a "test" and you could hear the noise of the toilet on the first floor flush all the way in my unit - 11 floors away!

I am being told by my building super that such plumbing noises are "normal," but that is not consistent with my experience nor, I believe, the materials in question.

He thought there may be air in the system so turned the water supply off then back on, but it made no difference. I am finding it difficult to get any response from my building management. I am going to get in my own plumber but wondered if you had any ideas? - Nicola

Reply:

Nicola, A noise of water running pipes can be annoying but my first worry would be an actual leak;
And I agree that it's usually tough to hear water running in cast iron piping.On the other hand, noticing a change is usually an important diagnostic. See if you can track down what happened a month ago - a service call, a plumbing change, something.

That'll be a useful clue.I don't think air in the drain system would explain drain noises; there's always air in the drain system.

Reader Follow up:

Thank you for your response. On the changes, one thing that occurred right about when I started hearing the noises - and I may not get the terminology right - there had been an uncharacteristically huge rainstorm here and the waste pipe for the building was not big enough to handle the capacity so there were overflow problems, like water running out of people's toilets on the first floor (apparently the pipe doubles in function; I live in a large city).

That pipe for the building was replaced, I want to say from a 6 inch to an 8 inch; I could be wrong on the size but I know it was increased. I asked the building super if there could be a connection, and he did not appear to think so. I have also checked with one of my downstairs neighbors and he does not think he perceives plumbing noise other than from inside his own unit.

The only other apparent "change" was that my upstairs neighbor who is apparently not usually around in the summer (though she has lived above me all 10 years I've been here) started using this ductless air conditioning system that continually flushes water down the same pipes used by the toilets.

I wonder if this could have precipitated a problem? What is most puzzling to me is that now my neighbor has been requested to turn her air conditioning system off, it is definitely apparent that I am hearing not only toilets flushing but also the use of running water, such as from showers - and loud enough to be heard outside the bathroom. In other words, the noise does not appear to be confined to one particular pipe.

Since my first query, it has since been suggested to me that perhaps I have a dried trap (maybe due to a clogged vent) which is magnifying the noise of water through the system. I am still in the process of getting a couple good plumber recommendations. In the meantime, I don't know if you have any further opinion based on these facts? Thank you. - Nicola

Reply:

Nicola,
Two items to check further:It is trivial to check for the effect of a dry plumbing trap- just pour a pint or more of water into every plumbing fixture to be sure every trap is filled.

I am not considering the possibility that you have a drain with no trap at all or an s-trap that loses it's seal because you report your noise complaint is a change.About sound transmission changes around a building drain, if there was insulation that has become wet or was removed you may hear more drain noises.

Check for those conditions.

Cause of water sound in bathtub drain when we are not running water anywhere

I woke up in the middle of the night and heard what sounds like water running in my bathtub drain. The sound has continued for several hours now. There is not any water on in the house. I have a septic system and we are having heavy rain and flooding. Could the sound be related to all the rain? On 2020-02-06 by Daniele

Reply by (mod)

Perhaps roof drainage entering a building drain, a sump pump operating, or a flooding septic system pump

Question: Air handler A/C condensate drain & glugging sound in bathtub drain

My air handler seems to be constantly draining and I'm getting a glugging sound in my upstairs bathtub drain. Is it related and is my air handler close to frozen?

I don't see any leaks in the attic although I haven't gone all the into the attic and inspected the air handler. I did close most of the air duct vents upstairs to force the cold air downstairs, could I have possibly froze the air handler considering it's 110 most days and the AC is almost constantly running? - Randy in Mesa

Reply:

Randy your note suggests perhaps your air conditioner condensate is draining improperly into a plumbing vent line and that in turn that line (or the condensate drain itself) is partly clogged. Or you have a separate problem with a slow bathtub drain or bad bath venting.

If the glugging sound occurs when you flush a toilet in that same bathroom I suspect the drain or vent is clogging.If your air handler cooling coil was iced over you'd see the effect as loss of airflow out of the air supply registers, or you can see the icing and frost by inspecting the air handler interior (power off first for safety).

Dripping sounds in drains above my apartment

I moved into an apt. on the first floor 3 months ago. I have been recording dripping sounds (about 1.5 drips on an average per hour)and notified the manager to no avail.

When someone has come to listen (3 times) of course nothing happens but they only stay 10-20 minutes. The dripping sound is over the toilet and sink area.

No apparent leaking coming from the under-the-sink or toilet areas of the apartments above me, according to maintenance. No crawl space above 1st floor apts.; only 2nd floor apts. have crawl space between their ceilings and roof. I've been told the only way to investigate is by cutting a hole in the wall.

I imagine the cost to do that is keeping them from further action. The dripping sound is loud and sounds like water dripping on wood, or manmade product.

On an average it drips about 1.5 times per minute. It can drip 40-50 drips/second and go 20-30 minutes without dripping at all.

The complex is approximately 12 years old. A single boiler for each building. Each building has approx. 20 1-bdrm apartments. The buildings are 2 stories, 2-sided, 10 apts on each side = 20 apts. in each building. I've been in other apartments on both the lower and upper floors. No one else in my building seems to have this problem. Any ideas? - Jean Smith

Reply:

Jean, what you describe sounds like a slow leak into the ceiling over your bathroom. A small leak may take some time to show up as stains on the ceilings or walls below. Sometimes there may also be a leak that drips into a drain pipe itself - that'd be lucky in that the risk of hidden rot, mold, or other damage is less.

Drain Noise Complaints from Neighbors, FAQs

Question: faint flush noises from shower drain - caused by next door neighbor

(Sept 23, 2014) Ann said:

I have a house built in the 70s and I've noticed faint flush drain noises that seem to come from the shower drain in my home.

The noise appears to be the next door neighbor's flushes.

These are both single story homes, mine is a higher elevation.

Does that mean our plumbing is somehow connected?

Reply:

Ann

Your neighbor's plumber may find a clogged or blocked plumbing vent.

It would be improper and unusual for your separate home to share plumbing with your neighbor.

Neighbor's Clothes washer drain noise into bedroom wall piping - should we insulate the wall?

Hi,
I recently moved into a new-build apartment. There is a flat above me, and the residents just moved in.

Their utility room is directly above my bedroom, and I was up four times last night as their washer drained water into the pipe, which runs through the wall in my bedroom.

The builders have told me it's a 6-inch pipe, which seems massive for one washer and maybe a sink!

They are suggesting pumping insulation into the wall, but I'm worried - will this fix it? Why did they install such a big pipe? Would that be making it more noisy than it needs to be? - Emma

Reply:

Emma, the large diameter drain may be because it's carrying other fixtures, or to avoid clogging; in any case, insulation can reduce noise transmission.

See SOUND CONTROL for PLUMBING

Fix neighbor's plumbing noise transmission in a condominium

We live in a condo on the second floor..

The owners downstairs have gutted their condo; this includes bathrooms directly below ours.

We are now hearing our toilet flush down the shower drain and the bathroom sink as well.

Am sure the same thing will happen once their second bathroom Reno begins. Please help? - C loan

Reply:

Start with a review of our suggestions

at

SOUND CONTROL for PLUMBING

You might also ask your plumber to inspect the drain system to understand whether or not your condominium is sharing the same drain and same plumbing vent as your neighbors.

You may also need help from your local plumbing inspector to be sure that both your and your neighbor's plumbing vent systems are code compliant and adequate.

Question: rhythmic thumping sound from garage when toilet is flushed

Hi,when we flush our toilets there is a rythmic thumping sound coming from our garage until the toilet stops. Thanks for any advice!( Oct 5, 2015) Gwen

Reply:

Please see the suggestions

at WATER HAMMER NOISE DIAGNOSE & CURE 

Question: low frequency droning noise

I have a low frequency droning noise for Years slowly driving me crazy!please help? The noise is constant. - (Nov 9, 2015) dee

Reply:

Please see our catalog of humming noise sources

at HUMMING NOISES in BUILDINGS

and also see HEALTH RELATED NOISE COMPLAINTS

Step by Step Diagnosis of Plumbing Drain Noise - partial drain clog fixed by snaking the drain

We must have a partial clog in our plumbing, but we cannot determine where. We’ve been living in our house for 24 years.

Even before we started experiencing our current problem w/ our first-floor sinks a little over a year ago, our powder-room sink would gurgle a little if a big pot of water was dumped down the kitchen sink.

The two sinks are approx 12 feet apart, but the pipes join together in the basement before draining into the main stack.

A different plumber had once said that the powder-room fixtures aren’t vented properly (we’ve discovered over the years that a number of things in this house weren’t done right), and maybe the kitchen sink also isn’t vented properly.

In the last 14 months, it doesn’t take much water to cause the gurgling, and the noise can be prolonged. In addition, if we run the water in the powder-room sink for “a little bit too long,” it gurgles in that sink; and if we run the water a lot in that sink, the kitchen sink gurgles.

A little over a year ago, in order to diagnose the problem, two times a plumber halfway filled the kitchen sink, totally filled the powder-room sink, and let them drain out.

He first thought our problem was due to a clog in the kitchen drain line, but the second time he did this, he felt a clog was in the vent stack. He suggested putting an AAV on the kitchen sink.

Over the next couple of days, my husband tried to reach the head plumber to discuss it more, but in the interim the problem seemed to have resolved. Somehow quickly draining gallons of water down the sink stopped the gurgling, so he stopped trying to call this plumber. Unfortunately, this “fix” wasn’t permanent.

After 6 weeks or so, the gurgling started up again, and over the next number of months, the gurgling was happening more frequently and was of longer duration.

Last August, my husband and I mimicked what the plumber did, and again it gave us a respite from the problem, but it was more short lived than the first time and before we did it a third time a couple of weeks ago, the powder-room sink could gurgle for 25 seconds when using a small amount of water in the kitchen sink.

Before we did the dumping of water this third time, we ran cold water into both sinks for 15 minutes straight -- a couple of times, the powder-room sink would start filling with water, but both times it quickly emptied.

Each time we halfway-filled the kitchen sink, it drained in about 30 seconds and had good sucking action at the end.

My husband seems to think that the first-floor fixtures are not vented at all above the first floor, that they only connect to the vent stack in the basement. He thinks that the 4 foot cast iron pipe in the basement (outlined in green), which is the drain line for the second-floor fixtures, acts as venting for the first-floor fixtures.

Can this possibly be true? (By the way, the upstairs fixtures seem to be operating normally.)

I’m wondering if there is a vent pipe between the kitchen sink and the 2nd floor, and it is somehow partially clogged, but my husband doubts this. (If it were partially clogged, would the kitchen sink have drained so well?)

If such a vent pipe was there and was partially clogged, could all the issues we have been having (the gurgling, the imperfect draining in the powder-room sink when the kitchen sink was being run simultaneously) be attributed to that?

How about if the powder-room drain line is partially clogged -- is that a reasonable deduction from what is going on? How can the dumping of water help things for a while?

Our plumber will only come if we want snaking done, but we don’t know where the problem is, and we are concerned that snaking the powder-room drain pipe will push the clog to the piece of pvc that joins the two drain pipes or the small copper piece that leads to the 4 inch pipe or damage that piece.

Also, our house is about 100 years old so of course codes were different back then. Also, work was probably done subsequent to initial construction (such as the powder room) and it may not have been done to code.

We would very much appreciate your thoughts. Thank you - On 2023-01-23 by Linda -

Reply by (Mod) - Step 1: check the drain itself - snake it, and assure a good plumbing vent: it doesn’t take much water to cause the gurgling

@Linda,

If a bathroom sink is not vented properly so doesn't drain well, start by un-clogging the drain.

Watch out: before we "over-think" this problem, be sure that you've taken the normal first step in drain noises and gurgling:

have the plumbing drain cleaned of any blockage by using a plunger or a snake type drain cleaner. If you're not up for doing that yourselves, call your plumber back to take those steps.

Then if by inspection we don't think the gurgling bath sink isn't blocked, it may not be venting properly - or it may have no plumbing vent at all, in which case we'd install an air admittance valve or AAV.

Those details are at:

AIR ADMITTANCE VALVES AAVs -

Followup by Linda

@InspectApedia Publisher, Thank you for your reply. I don't find that the bathroom sink doesnt drain well. Only when it and the kitchen sink were run continuously for 15 minutes did it twice fall a little behind in draining, but it caught up before we turned off the water.

For the first 20+ years of our living in this house, we weren't having gurgling issues unless a huge pot of water was emptied in the kitchen sink. And why when we dumped a ton of water did it help for a while to prevent gurgling when using even a small amount of water in the kitchen sink?

My husband thinks that the 4 foot cast iron pipe in the basement (outlined in green), which is the drain line for the second-floor fixtures, acts as venting for the first-floor fixtures. Can this be accurate?
Thank you.

Reply by InspectApedia Publisher - main cast iron drain can be acting as a wet vent

@Linda,

Yes, that main cast iron drain can be acting as a wet vent for the white PVC sink drain in your photo.

When you hear gurgling after a lot of water has been run into a drain I suspect a distant drain blockage, or if you are connected to private septic, a septic system failure.

By the way, in your photo the horizontal white PVC drain looks as if it's sloped the wrong way and so might also be clog prone.

Followup by Linda

@InspectApedia Publisher, Thank you for taking the time to respond.

1) Since the kitchen sink drains well, I had thought that there must be a vent pipe between the kitchen sink and the 2nd floor and that perhaps it was partially clogged, but if the main cast iron drain can be acting as a wet vent for the kitchen sink drain, the sink may not be vented elsewhere after all.

2) You said that, "When you hear gurgling after _a lot_ of water has been run into a drain I suspect a distant drain blockage".

However, at the height of our problems, we hear gurgling for 25 seconds or more in the powder room sink after a _small_ amount of water has been run into the kitchen drain, such as quickly emptying a pint of water or washing a couple of dishes with more than a small stream of water.

Only after quickly draining 5 gallons of water down the kitchen sink do we get a break for a number of weeks before less and less water creates the gurgling. I had thought perhaps the above fact could be a clue as to the cause of our problem. It's not like I am even using hot water. It is very cold, right from the tap.

We are not connected to private septic.

3) The room with these pipes is in a cellar which I hardly ever go in so I had not noticed prior to a few weeks ago that the kitchen drain pipe is level.

I actually put a level right on it. So yeah, it's pretty stupid because it probably means that it must always be filled/nearly filled with water.

I really don’t think that there is a clog in the kitchen drain line because the 5 gallons go down in 30 seconds with good sucking action near the end. In addition it was snaked 5 years ago due to a clog, and I am extremely careful with what goes down the drain, and I have a very fine strainer.

I could more believe that there could be a partial clog in the powder room drain pipe.

(Just a reminder: if we run the water in the powder-room sink for “a little bit too long,” it gurgles in that sink; and if we run the water a lot in that sink, the kitchen-sink gurgles.)

I am concerned that snaking the powder-room drain pipe will push the clog to the piece of pvc that joins the two drain pipes and get stuck there, or the small copper piece that leads to the 4 inch pipe or damage that piece.

(Basically I have heard about poor snake jobs so I don’t want to have it done for no reason.)

Would you suggest putting an AAV on the powder room sink or snaking out the powder room drain pipe or something else entirely? Thank you so much.

Reply by InspectApedia Publisher - inadequate venting at sink?

@Linda,

So if you are ceratin that the drains are not blocked, we are back to inadequate venting at the powder room sink. Why don't you put an Air admittance valve or AAV on it and see if that solves the problem?

Followup by Linda - we haven't yet snaked the drain

@InspectApedia Publisher, Thanks so much for all your time. I apologize for all of my replies.

I don't want foolish fears of mine to prevent me from taking the best course of action. If snaking the powder room drain pipe is the best thing to do in your opinion, then I will go ahead and do it.

Part of my thought process is: I had no AAV on that sink for over 20 years and didn't have an issue, so what has changed?

Now that I have your answer that the main cast iron drain can be acting as a wet vent for the kitchen sink drain, it is unlikely there is a clog in a vent pipe for the kitchen sink because there isn't any such vent pipe at all! Meanwhile anyone can get a clog in a drain pipe at any time.

Please do let me know. Thanks!

Reply by InspectApedia Publisher - unclog your drain now

@Linda,

Please try unclogging your drain and let us know if that solves the problem.

Followup by Linda - what size snake do we use to unclog the drain

@InspectApedia Publisher, Thank you very much for your patience. I want to be sure that the correct size snake is used.

I have a feeling that if the drain pipe is clogged, it is clogged with a soft material. Firstly because the gallons of water we send down may be pushing it aside temporarily (that’s the only explanation for the temporarily relief we get that I can think of) and more so because in April 2018, the kitchen sink clogged.

I couldn’t initially get a plumber to come (it was a Sunday) so I tried unsuccessfully fixing it myself by plunging the powder room sink (because I knew the two sinks were connected somewhere) with the overflow plugged up. Lots of dollar bill size black plastic like material (not watery at all, rather slick, solid material) came up.

After a while I stopped but there was likely more of that where it came from. Even though it’s been a few years, maybe my current issue resulted from dislodging a lot of this stuff.

I don’t know if this is residue of when we used to wash paint brushes in that sink or just decades of soap scum etc, because prior to 2019, the stopper in that sink wasn’t removable to clean the pop up assembly.

Anyway, I am concerned that a small snake (like ¼”) may just push the clog aside without getting rid of it. I won’t be doing this work myself and want to be sure that the plumber is using the right size (that is if he allows my opinion!)

I do apologize, but I hope you can explain something to me. If there is a partial clog in the powder-room sink drain line, how would that cause gurgling in the powder-room sink when the kitchen sink drains?

Reply by InspectApedia Publisher - Way past time to hire a plumber: just try using a snake to clear the drain.

@Linda,

With all due respect, we've discussed this in every possible permutation over quite a long time now.

It's simply inappropriate and not useful to continue to discuss these details.

It's time to hire a plumber and get your drain cleared. The plumber will choose a drain snake of adequate size and length.

Let the plumber do their job.

Drain gurgling ended after plumber came to snake out the drain

@InspectApedia Publisher,
I wanted to let you know that a plumber came to snake out the drain, and the gurgling seems to have gone away. Hopefully this will be a long term fix. - 2023-02-02 by Linda -