Soft dripping noise within wall after opening hot water

[Gerallt]

Only recently I've noticed a quiet dripping noise that comes from within the wall cavity, quite soon after opening a hot tap. It doesn't begin straight away, maybe after 20 secs or so, and then continues every 2 secs or so for at least 20 mins before it tapers off, getting more infrequent and quieter.

It doesn't sound like expansion, more like dripping on a soft surface. It doesn't either seem to be the waste - the basin is on the ground floor and the waste goes straight out.

A job for a plumber/leak specialist, or should I stop worrying? The wall in question is in the kitchen corner, with units, cupboards, worktops... I really don't want to entertain the idea of exposing the cavity to fix any pipes!!

 

[planenut]

To me, it sounds like expansion; looking at the supply, is there a chance of assessing whether one pipe is fitted or it may be jointed? Is it a cavity wall because if it's not, then one would not hear dripping, but perhaps get a damp test of the wall done.

If it was not expansion, then I'd expect to hear a drip from the start of use.

Good luck.

 

[ianmcd]

Sounds more like expansion

 

[EFLImpudence]

Turn off the water heating and see if it does it with cold water in the hot water pipe.

Surely there won't be pipes in the cavity, anyway.

 

[undertrained]

What system set up is it, combi boiler, tank and cylinder? Definitely a cavity wall and not hollow wall? I have found pipes that leak into a cavity before now.

 

[dilalio]

Get your hearing checked first

 

[bernardgreen]

Sounds more like expansion

I agree, it was a leak it would be leaking all the time irrespective of the tap being open or closed.

 

[Keithmac]

Our central heating has done this for past 14 years, you would swear it was a drip but we rarely if ever have to top the pressure up on the boiler.

A leak would be worse with the tap off (more pressure to the leak site).