noisy mains water pipe when toilet flushed

[alj]

Hi

I live in a flat in a converted house. Im on the first floor and there's a flat below me and one above me. We all share the water supply coming off the mains - a pipe comes up through each of the flats and the supply to the individual flats branch off that.

When the upstairs flat flush their toilet, the pipes go 'mental'. There is a very load almost shrieking noise and pipes all over the house start vibrating (to the extent that I can feel my floor vibrating). This goes on for about 30 secs and then stops. Nothing else seems to trigger it.

The people upstairs said they could stop it happening by running a tap whilst flushing the toilet, but either that's stopped working or they've stopped doing it .

Is the problem likely to be with their toilet, the actual water supply or something else?

Cheers

 

[Softus]

Is the problem likely to be with their toilet, the actual water supply or something else?

This is caused by wear in the float valve washer and/or its seat. They can fix it by replacing both.

It could probably do with a flow restrictor too. Some people use a half-open ball-o-fix valve for this purpose.

 

[JohnD]

if the old float valve is a reasonably modern one, it is often easier to swap the working assembly of a new one onto the old stem, rather than tinker with changing the washer and cone or whatever. replacement valves are very cheap. The new one will come with a converter for high/low pressure, and it certainly sounds like your neighbours need the high pressure one.

it is also possible to fit a modern "quiet valve" which costs a few pounds more. these really are incredibly quiet, but it might not be worthwhile trying to explain and persuade your neighbours. A simple replacement should do the trick.

As it is noisy, it would be very unreasonable of your neighbours to refuse to change the ball valve, whether they do it themselves or get a local plumber or handyman in. It is usually a very simple DIY job.

 

[sooey]

If they were to refuse to have it repaired you have a good solution available. Just take a hammer to their supply pipe in your flat, it won't make much noise if it can't pass water cos it's flattened.

 

[alj]

Cheers for that. Seems pretty simple to sort out so hopefully can get sorted quickly....

sooey you've no idea how close that's been to happening. The guys upstairs are renting, but the landlord is worse than useless at getting things fixed. I've had no end of trouble with his plumbing and leaks etc. A stopcock for his pipe is on my shopping list

 

[Softus]

If the old float valve is a reasonably modern one, it is often easier to renew the washer and seat, rather than tinker about changing the working assembly of a new one onto the old stem or whatever.

Replacement washers and seats are extremely cheap, and it certainly sounds like your neighbour needs these.

 

[JohnD]

 

[Softus]