I have some sort of strange problem. I know little about plumbing, so
I have no idea what to do and I'd prefer to avoid calling a plumber. I
will if I have to, but I'd like to try to troubleshoot it myself.

Beginning sometime this summer, once in a while the pipes in my house
would vibrate for a bit. This was usually when I had the water running
outside and would then start some laundry or something like that. The
vibrating was usually short-lived and it didn't happen very often. For
some reason, the problem has gotten rapidly worse this past week. Now
the pipes start vibrating like mad anytime something is using water.
Flush the toilet, turn on the shower, start some laundry...it's awful!
The pipes are *seriously* vibrating. It sounds like someone is trying
to tunnel into my house using a jack hammer.

Here's what I know about the house. It was built in 2001, so the
plumbing is relatively new. It has a pressure arrestor of some sort
that was set before we moved in. It has an ominous warning note not to
mess with it, so I haven't.

Where should I begin looking?

Thanks!

On Nov 23, 12:04*pm, "
wrote:
I have some sort of strange problem. I know little about plumbing, so
I have no idea what to do and I'd prefer to avoid calling a plumber. I
will if I have to, but I'd like to try to troubleshoot it myself.

Beginning sometime this summer, once in a while the pipes in my house
would vibrate for a bit. This was usually when I had the water running
outside and would then start some laundry or something like that. The
vibrating was usually short-lived and it didn't happen very often. For
some reason, the problem has gotten rapidly worse this past week. Now
the pipes start vibrating like mad anytime something is using water.
Flush the toilet, turn on the shower, start some laundry...it's awful!
The pipes are *seriously* vibrating. It sounds like someone is trying
to tunnel into my house using a jack hammer.

Here's what I know about the house. It was built in 2001, so the
plumbing is relatively new. It has a pressure arrestor of some sort
that was set before we moved in. It has an ominous warning note not to
mess with it, so I haven't.

Where should I begin looking?

Thanks!

I forgot to mention that if the pipes are vibrating, I can make it
stop by turning off the main valve in my basement and then turning it
right back on.

wrote in message
...
I have some sort of strange problem. I know little about plumbing, so
I have no idea what to do and I'd prefer to avoid calling a plumber. I
will if I have to, but I'd like to try to troubleshoot it myself.

Beginning sometime this summer, once in a while the pipes in my house
would vibrate for a bit. This was usually when I had the water running
outside and would then start some laundry or something like that. The
vibrating was usually short-lived and it didn't happen very often. For
some reason, the problem has gotten rapidly worse this past week. Now
the pipes start vibrating like mad anytime something is using water.
Flush the toilet, turn on the shower, start some laundry...it's awful!
The pipes are *seriously* vibrating. It sounds like someone is trying
to tunnel into my house using a jack hammer.

Here's what I know about the house. It was built in 2001, so the
plumbing is relatively new. It has a pressure arrestor of some sort
that was set before we moved in. It has an ominous warning note not to
mess with it, so I haven't.

Where should I begin looking?


I've experienced this problem a few times in my lifetime. The causes have
been either a faulty pressure reducer or worn out washers in the faucets or
valves. I've heard that a problem with your toilet fill valve can cause
this also, but I have never experienced that. Since it seems to be
happening regardless of what faucet is opened perhaps it is the pressure
reducer. I don't know if they can be repaired. I had mine replaced and the
problem went away.

wrote:
I have some sort of strange problem. I know little about plumbing, so
I have no idea what to do and I'd prefer to avoid calling a plumber. I
will if I have to, but I'd like to try to troubleshoot it myself.

Beginning sometime this summer, once in a while the pipes in my house
would vibrate for a bit. This was usually when I had the water running
outside and would then start some laundry or something like that. The
vibrating was usually short-lived and it didn't happen very often. For
some reason, the problem has gotten rapidly worse this past week...

Have you measured the incoming water pressure? It sounds like you may
have a pressure regulator that's wearing out, or the pressure is
otherwise increasing.

On Nov 23, 7:50*pm, Bob wrote:
wrote:
I have some sort of strange problem. I know little about plumbing, so
I have no idea what to do and I'd prefer to avoid calling a plumber. I
will if I have to, but I'd like to try to troubleshoot it myself.

Beginning sometime this summer, once in a while the pipes in my house
would vibrate for a bit. This was usually when I had the water running
outside and would then start some laundry or something like that. The
vibrating was usually short-lived and it didn't happen very often. For
some reason, the problem has gotten rapidly worse this past week...

Have you measured the incoming water pressure? *It sounds like you may
have a pressure regulator that's wearing out, or the pressure is
otherwise increasing.

I haven't measured the water pressure. I wouldn't even know how,
honestly. Maybe for now I'll just turn down the valve coming into the
house to the point below which the vibration starts. Then I suppose
I'll have to call an expert in and have them check it and replace that
regulator, if necessary.

Thanks!

wrote in message
...
On Nov 23, 7:50 pm, Bob wrote:
wrote:
I have some sort of strange problem. I know little about plumbing, so
I have no idea what to do and I'd prefer to avoid calling a plumber. I
will if I have to, but I'd like to try to troubleshoot it myself.

Beginning sometime this summer, once in a while the pipes in my house
would vibrate for a bit. This was usually when I had the water running
outside and would then start some laundry or something like that. The
vibrating was usually short-lived and it didn't happen very often. For
some reason, the problem has gotten rapidly worse this past week...

Have you measured the incoming water pressure? It sounds like you may
have a pressure regulator that's wearing out, or the pressure is
otherwise increasing.

I haven't measured the water pressure. I wouldn't even know how,
honestly. Maybe for now I'll just turn down the valve coming into the
house to the point below which the vibration starts. Then I suppose
I'll have to call an expert in and have them check it and replace that
regulator, if necessary.

************************************************** *****************8

Turning down that valve will likely cause all kinds of water problems due to
lack of sufficient flow volume.

The problem could be as simple as air filled stub "dampers" that have lost their
air. Draining the pipes, then turning the water back on would re-fill the stub
with air. It's a simple test if that's the problem. Turn off the water heater,
turn off the water, open all faucets for 5-10 minutes. Close all faucets, and
turn the water back on. Turn on the water heater after running each faucet to
clear air from the pipes.

The simplest way to check the pressure is with a pressure gage that attaches
onto a hose faucet.

On Nov 23, 2:04*pm, "
wrote:
I have some sort of strange problem. I know little about plumbing, so
I have no idea what to do and I'd prefer to avoid calling a plumber. I
will if I have to, but I'd like to try to troubleshoot it myself.

Beginning sometime this summer, once in a while the pipes in my house
would vibrate for a bit. This was usually when I had the water running
outside and would then start some laundry or something like that. The
vibrating was usually short-lived and it didn't happen very often. For
some reason, the problem has gotten rapidly worse this past week. Now
the pipes start vibrating like mad anytime something is using water.
Flush the toilet, turn on the shower, start some laundry...it's awful!
The pipes are *seriously* vibrating. It sounds like someone is trying
to tunnel into my house using a jack hammer.

Here's what I know about the house. It was built in 2001, so the
plumbing is relatively new. It has a pressure arrestor of some sort
that was set before we moved in. It has an ominous warning note not to
mess with it, so I haven't.

Where should I begin looking?

Thanks!

You may have a condition known as "Water hammer" Check this out:

http://home.howstuffworks.com/how-to-fix-pipes5.htm

John Grabowski wrote:


wrote in message
...

I have some sort of strange problem. I know little about plumbing, so
I have no idea what to do and I'd prefer to avoid calling a plumber. I
will if I have to, but I'd like to try to troubleshoot it myself.

Beginning sometime this summer, once in a while the pipes in my house
would vibrate for a bit. This was usually when I had the water running
outside and would then start some laundry or something like that. The
vibrating was usually short-lived and it didn't happen very often. For
some reason, the problem has gotten rapidly worse this past week. Now
the pipes start vibrating like mad anytime something is using water.
Flush the toilet, turn on the shower, start some laundry...it's awful!
The pipes are *seriously* vibrating. It sounds like someone is trying
to tunnel into my house using a jack hammer.

Here's what I know about the house. It was built in 2001, so the
plumbing is relatively new. It has a pressure arrestor of some sort
that was set before we moved in. It has an ominous warning note not to
mess with it, so I haven't.

Where should I begin looking?



I've experienced this problem a few times in my lifetime. The causes
have been either a faulty pressure reducer or worn out washers in the
faucets or valves. I've heard that a problem with your toilet fill
valve can cause this also, but I have never experienced that. Since it
seems to be happening regardless of what faucet is opened perhaps it is
the pressure reducer. I don't know if they can be repaired. I had mine
replaced and the problem went away.


It's most likely your pressure regulator.

16. How long will a Regulator last?
Regulators have been described as "life-of-mortgage" products, because
historically a malfunctioning pressure regulator is not replaced but
simply cleaned or repaired via an inexpensive service kit. Designwise,
it is similar to the kitchen faucet in that dirt or foreign matter on
the seating area can cause problems and actually it is no more difficult
to repair a regulator than it is to fix the kitchen faucet.

http://www.watts.com/pro/divisions/w...aq_wprv.asp#16

Boden

wrote in message
...
On Nov 23, 7:50 pm, Bob wrote:
wrote:
I have some sort of strange problem. I know little about plumbing, so
I have no idea what to do and I'd prefer to avoid calling a plumber. I
will if I have to, but I'd like to try to troubleshoot it myself.

Beginning sometime this summer, once in a while the pipes in my house
would vibrate for a bit. This was usually when I had the water running
outside and would then start some laundry or something like that. The
vibrating was usually short-lived and it didn't happen very often. For
some reason, the problem has gotten rapidly worse this past week...

Have you measured the incoming water pressure? It sounds like you may
have a pressure regulator that's wearing out, or the pressure is
otherwise increasing.

I haven't measured the water pressure. I wouldn't even know how,
honestly. Maybe for now I'll just turn down the valve coming into the
house to the point below which the vibration starts. Then I suppose
I'll have to call an expert in and have them check it and replace that
regulator, if necessary.

Thanks!
Lots of possibilities, including something as simple as a loose faucet
washer.

Don Young

On Nov 24, 7:42*pm, "Don Young" wrote:
wrote in message

...
On Nov 23, 7:50 pm, Bob wrote:

wrote:
I have some sort of strange problem. I know little about plumbing, so
I have no idea what to do and I'd prefer to avoid calling a plumber. I
will if I have to, but I'd like to try to troubleshoot it myself.

Beginning sometime this summer, once in a while the pipes in my house
would vibrate for a bit. This was usually when I had the water running
outside and would then start some laundry or something like that. The
vibrating was usually short-lived and it didn't happen very often. For
some reason, the problem has gotten rapidly worse this past week...

Have you measured the incoming water pressure? It sounds like you may
have a pressure regulator that's wearing out, or the pressure is
otherwise increasing.

I haven't measured the water pressure. I wouldn't even know how,
honestly. Maybe for now I'll just turn down the valve coming into the
house to the point below which the vibration starts. Then I suppose
I'll have to call an expert in and have them check it and replace that
regulator, if necessary.

Thanks!
Lots of possibilities, including something as simple as a loose faucet
washer.

Don Young

For the moment, I partially closed the main valve in my basement. That
seems to have stopped the vibrating and I haven't noticed any
substantial change in water pressure.

I don't even know what stub dampers are! I'll have to find out, and as
soon as I get back from my Thanksgiving trip, I'll drain and refill
the pipes to see if that helps.

Thanks for all the help!

On Nov 23, 2:04*pm, "
wrote:
I have some sort of strange problem. I know little about plumbing, so
I have no idea what to do and I'd prefer to avoid calling a plumber. I
will if I have to, but I'd like to try to troubleshoot it myself.

Beginning sometime this summer, once in a while the pipes in my house
would vibrate for a bit. This was usually when I had the water running
outside and would then start some laundry or something like that. The
vibrating was usually short-lived and it didn't happen very often. For
some reason, the problem has gotten rapidly worse this past week. Now
the pipes start vibrating like mad anytime something is using water.
Flush the toilet, turn on the shower, start some laundry...it's awful!
The pipes are *seriously* vibrating. It sounds like someone is trying
to tunnel into my house using a jack hammer.

Here's what I know about the house. It was built in 2001, so the
plumbing is relatively new. It has a pressure arrestor of some sort
that was set before we moved in. It has an ominous warning note not to
mess with it, so I haven't.

Where should I begin looking?

Thanks!

I just went through this a few weeks ago. Vibrating and thumping
started slowly (an every now and then thing) to happening almost every
time we used any water.

I bought a $12 pressure gauge at a hardware store, screwed it onto the
utility sink and found that the pressure in my house was over 75 PSI.
Normal house pressure should be ~ 45 - 55 PSI. I also measured an
exterior spigot, which is before the pressure reducer and it also read
75 PSI.

It was pretty simple to deduce that my pressure regulator was shot.
$65 and a sweated fitting later and I was all set. Depending on where
your PR is located, you might not even need to sweat anything. The PR
have threaded unions, and you might be able to unscrew the old one and
screw the new one back on.

Mine is right up against a joist and can't be spun, requiring at least
one cut pipe.

On Nov 24, 3:12*am, Boden wrote:
John Grabowski wrote:

wrote in message
....

I have some sort of strange problem. I know little about plumbing, so
I have no idea what to do and I'd prefer to avoid calling a plumber. I
will if I have to, but I'd like to try to troubleshoot it myself.

Beginning sometime this summer, once in a while the pipes in my house
would vibrate for a bit. This was usually when I had the water running
outside and would then start some laundry or something like that. The
vibrating was usually short-lived and it didn't happen very often. For
some reason, the problem has gotten rapidly worse this past week. Now
the pipes start vibrating like mad anytime something is using water.
Flush the toilet, turn on the shower, start some laundry...it's awful!
The pipes are *seriously* vibrating. It sounds like someone is trying
to tunnel into my house using a jack hammer.

Here's what I know about the house. It was built in 2001, so the
plumbing is relatively new. It has a pressure arrestor of some sort
that was set before we moved in. It has an ominous warning note not to
mess with it, so I haven't.

Where should I begin looking?

I've experienced this problem a few times in my lifetime. *The causes
have been either a faulty pressure reducer or worn out washers in the
faucets or valves. *I've heard that a problem with your toilet fill
valve can cause this also, but I have never experienced that. *Since it
seems to be happening regardless of what faucet is opened perhaps it is
the pressure reducer. *I don't know if they can be repaired. *I had mine
replaced and the problem went away.

It's most likely your pressure regulator.

16. How long will a Regulator last?
Regulators have been described as "life-of-mortgage" products, because
historically a malfunctioning pressure regulator is not replaced but
simply cleaned or repaired via an inexpensive service kit. Designwise,
it is similar to the kitchen faucet in that dirt or foreign matter on
the seating area can cause problems and actually it is no more difficult
to repair a regulator than it is to fix the kitchen faucet.

http://www.watts.com/pro/divisions/w...rol/support/su...

Boden- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

When my regulator went out a few weeks ago, I called a few supply
houses to get a replacement. To a man, they all said don't bother
trying to rebuild it. For the $65 it costs for a new one, it's not
worth spending the money or time to rebuild the old one. It took me
less than a half hour to replace my old one, probably less time than
it would have taken me to rebuild the old one. The rebuild kit would
have to been just about free to make it worth my time - not to mention
the possibility of it still not working afterwards.

wrote in message
...


I don't even know what stub dampers are! I'll have to find out, and as
soon as I get back from my Thanksgiving trip, I'll drain and refill
the pipes to see if that helps.

************************************************** ****8

It's just a capped stub of pipe above the faucet which holds an air pocket,
producing a sort of spring to absorb pressure surges.

On Nov 25, 11:43*am, DerbyDad03 wrote:
On Nov 23, 2:04*pm, "
wrote:



I have some sort of strange problem. I know little about plumbing, so
I have no idea what to do and I'd prefer to avoid calling a plumber. I
will if I have to, but I'd like to try to troubleshoot it myself.

Beginning sometime this summer, once in a while the pipes in my house
would vibrate for a bit. This was usually when I had the water running
outside and would then start some laundry or something like that. The
vibrating was usually short-lived and it didn't happen very often. For
some reason, the problem has gotten rapidly worse this past week. Now
the pipes start vibrating like mad anytime something is using water.
Flush the toilet, turn on the shower, start some laundry...it's awful!
The pipes are *seriously* vibrating. It sounds like someone is trying
to tunnel into my house using a jack hammer.

Here's what I know about the house. It was built in 2001, so the
plumbing is relatively new. It has a pressure arrestor of some sort
that was set before we moved in. It has an ominous warning note not to
mess with it, so I haven't.

Where should I begin looking?

Thanks!

I just went through this a few weeks ago. Vibrating and thumping
started slowly (an every now and then thing) to happening almost every
time we used any water.

I bought a $12 pressure gauge at a hardware store, screwed it onto the
utility sink and found that the pressure in my house was over 75 PSI.
Normal house pressure should be ~ 45 - 55 PSI. I also measured an
exterior spigot, which is before the pressure reducer and it also read
75 PSI.

It was pretty simple to deduce that my pressure regulator was shot.
$65 and a sweated fitting later and I was all set. Depending on where
your PR is located, you might not even need to sweat anything. The PR
have threaded unions, and you might be able to unscrew the old one and
screw the new one back on.

Mine is right up against a joist and can't be spun, requiring at least
one cut pipe.

Mine is super easy to get to and I think it is threaded. I'll take a
closer look tonight, but maybe this is something I can just replace on
my own. However, I don't know how to set it for the right pressure. It
will be learning experience.

On Nov 25, 3:22*pm, "
wrote:
On Nov 25, 11:43*am, DerbyDad03 wrote:





On Nov 23, 2:04*pm, "
wrote:

I have some sort of strange problem. I know little about plumbing, so
I have no idea what to do and I'd prefer to avoid calling a plumber. I
will if I have to, but I'd like to try to troubleshoot it myself.

Beginning sometime this summer, once in a while the pipes in my house
would vibrate for a bit. This was usually when I had the water running
outside and would then start some laundry or something like that. The
vibrating was usually short-lived and it didn't happen very often. For
some reason, the problem has gotten rapidly worse this past week. Now
the pipes start vibrating like mad anytime something is using water.
Flush the toilet, turn on the shower, start some laundry...it's awful!
The pipes are *seriously* vibrating. It sounds like someone is trying
to tunnel into my house using a jack hammer.

Here's what I know about the house. It was built in 2001, so the
plumbing is relatively new. It has a pressure arrestor of some sort
that was set before we moved in. It has an ominous warning note not to
mess with it, so I haven't.

Where should I begin looking?

Thanks!

I just went through this a few weeks ago. Vibrating and thumping
started slowly (an every now and then thing) to happening almost every
time we used any water.

I bought a $12 pressure gauge at a hardware store, screwed it onto the
utility sink and found that the pressure in my house was over 75 PSI.
Normal house pressure should be ~ 45 - 55 PSI. I also measured an
exterior spigot, which is before the pressure reducer and it also read
75 PSI.

It was pretty simple to deduce that my pressure regulator was shot.
$65 and a sweated fitting later and I was all set. Depending on where
your PR is located, you might not even need to sweat anything. The PR
have threaded unions, and you might be able to unscrew the old one and
screw the new one back on.

Mine is right up against a joist and can't be spun, requiring at least
one cut pipe.

Mine is super easy to get to and I think it is threaded. I'll take a
closer look tonight, but maybe this is something I can just replace on
my own. However, I don't know how to set it for the right pressure. It
will be *learning experience.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

They typically come pre-set to 50 PSI. My new one reads about 45 PSI
with my $12 gauge, but I see no reason to adjust it. For all I know,
it's the gauge, not the regulator.

Showers and sinks all work fine, I get no water hammer from any
fixtures, so I'm leaving mine alone.

replying to , Harold Stinkweed wrote:
OK, I know this has been a few years since it's been published, but it was
one of the first results that came up when I searched. I'm hoping that
this might help someone else. It's a very specific and odd solution.

What seemed to have worked for me:
Check to make sure that you don't have an outdoor water hose valve open
(with the sprayer keeping the water from flowing).

My story:
I noticed a rumbling/vibrating noise had appeared suddenly after winter.
The noise was apparent for a few seconds after water was turned on in all
areas of the house (Bathroom, Kitchen, Laundry). After a few seconds of
letting the water flow, it would stop. Sometimes it would occur
immediately after the water was turned off as well. This was especially
noticeable when the washing machine would shut off. I tried shutting off
the main water supply and removing air from the system as Lew of Virginia
had described, but that didn't work.
Finally I realized that I had accidently left the valve to the back yard
water hose open (no water was flowing, the nozzle was shut off). I turned
the valve off and checked to see if the vibration was still present; it
was not. Maybe there was air in the hose, or maybe the hose was flexible
enough to cause the vibration.



--

replying to , Wade Chattanooga,TN wrote:
jneiberger wrote:

I have some sort of strange problem. I know little about plumbing, so
I have no idea what to do and I'd prefer to avoid calling a plumber. I
will if I have to, but I'd like to try to troubleshoot it myself.
Beginning sometime this summer, once in a while the pipes in my house
would vibrate for a bit. This was usually when I had the water running
outside and would then start some laundry or something like that. The
vibrating was usually short-lived and it didn't happen very often. For
some reason, the problem has gotten rapidly worse this past week. Now
the pipes start vibrating like mad anytime something is using water.
Flush the toilet, turn on the shower, start some laundry...it's awful!
The pipes are *seriously* vibrating. It sounds like someone is trying
to tunnel into my house using a jack hammer.
Here's what I know about the house. It was built in 2001, so the
plumbing is relatively new. It has a pressure arrestor of some sort
that was set before we moved in. It has an ominous warning note not to
mess with it, so I haven't.
Where should I begin looking?
Thanks!


Today my pipes started vibrating very bad when any of the three toilets
were flushed. It sounded like a air compressor was running in the
basement.At first I thought something had gone wrong with the PRV but what
I figured out is I had left the outside hose faucet on with a 50 foot hose
attached. The sprayer on the end of the hose was closed so the hose was
full of pressurized water. Once I turned the outside hose faucet off the
vibrating problem went away. The only thing I can figure out is the 50
foot hose acted as a pressurized reservoir, when the toilet was flushed
there was a pressure drop in the piping and water was feeding in from the
PRV and the hose causing the PRV to oscillate. Any other ideas as to why
this would happen?

--

On 07/18/2015 09:44 PM, "Wade Chattanooga" wrote:



Today my pipes started vibrating very bad when any of the three toilets
were flushed. It sounded like a air compressor was running in the
basement.At first I thought something had gone wrong with the PRV but what
I figured out is I had left the outside hose faucet on with a 50 foot hose
attached. The sprayer on the end of the hose was closed so the hose was
full of pressurized water. Once I turned the outside hose faucet off the
vibrating problem went away. The only thing I can figure out is the 50
foot hose acted as a pressurized reservoir, when the toilet was flushed
there was a pressure drop in the piping and water was feeding in from the
PRV and the hose causing the PRV to oscillate. Any other ideas as to why
this would happen?

Maybe you need to adjust the bias on your SDR?

"Wade Chattanooga"; "TN" wrote in message
roups.com...

replying to , Wade Chattanooga,TN wrote:
jneiberger wrote:

I have some sort of strange problem. I know little about plumbing, so
I have no idea what to do and I'd prefer to avoid calling a plumber. I
will if I have to, but I'd like to try to troubleshoot it myself.
Beginning sometime this summer, once in a while the pipes in my house
would vibrate for a bit. This was usually when I had the water running
outside and would then start some laundry or something like that.


You folks in Tennessee are all dumb.

I have some sort of strange problem. I know little about plumbing, so
I have no idea what to do and I'd prefer to avoid calling a plumber. I
will if I have to, but I'd like to try to troubleshoot it myself.
Beginning sometime this summer, once in a while the pipes in my house
would vibrate for a bit. This was usually when I had the water running
outside and would then start some laundry or something like that.

If it is always when the outdoor facet is on, change the washer in that
faucet. If it is not open all the way, open it more and that may cure it.

The right flow over a worn washer can make a lot of noise and vibration.

replying to John Grabowski, Cecil wrote:
Hi John.

I have my own well. Am experiencing the same problems as above. When doing
laundry, flushing toilet, taking shower, etc.
Got what you said earlier.
My ? for you is how often should I drain my gas water heater?
Thanks, Cecil

--
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