Flushing Sound

[malkee]

I'm having a problem in the condo I rent and I'd like a little information on a strange problem.

I live on the second floor and repairs were recently done to stop a leak from my toilet through the ceiling to the bathroom below. The repairs were not done by a plumber.

This was maybe a month or two ago. Now I am suddenly hearing a strange "flushing" sound in the pipes every five minutes or so. There's no apparent problem...just the sound coming from the wall behind my toilet. The toilet of course, is not flushing. The sound lasts for 10-15 seconds.

Any idea what this might be? I'm just wondering what to tell the landlord.

 

[malkee]

I pulled the top off the toilet tank and waited to see what would happen. It seems the sound is coming from the tank. Every five minutes or so, a small amount of water automatcially comes into the circular tube in the tank, and stops after about 5 seconds. This started yesterday and it hasn't overflowed so I'm hoping and guessing for now that won't happen. What could be causing this? Is this something I need quick action on?

 

[majakdragon]

Sounds like your flapper is leaking water from the tank to the bowl. When this happens,the fill-valve opens to maintain the water level in the tank. Use a bit of food coloring or a couple cups of black coffee (liquid only, no grounds) in the tank. Wait a few minutes and see if the water in the bowl changes color.

 

[malkee]

Every five minutes or so, the water comes in short bursts from the black tubing inside the bowl into the pipe inside the bowl, as if a flush had started but stops. Does this still sound like a leak? Again, how serious is this?

 

[Chris]

Like he said it may be a leak from the flapper which would be an internal leak from the tank to the bowl so you won't see any water anywhere but where it is supposed to be. Your valve is just trying to keep the tank ful at all times, if you do the test the way he explained you will know if it is indeed the flapper that has gone bad.

Hope this helps a little.

 

[malkee]

I dumped much of a pitcher of iced tea into the tank -- enough to turn the water there brown. But so far, a half an hour later, there is no brown in the bowl.

 

[Chris]

Is the water in the tank all the way to the top of the plastic tube in the center or is it below it? It could be adjusted to high and be sitting at that sweet spot between on and off, if it is you can adjust the float to shut off maybe a half inch lower.

 

[havasu]

Coupled with what Chris said, reach down into the tank and lift your flapper. On the underside of the flapper, and the mating edge on the casting, sometimes you will accumulate slime, which prevents the flapper from sealing perfectly. Also, many people leave the chain dangling down, which sometimes get caught between the flapper and the tank, causing a slight leak occasionally. If this is the case, cut the excess chain up near the flushing handle.

 

[malkee]

Thanks you guys. I checked the flapper and it was seated incorrectly and some water was getting down into the tank. After I readjusted it, the noise and water stopped. Thank God! It was driving me crazy!

 

[havasu]

Good deal!

 

[Mr_David]

Nice job havasu.
I was wondering why my toilet was doing that.
I thought it was a ghost. ha ha JK
I'm guilty of workin' all day fixin' other people's stuff and ignoring my own.
Mine's been doing that for about a month now and I usually hear it in the middle of the night. Guess I'll put that on my to do list for today.

Some times the flush valve unit it self is cracked. My neighbor has one that he has replaced the flapper 3 times now and it continues to ghost flush.
He said he turned the water off and the tank would eventually drain down to the very bottom of the tank, below the seal edge of the flapper.