hear water running in walls but no sign of water leak

[simonebetelli]

I can hear water running in the walls behind my bathroom even when all fixtures are cut off. When I turn off the main cutoff, the sounds stops. When I turn it back on, the sound does not return immediately, but only after 10 min to 2 hours. There is a very small leak at the cold water cutoff under the sink.

The sound of running water stops sometimes, it is not continuous. When the plumber came and I turned on the main water cutoff, the sound did not return immediately. They turned on the spigot on the outside and the sound returned and stopped when they turned it off, so they assumed it was a neighbor using my water and left. I had 2 small leaks repaired on an outside line out of that spigot, and the sound stopped for a few hours, then returned.

I also have had some faucet repair in the bathroom, there is only about half the water pressure now in the cold water faucet after the repair.

I do not have a water meter, the water is billed through homeowners dues. The house is on a slab, SW Florida, built in the 70's. I do not hear the sound in other walls so I feel it is related to that bathroom or the outside spigot. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!

 

[IFIXH20]

Did the plumber check your toilet for leaks in the tanks . The toilet could be phantom flushing ( meaning water in the tank is escaping and the tank is refilling) or you could have a faulty fill valve. As far as the low water pressure to your faucet, check to make sure the stop (shutoff valve) to the faucet is fully open , look in the cabinet below the sink for the stops.

 

[johnjh2o]

I'm thinking slab leak. The age of the system is right. The first thing to check is the meter to see if it's running when your not using water. If it is then turn the water off at the main were it enters the home. If the meter then stops running you know the problem is in the house and not outside. Post back and let us know what you find.

John

 

[simonebetelli]

Thank you IFIX2O. Plumber did not check for leaks in toilet as the water in tank is very still, but I will follow your suggestion to check this!. Valve to faucet is open, but leaking slightly so maybe it is faulty. I am wondering if when handyman tried to fix faucet and replaced some parts, that pipe in the wall became disconnected.

Thank you John, unfortunately I do not have a meter as the water is billed for the entire neighborhood, so that makes this trouble shooting more challenging. The really crazy part is that sometimes about 10% of the time, I do not hear the water running in the pipes.

 

[IFIXH20]

Thank you IFIX2O. Plumber did not check for leaks in toilet as the water in tank is very still, but I will follow your suggestion to check this!. Valve to faucet is open, but leaking slightly so maybe it is faulty. I am wondering if when handyman tried to fix faucet and replaced some parts, that pipe in the wall became disconnected.

The stop(shutoff valve) packing may need tighten to stop the leak. If the piping in the wall is disconnected (above the slab) , you would have water all over the place. Does your leak sound comes and go with the water on all day or only when you turn the water off , Is where a certain time of day the leak occurs ?

 

[simonebetelli]

Thank you IFIXH20 again. The sound of running water in the pipes is only when the main cutoff to the house water, is on. However, today, when I turned the water off, the sound continued for about 15 minutes. Sometimes the sound does not come back for about 2hours after I turn it back on.

 

[IFIXH20]

You should get your HOA involved being you do not have a sperate water meter. Get second opinion from another plumber.