By Barry Stone
Dear Barry,
We just purchased a new home and have noticed an unusual problem. When the upstairs toilets are flushed, we can hear the water flowing loudly inside the wall. Sometimes it is very annoying. We had the house inspected before closing escrow, but the inspector did not mention this in the report. Is there something that can be done or is this normal? --Siva
Dear Siva,
The noise you hear is toilet effluent running down the drainpipe inside the wall. Residential drain lines are typically comprised of plastic. This material, being light and moderately flexible, tends to amplify the sound of rushing water, especially in vertical piping where the flow is rapid. In older homes, drainpipes usually consist of cast iron and steel. This significantly reduces the noise of water flow because the mass and rigidity of the material makes it less prone to vibration.
Substantial noise reduction would entail wall surgery to facilitate upgrades. This of course would be costly and intrusive. Most people in your situation would simply grow accustomed to the noise.
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