Last week we had some guys come and put in a new gasket in our bathtub and put new flooring on the floors. They had to turn the water off at the toilet to remove the toilet. Well, ever since that day, whenever it's been a while since we flushed the toilet, and we flush it, the pipes makes this loud vibrating noise. It's horrible. We've had one of guys come out and take a look and he doesn't seem to know what it is. He THINKS it's this valve in the basement. He says that we really don't need this valve there to prevent the water pressure from flowing back, but that some townships require it, even if you don't need it. He said he could replace it and the piece would be $120, or he could just replace it with normal piping. He also says that nothing they did could have caused that problem, and that a valve usually lasts about 8 years. and of course that's how old my house is.

I know it's hard to understand if you haven't heard what I'm talking about. But, everything was just fine until they came here. One of the guys is my Best Friend's Father in Law and I used them because I thought I wouldn't get ripped off. I did have to leave for about an hour when they were here to pick up my child. Is it possible that they did something to my pipes purposely?

I am very upset because my husband and I are completely clueless when it comes to this stuff and we are HUGE targets to get taken advantage of. That's why I like to go with people we know. I'd like to think they aren't messing with us, but seriously... I lived in my parent's house for 20 years and I don't remember anything like that happening.

Oh and to add, I've tested it out, and I really don't think it's even the valve. When I feel the valve when it makes that noise, the noise sounds like it's coming from the pipes closest to the toilet.

I will say that when my Best Friends Father in Law came to diagnose the problem with the bath tub, he was very thorough and I felt very secure with his ability to fix my problem. I did mention to him that I wasn't secure with the thought that it was the valve causing the problem.

The noise also occurs when I turn the washing machine on, and sometimes when I turn the sinks on. It only occurs if it's been awhile since the last big flow of water. Sometimes 30 minutes or so.

Any help would be GREATLY appreciated.

TIA

~Aileen

 

Check washer on the stems of the shut off valves of said fixtures that are being effected, a loose washer is a number one cause that make pipes rattle.

 

But it's all the fixtures that have this problem. The washing machine, all toilets, and even the sinks if we turn it on all the way. and it really isn't what I would call rattling, but loud vibrating that almost makes the whole house shake. Could it be something else?

Thanks.

 

Could be high water pressure, check the pressure on an outside hose bib, if 80psi or higher, a pressure reducing valve will be needed

 

First of all I just wanted to thank you for all of your help. I really do appreciate it. I bought a gauge today and tested the pressure and it went up to 95. HIGH. This pressure reducing valve, is it something that I can learn how to install or do I have to hire a plumber to do it?

and if you can answer this... why is it that everything worked just fine until they guys came in and turned off the water? Could shutting off the water have just stirred things up? They only shut it off at the toilet.

and don't you think that the guy that came out to listen to the pipes could have figured out about the water pressure? I'm no plumber, but it seems that high water pressure would be one of the first things I would have thought.

Again, thanks so much for your help. I hope this is something I can do myself.

~Aileen

 

Unless your public water supplier has just done something new, with that kind of pressure you probably already have a pressure reducing valve that has failed.
It should be on the house side of the meter, perhaps in the basement near your main house shut-off valve. Could be the one that the guy was pointing out, but they should last a lot longer than 8 years.
One kind: Look for a different looking valve with a threaded adjusting bolt (with a locknut at its base) sticking out of the valve.
If its located after your home main shut-off valve, you can turn that off. If before, turn off the meter to replace it.
Good luck!
Mike

 

hi again. Quick simple question. The pressure reducing valve and the bolt that sticks up... To reduce the pressure... do I screw the bolt more in? or do I loosen it?

Thanks!

~Aileen

 

You loosen it to reduce the pressure. Turn it counter-clockwise, when looking from the end of the bolt.

 

Here is a picture and description of the pressure reducing valve:

http://www.doityourself.com/store/6137459.htm