Another common cause of loud toilets is the infamous "water hammer." A water hammer causes bangs in your pipes when you flush because a valve in your toilet is closed quickly, which suddenly cuts off the water and pressure that was flowing through the pipes.
Here are some possible reasons why your toilet is leaking at base anytime you flush: Your fill or supply valves are loose. A cracked toilet tank. The flapper isn't shutting as it should over the valve seat, causing the flush valve to leak.
Toilet Flapper Causing Ghost Flushing
Typically, the flapper no longer creates a seal over the drain, so water continuously fills the bowl until causing it to flush, preventing it from overflowing. Simply replacing the flapper normally fixes the problem.
First make sure the shutoff valve is open all the way. Turn the handle counterclockwise to fully open the valve. Flush the toilet and see if that stops the noise. If the noise persists, close the valve by turning it clockwise.
The extreme pressure caused by water hammer can blow out gaskets and cause pipes to suddenly rupture, causing serious injury to anyone nearby.
Banging Pipes
If you hear a banging or a bumping noise coming from your pipes after you flush the toilet, you likely have a water hammer issue on your hands. This shockwave effect occurs after a sudden change in water pressure, causing the pressurized water to bang against the valve opening.
Well, a “phantom flush” is a common toilet problem and it could be wasting up to 200 gallons of water per day!
Phantom flushing, also known as ghost flushing, means that your toilet creates a sound as if it's flushed even when it's not being used. This usually happens when there's a leak in the tank. Find out the cause of the seepage and perform the necessary repair to stop the dripping.
Phantom flushing occurs when the toilet spontaneously refills periodically, typically due to an issue with the fill valve or the flapper valve. Furthermore, it may waste as much as 200 gallons of water per day.
You can use Drano® Clog Removers to unclog a kitchen sink, bathroom sink, shower or clogged bathtub, but DO NOT use them in toilets. For clogged or slow-running drains, apply the product and let it work 15 minutes, then flush with hot water.
The main reason you're seeing bubbling water in your toilet bowl is from a lack of airflow in your sewer line through a vent pipe. If something is blocking one of your sewer lines or a vent stack, you'll start to get bubbling in your toilet bowl as air tries to escape.
While toilets are meant to last several decades, they do have a limit. If you know your toilet has been around longer than you've been alive, then there's a chance that it's likely on its last leg already. A general rule of thumb is to replace a toilet around every 25 years, though your mileage may vary.
There is only one Drano® product recommended for use in slow-running toilets: Drano® Max Build-Up Remover. It contains microorganisms that break down organic matter in pipes that can slow water flow.
While toilet flappers are normally pretty durable, they can wear out over time. The average toilet flapper lasts about 4 to 5 years. It is important that you replace your toilet flapper when needed to prevent damaging leaks.
So, yes, not flushing every time will save water, and every little bit helps, but don't let that fool you into complacency in other more water-intensive areas of life.
Blocked Pipes
If your sewage drain is clogged, it can cause odors to be released each time a toilet is flushed. Having blocked pipes fixed as soon as possible can help other disasters from happening such as overflowing toilets!
By the same math we did above, flushing every third time you tinkle (twice a day) instead of every time (6 times a day), saves you $18.98 a year, about the same as 2 months of your Netflix subscription. And even if your water bill is twice the average, you're still only saving about $38 per year.
Also called hydraulic shock, the signs of water hammer include a loud thumping or “hammering” noise from pipes carrying fluid and moderate- to heavy vibrations along the pipe system. Its impact can range from mild or undetectable vibrations to severe and very disruptive pressure shocks.
Install a Water Hammer Arrestor: This device has an air-filled cylinder to absorb the impact of abrupt increases in water pressure. Most water hammer arrestors install between the shut-off valve and supply line via screw-type connectors.
Enough force from water hammer can even cause pipes to burst. If you hear rattling sounds along with the water hammer, it likely means you have pipes coming loose.
A leaking flapper allows water to leak into the bowl of your toilet, which is wasteful, and can waste hundreds of gallons of water per year if not fixed. Fixing a damaged or worn-out flapper is a job that just about anyone can do, and we strongly encourage homeowners to do this repair on their own.
Here are the average prices of the parts that you may need to fix your toilet: Flappers: $10 – $30. Fill valves: $12 – $60. Wax ring: $3 – $25.