Why Does My Toilet Make Noises When Not In Use?
Is your toilet whistling behind your back? Is it making a whooshing sound in the middle of the night, even when you are nowhere near it? Is it shrieking, wailing or making banging noises?
The chances are that your toilet is not in the best condition.
A well designed, good quality toilet is always well behaved. It stops making a sound once the tank fills up after flushing. It doesn’t make a noise when you’re not around. If it vibrates when not in use, leaking or malfunctioning in other ways, you need to take a good look inside the pipes to gauge the problem and fix it at once before your water bills escalate.
At Total Plumbing and Heating, we are known to offer the best plumbing services in Alberta. If your toilet keeps running even after the tank is full, here are a few issues you need to look out for.
#1 Why is it noisy?
Find out when the sounds emerge. Is it after flushing, or even after the tank is full? Is it on for a short while or for long hours? There are several reasons behind a toilet that makes noises:
- It could be a leaking valve
- Buildup from calcium deposits in the pipes
- The fill valves could have broken down
#2 Check the fill valve
Once you replace the part or clean the pipes, the noise should subside. If it continues to make a buzz after it is flushed, the problem could be with the fill valve. Check the diaphragm gasket within the fill valve. Has it lost elasticity, hardened up or worn down? It is easy to see if the fill valve is in good shape:
- Carefully lift the toilet tank lid
- Hold up the delicate float arm
- If the noise stops, it is attached to the fill valve
- If it is not attached or malfunctioning, the noise will continue
- Adjust the fill valve until it stops buzzing; if it doesn’t, replace it
#3 Check the float
Sometimes you may need to reset the float arm to a lower level in the tank:
- Lift up the toilet lid, locate the float ball and inspect the attachment at the end of the rod.
- Squeeze the adjustable clip to lower the float. The water should stop running completely.
- Flush the toilet to check again. If it continues to make protesting noises, the fill valve needs to be replaced if it doesn’t need adjusting.
- If you hear a whooshing sound that stops after the tank is full, there could be a calcium buildup.
Calcium buildup is common if you live near the lake. Hard water from the lake can choke your toilet pipes. Clean the pipes with a calcium and mineral deposit cleaning agent. If the task is not your cup of tea, call professionals who can do so for you.
Total Plumbing and Heating, Edmonton
Call our experts at Total Plumbing and Heating if your toilet continues to make its presence felt with disturbing noises. We come prepared with all the necessary tools to repair quick at affordable prices ensuring that your toilet enjoys a long lasting relationship with you.
We use the latest tools and technology for all kinds for plumbing repairs from cleaning catch basis, sump pit cleaning, area drain cleaning and more.
