What is this noise? Sometimes when shower, bath or toilet is running

[GC2]

Hi,

Just wondering if anyone knows what the cause of this noise might be? Sometimes it is a rumble but today it was this amazingly annoying squeak!

 

[cjg]

tap only opened very little so water sniking passed, should not do it if flully open

 

[Basher]

Coming from a check valve fitted to (or integrated into) the shower flow control?

 

[GC2]

Coming from a check valve fitted to (or integrated into) the shower flow control?

Hi,

Thanks for your reply. I didn't install the shower; what would be the easiest way to check this?

 

[Basher]

I didn't install the shower; what would be the easiest way to check this?

To physically check what is there, you would need access to the shower valve and pipes, which often means taking surrounding tiles off the wall! (Unless there is access from behind). I guess that may not be an attractive proposition.
You could try removing the cover/escutcheon plate to see how much of the shower valve and pipes you could get at.

If you could find out the make and model of the shower valve, and find the technical information/ installation instructions, you could see if check valves are part of the shower unit. Even if they are, they may not be easily accessible.

In my experience check valves do make noise when the water is throttled, and the noise tends to diminish with more flow.
Would I be right in thinking your noise quietens or stops with the tap full on - is it still excessively noisy when taking a shower?

I don't have any suggestions as to how to stop it without getting at the whole shower valve assembly, no doubt others on the forum will.

 

[GC2]

To physically check what is there, you would need access to the shower valve and pipes, which often means taking surrounding tiles off the wall! (Unless there is access from behind). I guess that may not be an attractive proposition.
You could try removing the cover/escutcheon plate to see how much of the shower valve and pipes you could get at.

If you could find out the make and model of the shower valve, and find the technical information/ installation instructions, you could see if check valves are part of the shower unit. Even if they are, they may not be easily accessible.

In my experience check valves do make noise when the water is throttled, and the noise tends to diminish with more flow.
Would I be right in thinking your noise quietens or stops with the tap full on - is it still excessively noisy when taking a shower?

I don't have any suggestions as to how to stop it without getting at the whole shower valve assembly, no doubt others on the forum will.

Brilliant, thanks for your help! It's at a friend's house so I will do this and get back to you

 

[Basher]

Brilliant, thanks for your help! It's at a friend's house so I will do this and get back to you

I guess I may have been concentrating on the video! Having re-read your original post, in particular the title(!), you say it happens when you run the bath or toilet. If that is the case, the noisy check valve must be in the pipe before all those. Unless there's a check valve in each one, which is less likely. So I may have placed too much emphasis on the shower!
I think it's worth trying to locate the exact source of the noise when it's being generated by the bath or toilet. It may be there's a check valve in the vicinity of the shower, which is in a common pipe serving all three - shower, bath, toilet.

 

[GC2]

I guess I may have been concentrating on the video! Having re-read your original post, in particular the title(!), you say it happens when you run the bath or toilet. If that is the case, the noisy check valve must be in the pipe before all those. Unless there's a check valve in each one, which is less likely. So I may have placed too much emphasis on the shower!
I think it's worth trying to locate the exact source of the noise when it's being generated by the bath or toilet. It may be there's a check valve in the vicinity of the shower, which is in a common pipe serving all three - shower, bath, toilet.

Good point, thanks again. I believe there is a very common rumbling sound that happens with all three - bath, shower & toilet. I have witnessed this sound whenever the toilet cistern is refilling. It is difficult noise to place but its certainly near the shower. This high pitched squeal is a new development that has only been heard while using the shower. And I'm guessing not the most relaxing shower