Plumbing issue?

[ssarah]

We have issues with the plumbing in our old apartment and we have vibrations in the floor, especially after we have flushed a lot of water like after a shower or running the washing machine. There's also a low frequency humming all over the apartment. I'm thinking there must be some pipes under the floors in old apartments that's causing the vibrations and humming ? The parquet flooring is also really bad in the living room, where it sinks down in certain areas when we walk on it.

 

[ssarah]

By the way the water pipes in the bathroom are also very rusty. They look in very bad condition.

 

[Chuck]

What you are describing is known as 'water hammer'. There are several possible causes, use the 'search' box near the top right of this page to see plenty of discussions. Left untreated, water hammer can damage pipes and break joints. It can be tricky to diagnose as it can be an 'emergent property' of the system arising from the interaction of several parts (loose pipes, faulty valves). That said, worn/faulty toilet cistern fill valves seem to be responsible in a good number of cases and if you want to DIY, that's what I'd check first.

If your apartment is part of a shared block, before working on the 'built-in' plumbing make sure you understand whether it's you or the building manager / owner who is responsible for fixing this sort of problem.

 

[ssarah]

What you are describing is known as 'water hammer'. There are several possible causes, use the 'search' box near the top right of this page to see plenty of discussions. Left untreated, water hammer can damage pipes and break joints. It can be tricky to diagnose as it can be an 'emergent property' of the system arising from the interaction of several parts (loose pipes, faulty valves). That said, worn/faulty toilet cistern fill valves seem to be responsible in a good number of cases and if you want to DIY, that's what I'd check first.

If your apartment is part of a shared block, before working on the 'built-in' plumbing make sure you understand whether it's you or the building manager / owner who is responsible for fixing this sort of problem.

Im trying to post the audio of the recording but the site wont allow the link to Soundcloud ? I dont know how else to post the audio... I'm going to keep trying because i've recorded what it sounds like today and would like some input if it sounds like water hammering. Or I can send it to you?