There’s a fantastic article called 15 Easy Toilet Tune Ups that runs through a few of the sounds your toilet makes when it’s on the fritz, that is, running or leaking or in need of repair.

Basically, even though I know there are more sounds a toilet can make, I’ve put together a list of seven:

  1. The Pulsator – Sometimes known as the “pulsating toilet“.  Basically, after toilet has been flushed it’ll continue making a pulsing, intermittent noise which often can be stopped by holding the handle down for a few seconds.  This problem is often a result of a degraded flapper, which causes a leak, causing the refill valve to pulsate.
  2. The Night Moaner — At night the water pressure can increase in our water systems, which can cause certain parts, such as an old, crusty, worn-out ballcock, in our toilets to vibrate.  You basically need a new ballcock or refill valve, as nightly moaning can be a bit annoying, especially if it’s coming from your toilet.
  3. The Trickler – Related somewhat to the Pulsator, yet completely different in that it sounds like you’ve got babbling brook in your bathroom which is babbling incessantly.  Often times you need to check and see if something got caught, like the chain, or your flapper isn’t pressed down properly upon its valve seat.  This is the classic running toilet sound, an almost pleasantly trickling stream at times.  Beware!  That sound is an expensive sound, due to the fact a running toilet can be putting 120 gallons of water down the drain an hour.
  4. The Whistler – If your toilet makes all kinds of high-pitched whistling noises as the toilet tank is filling up, your ballcock with its float arm (refill valve) may be a bit outdated, that is, in need of an upgrade.  Older refill (or fill) valves fill up more slowly than the newer ones, which stay open until refill is complete.
  5. The Bubbler – If your toilet is bubbling loudly, it could indicate a clogged line, something you won’t be able to fix by replacing the flapper or something of that nature: “When you flush the discharge drains down the pipe untill it hits a partial clog. Then it rebounds back sending a “bubble” of air ahead of it. When you flush a toilet or drain a bathtub a suction is created by the water rushing down the pipe.“
  6. The Gurgler – A gurgling toilet, on the other hand, may mean you have a blocked vent: “When you flush a toilet or drain a bathtub a suction is created by the water rushing down the pipe. This suction is relieved by a open pipe that runs to the outside called a vent. When a vent’s stopped up the suction has to relieve itself somwhere, in this case your toilet. The noise you hear is the air being pulled through the trap by suction, (gurgle).“
  7. The Hummingbird – If your toilet is making a loud humming sound, kind of like that night groan, but a little bit gentler, it, too, is due to water pressure in the pipes, which in turn may mean your ballcock is worn out.  However, if it’s a humming that takes place after each flush, then valves may be opening and closing against each other in a way that’s indicative of a flow issues.

If you are interested in How You Can Increase Your Cash Flows by $2,500.00 Every Year and Never Pay for High Water Bills Due to Your Tenants’ Running Toilets, sign up for our Free Report here.

Abendigo Reebs is the VP of Business Development for LeakBird Industries LLC in San Francisco, CA. He may be reached by email at ben@leakbird.com

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