OT: Gurgling tap

No real metal content other than pipes and stuff.

Laundry tub faucet hisses and gurgles when "off" but no water comes out (operates normally when "on").

I relaced the rubber washer (though it didn't look all that bad), and it will stop hissing and gurgling when it is cranked down really hard, but not when it is just normally tight.

Any idea what the problem is here?

Best regards, Spehro Pefhany

Reply to
Spehro Pefhany
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Some kind of backflow going on? Try stretching some plastic wrap over the spout and see if anything is flowing either way?

Reply to
ATP*

"The Journey is the reward"

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Does it have shutoff valves? You must have used them when you replaced the washers. Dis the noise go away then?

Where are the fawcets? Attached to the wall, or attached to the tubs? I suspect they are wall attached. The seats for the washers are sometimes just the end of a tube rolled over inside the faucet assembly. If these are worn, cracked or loose, the water will leak out of the assembly and into your wall.

As soon as you are able, shut the water off and remove the faucet assembly from the wall. Or quicker still, look below the tubs for the lost water. If it goes on very long, it means drywall replacement. In worst case, it is a place for mold to grow.

My late business partner and wife bought a house in Bend, Oregon. They were the second owners. The house was a split level with the garage in the basement. When all was quite, as they were moving boxes into the garage, they hear similar noise and upon investigation, discovered a leaking laundry faucet. All the drywall had to be removed, along with some studs. The leak had been there since the house was built and the first owner didn't know it.

Good luck!

Paul

Reply to
co_farmer

No, I shut the pressure off at the meter (main entry to the house). It's the *hot* water BTW, I can feel a bit of steam, but no liquid comes out.

It's one of those plastic laundry tubs with the faucets attached to the back of it-- set into a wood cabinet with doors.

No water, just a bit of steam and hissing is evident. Everything under the sink is dry.

I don't see any leakage-- this has been going on for some time. There's unfinished basement directly below, so I think I'd notice any kind of a serious dripping really fast.

Now this is the weird thing- there's a thin (maybe 1/4" diameter) white plastic tube that runs down from between the two taps (which I can just see if I get my head under there). It's *hot*. So it's some kind of leak protection that is literally p*ssing money down the drain?

I guess new taps are in order, eh?

Best regards, Spehro Pefhany

Reply to
Spehro Pefhany

Sounds like the faucet seat isn't smooth enough.

You can buy a "faucet seat tool" pretty cheaply at most any well stocked hardware store. Its a hand turned "rotary file" which smooths out the seat.

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Try it, you'll like it....

Jeff

Reply to
Jeff Wisnia

is removeable. There are reamers to dress non-removeable seats if needed. Removeable seats will sometime leak thru the threads, also.

Don Young

Reply to
Don Young

Could this be a circulating hot water line? If so, it could be working as designed.

Reply to
Henry Q. Bibb

Hi, Henry. Not ever having a home with a circulating hot water system, I never even considered that. It sure would explain the steam coming out whenever he cracked a faucet.

If true, I am surprised he was not aware of it! I am sure a real estate sales person would point out the advantages!

Where would a pump be located for such a system and how would it connect to the col water source?

Paul

Reply to
co_farmer

Spehro Pefhany wrote: ...

Steam?! Whatever the source of noise is, you DO NOT WANT steam in water pipes! The dangers of scalding & explosion from runaway pressure absolutely preclude it. Check the water heater, first.

Bob

Reply to
Bob Engelhardt

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