Toilet Flush - terrible noise in pipes!

[LineRunner]

Could anyone advise? (Even if it's who I should call!)

After we flush our loo (which is upstairs) the pipes make a noise. Like playing a tuba. This happens as the cistern fills back up. At then end of each 'performance' the noise is very loud.

Does anyone know what causes this, and what I can do about it?

A friend advised bleeding the radiators but it didn't help.

It's called hammer and is caused by an air lock in the pipes

I lived with it for seven years on an old house. Get a plumber in but fix a price before they start work!

Oh, thanks for that, Eyes.

Anyone fancy suggesting a reasonable price that I should pay?

"a noise. Like playing a tuba"

not a banging noise?

then the ballcock (floatvalve) needs a new washer in it.

Water hammer sounds like someone is hammering. Hence the name.

turn off the water supply first, or the service valve if there is one.

It is actually easier to unscrew the old valve from its stem and fit a new one, than to take off the old one, clean and rewasher it, and put it back.

For a few pounds more you can fit a fluidmaster or torbeck silent valve (I would)

In DIY terms it is slightly more diificult than sewing on a button. You will need at least two adjustable spanners.

You can pay a plumber to do it if you prefer.

(ROFL at friend suggesting bleeding the radiators)

Oh yes water hammer - noisy!! Like a banging noise.

Oh, the plot thickens!

Some more diagnostics - if I turn on the cold tap on the sink next to the toilet, after flushing the loo, the noise seems to diminish or stop.

It sounds more like air through a tuba than actual banging. It gets really loud at the end. (Unless I turn the cold tap on.)

What do you eat?

This is not a poo thread

Yes, that's water hammer. We had to turn on the cold water to stop it. I think we ended up getting someone in but I can't really recall what they did, I know we lived with it for ages!

You're right, sorry for bringing it to the gutter :)

home.howstuffworks.com/home-improvement/plumbing/how-to-fix-pipes5.htm

home.howstuffworks.com/home-improvement/plumbing/how-to-fix-pipes5.htm

ignore the first link!

Well, I'm happy to try out the ballcock new washer (thanks), and the draining-water-out-of-the-system (more thanks).

However, my strange Victorian terraced house doesn't have a stopcock under the sink. (Neither does my neighbour's because he's always moaning about it.) How do I turn off my water?

There will be a stopcock somewhere! Cellar?

No, no cellar.

We each have a small square metal hatch outside our houses, in the pavement. Could this be the grail? I'll go and have a look.

Possibly, do you have a key to it?

It says 'Water' on my neighbour's. Mine says 'W'. It's a metal lid about 9 inches square, flush to the pavement.

No, I don't have a key.

Thank you for your amazing patience, by the way.

A friend is going to pop round and break everything have a look.

We levered the metal hatch open, and friend will be back tomorrow with the thing to turn the spigot.

if you contact your water company, they may well send you a key to the stopcock on the meter, either free or at a modest charge.

try this

Thanks PigletJohn that's really helpful.

I'm going to replace the whole ballcock assemblage as well, as I've had a look and it's positively primaevel in there.

In our last place there was a long thingy in the front garden - like a giant Allen key, to turn lift the cover for the stopcock and to turn the stopcock off.

We have the chamber, just not the key. But my friend's bringing one tomorrow.

I wonder how hard it will be to turn it - clearly it hasn't been turned for over seventeen years...