Vibrating Pipes When Flushing Toilet

A toilet is one of the most important parts of a home, and just like your living room, dining room, and bedroom, you want to keep it in perfect condition all the time. One of the problems you'll encounter with your toilet is hearing unusual or vibrating sounds in the walls during and after flushing.

Vibrating sounds in a toilet are quite alarming, especially if there's already a loud rattle or a loud thud. Why would your toilet be making that sound anyway? Is it a sign of a plumbing emergency? A loud vibrating noise in a toilet could be caused by a number of things, but the most common culprit could be your toilet's fill valve.

Read on to understand why your toilet is making that noise and what you can do about it.

The Toilet's Fill Valve

If your toilet is making a loud vibrating noise every time you flush, the most common cause could be an issue with the toilet's fill valve, specifically its diaphragm gasket. The fill valve is the mechanism in your toilet tank that controls how much water flows into the bowl after each flush. It's usually located on the left side of the tank, and it's connected to a water supply line that brings fresh water into the tank.

When the fill valve wears out, it becomes stiff and less flexible. When it tries to shut off, it bounces up and down, causing the vibrating sounds you hear. This is something you can check by yourself. Take the tank lid off, then gently lift the fill valve float arm. If you don't hear the vibration, then the fill valve is the issue, and you need to replace it. If it’s worn out, try to replace yourself or leave it to a plumber if you don’t know how to replace the fill valve, as tampering with it can worsen the situation.

A Loose Pipe

Another reason you might hear banging pipes is due to a loose pipe. When a pipe isn't properly secured, it can move and bang against the surrounding surfaces, causing a loud noise. This is most likely to happen with copper or galvanized steel pipes.

So, if there is no problem with your fill valve, consider checking your plumbing system. Check your loose pipes behind your wall because this could be the primary source of your toilet vibration. The only thing you need to do is to secure it using pipe clips with wooden framing.

This is an easy job to do yourself. Visibly inspect your pipes in open areas to see if they move around when turning faucets on and off or flushing the toilet. If you're not comfortable doing it yourself, call a professional plumber to assist you to do it.

High Water Pressure

If your home has high water pressure, this could be the primary source of your flushing toilet vibration. This high pressure can cause pipes to vibrate and lead to long term damage to your pipes and appliances. You can test this by using a water pressure gauge. Indoor water pressure should be between 40 and 60 pounds per square inch. If you're measuring a higher number than that, then you most likely have high water pressure.

If you're unsure if you have high water pressure, you can buy a wallet-friendly gauge and read your water pressure at any outdoor spigot. Ideally, you should be looking for 60 to 80 pounds per square inch. If your water pressure is over 80 psi, then you'll need a pressure reducing valve. Alternatively, you can hire a local plumber to test your pressure.

The Water Hammer Effect

If you have ever heard banging pipes when flushing the toilet, then you have experienced the water hammer effect. This phenomenon is caused by a sudden change in water pressure. When a valve is closed quickly, the water has nowhere to go and builds up pressure behind the closed valve. This pressure build-up can cause your pipes or faucets to shake, rattle, and bang.

There are several methods you can fix this. First, you can hire a professional plumber to attach the water hammer arrestor, which will take an invasive process because they'll need to cut your wall. This is a device that is installed in line with your pipes. It has a chamber that fills with water when the water pressure suddenly decreases. This extra water acts as a cushion and absorbs the shock of the sudden pressure change, lessening the noise.

If you have lived in the house for a long time and the hammering effect has gradually gotten worse, it could be that you have air chambers connected to your pipes behind the walls. Air chambers help cushion against the hammering effect, but they get filled with water over time and require draining to allow them to refill with air.

You can also try to fix it yourself by bleeding the air out of your pipes. To do this, turn on all the faucets in your home and let them run for a few minutes until the water runs clear. This will allow any trapped air to escape and should stop your pipes from vibrating. You can also fix this by shutting off the main water valve, opening up the faucets, and flushing the toilets.

Random Vibrations

If you hear random vibrations even without flushing the toilet, then your toilet's flapper may be the culprit. Over time, when the flapper wears out, water can leak into your toilet's bowl, while there are also slow leaks happening in your tank.

When the tank refills, there comes and creates vibration noise. What makes your toilet flappers wear out quickly? Your flapper can wear out quickly if you keep on using chemicals when cleaning your toilet. It's a good idea to fix your toilet's loud vibration noise, but gain some primary knowledge of the problem before working on that.

And if you continue suffering from the same problem, then you need to change the old ones. Make sure you check some of the best flushing toilet reviews to get the best one for your needs.

FAQs on Why Pipes Vibrate When Flushing Toilet

Why does my toilet vibrate after flushing?

One main reason for a toilet to vibrate after flushing could be because of the high water pressure. When the water rushes into your fill valve, it can cause a vibration noise. Another reason could be that your flapper might not be properly sealing the flushed water from going back into the tank.

Why do pipes vibrate after flushing the toilet?

There are many reasons why pipes vibrate, flushing your toilet. These include defective fill valve, high water pressure, especially if you have powerful flushing toilets and random vibrations.

Final Thought on Why Toilets Vibrate After Flushing

Strange toilet vibrations and noise are not good if you want to keep your house maintained and in good condition. Not to mention, it can be quite annoying! If you are experiencing this problem, be sure to identify the noise source, whether it comes from your pipes, toilet drainage, sewer line, or walls. More often than not, it is an easy fix that does not require the help of a professional.