I really need some professional advice to put my mind at ease...

[amandalovesmoonlight]

Hi,

I moved into a prewar building in NYC built in 1939. The plumbing was very old and I had to renovate the bathroom. This year in late July the building had to replace the risers from the 6th floor to the 2nd. I'm on the 5th floor.

Originally I had a flushometer toilet, and I think all the units above and below me have the same toilet too. When I renovated the bathroom, I converted to a tank and bowl and its been great.

I didnt have any issues and its now two weeks post renovation. When the 6th floor (the floor directly above me) flushes their toilet there is a loud banging sound that is heard in my bathroom. What could this be? I've alerted the super. Its really making me paranoid and its scaring me so much. Will they have to break open my walls again? It sounds like a pipe is about to explode. I thought it would be over by now.

Also I took a shower earlier and in the shower I heard the 6th floor flush the toilet multiple times again. The pressure in my shower changed vastly.

Did my tank and bowl conversion do something to the water pressure?

Please help. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

 

[Reach4]

When the 6th floor (the floor directly above me) flushes their toilet there is a loud banging sound that is heard in my bathroom. What could this be?

One bang per flush, or multiple bangs per 6th-floor flush?

What is the timing of the bangs with respect to the flush?

 

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[amandalovesmoonlight]

Hi,

Thank you so much for responding. It happens directly after their toilet is flushed. Its just one bang. Usually very loud. The supers coming tomorrow to inspect whats going on. I hope its not a big deal. Do you think its bc of the conversion?

 

[Reach4]

It sounds like the proper water hammer arrestor would do it, but because the Flushometer toilets have a very high flow, I think this would need some super-sized suppressor that are used on the tank-type toilets.

http://media.wattswater.com/f-wha.pdf
http://www.siouxchief.com/docs/defa...pply/water-hammer-arresters---engineer-report

The longer the pipe length and the bigger the flow rate, the bigger the device needed. Bigger is better.

 

[amandalovesmoonlight]

One bang per flush, or multiple bangs per 6th-floor flush?

What is the timing of the bangs with respect to the flush?

Hi,

Thank you so much for responding. It happens directly after their toilet is flushed. Its just one bang. Usually very loud. The supers coming tomorrow to inspect whats going on. I hope its not a big deal. Do you think its bc of the conversion?

 

[amandalovesmoonlight]

It sounds like the proper water hammer arrestor would do it, but because the Flushometer toilets have a very high flow, I think this would need some super-sized suppressor that are used on the tank-type toilets.

So what should I do? Should I alert my renovation team about this kind of suppressor? Or does something need to be done to the 6th floor's toilet?

Thank you again

 

[Reach4]

So what should I do? Should I alert my renovation team about this kind of suppressor? Or does something need to be done to the 6th floor's toilet?

Thank you again

Alert the renovation team to the extent, trying to not insult them by implying that they don't know about water hammer arrestors. You might point out that a bigger-than-home-style will be called for due to the high flow and long water path. The water hammer arrestor should be installed as close as practical to the valve that is stopping the flow.

As you probably read, this occurs as the water momentum is brought to a sudden stop as the valve slams shut. Like hitting a wall in a vehicle. Slow the flow over a time, and you get quiet.

 

[amandalovesmoonlight]

Alert the renovation team to the extent, trying to not insult them by implying that they don't know about water hammer arrestors. You might point out that a bigger-than-home-style will be called for due to the high flow and long water path. The water hammer arrestor should be installed as close as practical to the valve that is stopping the flow.

As you probably read, this occurs as the water momentum is brought to a sudden stop as the valve slams shut. Like hitting a wall in a vehicle. Slow the flow over a time, and you get quiet.

So the issue is because of my tank conversion? Even if the issue is caused by the flushing from the 6th floor? I just texted the renovation team. Tomorrow the super of the building is going to have a look at the 6th mine and 4th floors.

Do you have any other thoughts or suggestions about this? Thank you so much for your help. I'll keep you updated.

 

[Reach4]

So the issue is because of my tank conversion?

I can't see how it could be. Why it changed, during the pipe conversion, I don't know. Maybe the pipe was routed differently before. Maybe there was a water hammer arrestor there already that got removed during th the replumb.

I am not a plumber. I do understand water hammer.

 

[amandalovesmoonlight]

I had a flushometer toilet before and it was then converted into a tank when my bathroom was renovated. The building replaced the risers two months before i decided to renovate my bathroom. The sound just started yesterday and scared the crap out of me. I thought that it was a pipe burst. There were zero signs of water damage and then I made the correlation between the bang sounds and the 6th floor toilet flushing.

 

[Reach4]

I had a flushometer toilet before and it was then converted into a tank when my bathroom was renovated. The building replaced the risers two months before i decided to renovate my bathroom. The sound just started yesterday and scared the crap out of me. I thought that it was a pipe burst. There were zero signs of water damage and then I made the correlation between the bang sounds and the 6th floor toilet flushing.

OK... that timing pretty much argues that the conversion process had something to do with it. I can't see how however.

Maybe some sound insulation was removed during your conversion? Pipe clamping was changed?

 

[amandalovesmoonlight]

I honestly have no clue what any of that means. I'm hoping we can resolve it soon. I have the building's super coming to check everything tomorrow so we'll get somewhere. I think it may be coming from the riser that connects my floor and the 6th floor. Anyway, thank you for your help. I'll put updates in the thread.

 

[hj]

IT that absolutely NOTHING to do with your tank toilet conversion. IF it had any effect it would have been to LESSEN the sound, not increase it.

 

[amandalovesmoonlight]

IT that absolutely NOTHING to do with your tank toilet conversion. IF it had any effect it would have been to LESSEN the sound, not increase it.

So what could it be? Its a very loud banging sound in my bathroom right after the 6th floor (above me) flushes their toilet which is a flushometer.

 

[Jadnashua]

During the renovation, the pipes may have been moved, or some structure was added. When the pipe moves, if something now is where it could hit something, yes, the renovation could have created the problem. When water runs, then is shut off quickly, the inertia tries to keep the water moving when the valve shuts off. IF the pipe can move, it can literally hammer into something. You may have added something or moved something and the pipe is now able to hit it.

As to the shower...if the temperature remains fairly constant, but the volume drops when someone flushes, that's the safety bits in the valve just doing what they are supposed to...the cold water volume drops, to keep the temperature fairly constant, it must also drop the hot flow...this is called an anti-scald function built into all new shower valves and is usually accomplished with a pressure balance valve in your shower valve system. If the supply system is well-designed, you'd not be seeing a major pressure drop, so you wouldn't notice. It could also happen if there were a large hot water use that suddenly shut off, but that's less common...the valve will work either way.