Seriously stumped...

[Michelle Gauvin]

Ok fellow experts, I am stumped and need some help. I am a civil engineer here not a plumber so looking for some advice. We are in a new house as of a year ago and have had some construction issues so it wouldn't surprise me if there is a leak, but here's the issue. Last week there was a leak in our street and the city shut off the water for 8 hours. Sure enough there was air trapped in our system but was no problem after opening and releasing all the faucets. However, we have a 3" drain and 2x 3/4" supply lines that lead from the basement to our attic for future bathroom buildout. They run in the wall on the first floor by a closet and second floor by washer and dryer. Ever since the city shut off the water, there is a VERY loud constant audible dripping sound coming from that wall...my guess is there is air in the supply lines but it seriously sounds like plop plop plop every few seconds - like water splashing on water. There is no shutoff for the supply lines that run to the attic - and I assume they are capped but I can't find them. I figure if there were a leak, we'd see water in the basement by now?? I am so confused what the noise is - but my guess is the leak in the street and this maybe related? Any ideas? How do I get it to go away...

 

[Reach4]

One test to consider-- shut off the water to the whole house. Open a faucet to relieve pressure. How is the drip sound affected?

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Michelle Gauvin]

One test to consider-- shut off the water to the whole house. Open a faucet to relieve pressure. How is the drip sound affected?

open any faucet ?

 

[Reach4]

Yes. You just want the pressure off of the system. If you have an expansion tank, it could take longer for the pressure to be zero.

So possible outcomes I am envisioning are the dripping stops immediately, dripping stops after several minutes, or the dripping continues as it did when the water was turned on.

 

[Michelle Gauvin]

ok i shut off the water - opened a faucet - drained it - lots of air came out - sound is gone

should i turn the valvle back on and open a faucet? see if it re appears?

 

[Reach4]

Not sure what I would do next. From a troubleshooting point of view, that does not tell us as much as a different outcome would have.

"VERY loud" sounds surprising ... maybe get a few friends to help track the sound. Maybe use a tube/pipe to narrow the spot you are listening too to find the source. It would be like trying to locate a sound with a mechanic's stethoscope.

 

[Michelle Gauvin]

I know, I will turn the water back on now and see if it returns...one min

 

[Michelle Gauvin]

hmmm that may have worked, will have to wait and see...turned water back on, more air in water but don't hear noise immediately
that is really weird

 

[Sluggo]

As a diagnostic, take a picture of the water meter. Then give it an hour without any plumbing being used in the house. Check the meter by comparing it to the picture and see if anything has moved. Even a small leak over an hour will cause at least the little colored spinner in the center to have moved a bit; a larger leak will reveal itself as movement in the position of the dial indicator.

 

[hj]

It is VERY unlikely to be air in the stubs to the upstairs because the water would NOT have drained out of them.

 

[Michelle Gauvin]

As a diagnostic, take a picture of the water meter. Then give it an hour without any plumbing being used in the house. Check the meter by comparing it to the picture and see if anything has moved. Even a small leak over an hour will cause at least the little colored spinner in the center to have moved a bit; a larger leak will reveal itself as movement in the position of the dial indicator.

Ok thanks! I'll check that too

 

[Michelle Gauvin]

It is VERY unlikely to be air in the stubs to the upstairs because the water would NOT have drained out of them.

Really? The noise seems to be gone. The only way I can tell you what the sounds is is that it sounds like when you get water out of a bubbler...plop plop..sounds like a leak but I don't think it was ...was contemplating getting a moisture meter

 

[Michelle Gauvin]

Really? The noise seems to be gone. The only way I can tell you what the sounds is is that it sounds like when you get water out of a bubbler...plop plop..sounds like a leak but I don't think it was ...was contemplating getting a moisture meter

Water wouldn't have drained from the stubs even if I shut of the main and opened a faucet until it ran dry?