Noisy PVC drainage pipe

[gman3445]

I have a bathroom on the second floor above my kitchen. The shower, bath tub, and drains for the sinks tie into a 4" PVC drain pipe beneath the toilet and runs down thru the walls in the kitchen into the crawl space below the house. When I run just cold water everything is ok; however, when I run hot water I can hear what appears to be a "dripping" sound between the walls in the kitchen. This has been going for years, there is no appearance of any water leaks or damage anywhere, and I have simply ignore it. We are planning on selling the house and I know the dripping sound is going to be a problem with any potential buyer. I would like to get it resolved, any suggestions. Again it only "drips" when hot water is run upstairs in the bathroom.

Thanks for your advice
gman3445

 

[Jadnashua]

I've noticed my drain line from the tub expanding and contracting a little which results in a noise, but it is not like a drip. It sort of ticks a little as it rubs against something, it continues for awhile after the water stops draining until it reaches equilibrium again.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[jkristia]

I have the exact same problem, and haven't been able to locate the problem.

I am currently renovating the downstairs bathroom, and had it completely gutted, and there I could hear the dripping noise inside the pvc waste pipe from the upstairs bathroom, but could not detect any leak or dripping anywhere. So I just decided to ignore it, unfortunately now after I dry walled the wall again it is really loud, so loud that you can here the 'click - click' sound when sitting in the family room 15ft away.

I don't know what to do, clearly I don't want to remove the drywall I just installed, so I might have to just get used to it, or try and maybe access it from the garage side and see if I can do something.... but I don't know what.

Any idea how to eliminate this clicking sound ?

Thanks
Jesper

 

[hj]

tick

All three problems are the pipe expanding as the hot water flows through it. It can only be eliminated, or minimized by finding the spot(s) where the pipe is in tight contact with a framing member and is rubbing against it. Where the pipe is free to move there is no noise. The sound is also made as the pipe cools but it happens a lot slower so the noise is usually not apparent at that time.

 

[jkristia]

Thanks for the information.

I guess I will have to wait until when I install new cabinets in the garage then, at that time I can remove the wall in the garage and access it from there and maybe try and move it a bit. Definitely I don't want to cut a hole in the drywall I just finished.

Jesper

 

[lane234]

lean something again