My Pipes Make a Whooshing Noise After Flushing or Running the Water

Normal Pipe Noise

• Hearing a whooshing sound from your pipes when you flush a toilet or turn on a faucet doesn’t always herald problems in your plumbing system. Faint whooshing sounds may be just the sound of the pipes doing what they’re supposed to do, which is carry water. This sound is typically more audible in areas where the pipes are exposed, which could be the case in your basement if there is no material to insulate the noise. This sound should occur only when you use your water and should not be loud. If the noise occurs constantly, or occurs only when the toilet is flushed, then you may have a problem that needs to be repaired.

Flush Valve or Flapper

• A whooshing noise through your pipes after flushing the toilet may indicate that the flush valve inside your toilet is leaking or has malfunctioned. This noise can seem as though it's coming from your pipe when it's really originating inside your toilet. The flush valve is typically located inside your toilet tank and is connected to the tank ball and flapper. A whooshing noise may also be caused if your toilet has the wrong type of flapper. For example, newer toilets may use a different sized flapper than older toilets. Although some flappers are labeled as universal, they do not fit all toilets.

Sediment

• When the whooshing sound in your water supply pipes occurs when flushing and when running water, the cause may be a buildup of sediment in your pipes. Typically in this situation, the whooshing stops when the valve closes. Galvanized pipes in particular tend to contain calcium and mineral deposits and may also have rust building up due to corrosion, but there may be sand, scale, organic material or clay inside copper pipes as well. If the sediment buildup is significant, your water may also be cloudy or brownish in color. Sediment filters can be installed on your water supply lines to prevent the material from getting into your water, but contact a plumber if your home is more than 50 years old. The problem may be old galvanized plumbing that should be replaced. If the noise occurs only when running your hot water, there may be a buildup of sediment in your water heater. This can be removed, and the noise eliminated, by flushing the water heater.

Leak

• Whooshing noise coming from pipes each time water runs may indicate a leak somewhere in your system. The whooshing sound is often caused by water moving somewhere underground or behind your walls and ceilings. Areas of pipe where there are joints, bends and fittings are usually where leaks occur, but it is possible to have a leak in a solid, straight length of pipe. Additional signs of a leaking pipe are damp, bubbled or peeling drywall on walls and ceilings, lifted or buckled flooring, or the presence of mold or mildew. Water typically runs horizontally or vertically along a length of pipe and may drop to pool several feet away from where the problem has actually occurred. Contact a plumber to determine where it is originating and have it repaired to prevent mold and major damage to the interior of your home.