# ticking sound........



## fast fred (Sep 26, 2008)

finsihed a bathroom remodel a month ago and now the homeowners are complaining that there is a ticking sound in the wall only when the shower head is on. The assembly is a kohler purist. 

The sound is a slight tick, not a knocking of the pipes. There doesn't seem to be a loss of pressure, but if there is it's very very small.

Pulled the shower head off and checked for debris in the screens etc but found nothing. Pulled the valve apart and check that, nothing.

Between the plumber and I we are out of ideas and asking others for opinions. It seems the only option is to tear the wall apart in the other room and start over.

Any ideas?


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## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

It could be the sound of feed pipe for the head exspanding behind the wall. I have heard this happen on old builds where they would hold a pipe down with a bent over nail . Or is the click coming from the shower valve it's self. Some shower valves have non return valves built in and these can sometimes click when not seated properly in the hot and cold feeds.


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## Tinstaafl (Jan 6, 2008)

Is the sound there if you remove the shower head and run the water straight out of the nipple?

Not the same, but I had one a couple of years ago--after a complete gut and rebuild, we noticed a dripping sound inside the newly finished wall. Drove us about bonkers until, talking with the HO, we found that the noise had always been there. It was condensate from the attic air conditioner dribbling down a drain line. :blink:


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## macatawacab (Jan 1, 2009)

is it a constant ticking in a constant pattern when the water is on?

I am going thru this right now with a house and I did open up the ceiling to see why. No answer right now but hope to be smarter over the weekend than I am right now.


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## skymaster (Oct 23, 2006)

could be a small bit of solder inside the pipe also. If you can pull the cartridge, flush the pipe, see if it goes away.


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## Frank P (Nov 2, 2009)

Sometimes the spool on the pressure balance cartridge will make a ticking as it does its thing. Just a thought.


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## ARealplumber (Aug 11, 2009)

My first guess would be thermal expansion.


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## naptown CR (Feb 20, 2009)

SAure it's not a waste line expanding or contracting? Try running the water at ambient temp for a few minutes and see if it stops. or if it stops after a few minutes when the shower is in use and starts again after shut down.


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## PapaLima (Nov 22, 2009)

*FastFred*

If the ticking is only when hot water is running then it is caused by pipe expansion. The hot pipe is running through holes that are either too tight or not lined up and the pipe was forced through them. Or, hopefully, it is just a pipe braced to tight. If you temporarily shimmed pipes to hold them while installing, did you remove them? I doubt it is the shower head riser pipe, as that water is tempered and shouldn't be hot enough to cause the problem. 
Unfortunately, if you need to re-align holes it will be a problem. Sometimes it is more cost effective to just start over. 
If, however, you find the precise area where the expansion is causing the ticking; you may be able to enlarge the hole by carefully drilling a hole close to the problem and doing some careful chiseling to enlarge.


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## 480sparky (Feb 1, 2009)

Thermal expansion of the pipe. Nothing more, nothing less.


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## ILPlumber (Aug 26, 2007)

You could just call back your licensed plumber that did the intial install. It's his problem not yours.

Unless of course, you installed it. Then, you will be ripping the wall out to find the problem because you didn't know WTF you were doing to begin with. That just makes me giggle.


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## ROCKSTARPLUMBER (Dec 23, 2008)

Try a different shower head and see if problem is still there.


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## fast fred (Sep 26, 2008)

ILPlumber said:


> You could just call back your licensed plumber that did the intial install. It's his problem not yours.
> 
> Unless of course, you installed it. Then, you will be ripping the wall out to find the problem because you didn't know WTF you were doing to begin with. That just makes me giggle.


1) my job is to make the homeowner beyond happy with the product I give them. So I take it pretty seriously and will get overly involved and do everything I can to help. (the homeowner was really confused as to why I was there the other day dealing with plumber on something I didn't even do.)

2) the plumber is busy and sick of the h.o. and the h.o. is sick of the plumber. I try to mediate the best I can but you can only do so much.

3) thank you all for the ideas, the expansion sounds about right, their house is pretty cold inside (not freezing) It's just under 20 years old and the plumber swears up and down that he secured the hell out of the pipe. which makes sense with all your thoughts.

4) ps I'm not some jackazz who gets in over his head. I'm more than happy to hook up a sink, toliet, etc but as soon as you want to change out stops, move pipes, or replace a shower valve hire a plumber.


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## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

fast fred said:


> 1) my job is to make the homeowner beyond happy with the product I give them. So I take it pretty seriously and will get overly involved and do everything I can to help. (the homeowner was really confused as to why I was there the other day dealing with plumber on something I didn't even do.)
> 
> 2) the plumber is busy and sick of the h.o. and the h.o. is sick of the plumber. I try to mediate the best I can but you can only do so much.
> 
> ...


 
Like someone has already said. Try traceing it back to find out what part of the system it is coming from. Run the hot through the bath outlet and see if the noise is there. Then try it through the shower head. Then do the same but with the cold instead. At least then you will know where to start and not tear down stuff you dont need to.


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## macatawacab (Jan 1, 2009)

Just found my problem. Was thermal expansion as everyone would guess.

Plumber used a plastic hanger from the joist to the copper 1/2". Plastic in direct contact with copper and VERY tight. Took the hanger off and ticking stopped.


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## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

Well at least ya found it. Was it easy to get to?


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## macatawacab (Jan 1, 2009)

had to cut gyp out and replace in ceiling. Of course the first cut was in the joist space:furious: So patch and paint a 9'x9' ceiling. Will work it out with the plumber. We go way back.

I should have used my joist locater. (WC rough in always ends up on top of one)


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