A toilet that hums, buzzes or groans after you flush, while the tank refills, usually has a fill valve problem: water pressure pushing on the diaphragm inside the valve, a loose washer, or a fill valve that’s worn out. If a new fill valve doesn’t stop it, the supply line may be vibrating. The noise sounds like it’s in the pipes, but start with the toilet tank.
There can be several sources of noise from your humming toilet, but perhaps the most common is inconsistent water pressure. Pressure exerted against the diaphragm in the fill valve can cause the issue. This can be adjusted through a pressure reducer valve located near the meter. Be sure to check the diaphragm for wear or weakness as well.
If the humming is more like a loud groan, check that all the washers are tight and the ballcock assembly is working as it should. If you think this is the problem, try opening the tank, lifting up on the float, and flushing. If the groan goes away, you may have found your problem: a loose washer. Turn off the water and flush to empty the tank. Then find the three screws at the top of the fill valve. By unscrewing the screws, you can remove the ball, armature, and the top of the fill valve. Take the washer out of the bottom of the valve and replace it with a new one.
If this does not solve your humming problem, you may need to replace the fill valve. Once you have replaced the fill valve, adjust the water level within an inch of the overflow tube. If you are still hearing the noise when you flush, it could be a vibration in your water supply lines.
If your water supply lines are vibrating, you will hear a noise as the toilet refills. This could lead to serious problems since the vibrations could result in splits in your lines and excessive water leaks.
That’s a different problem. The tank is usually refilling to replace a slow leak, most often past a worn flapper. The food coloring test in our post on why your toilet is humming will show you.
aquaHALT won’t fix a hum. That’s a repair job, and the steps above are where to start. aquaHALT is there for the day water from the toilet reaches the floor, such as when it overflows. When that water reaches its sensor, it shuts off the water to that toilet and beeps. It runs on two AA batteries, with no Wi-Fi or app. You fit it with a small adjustable wrench and a small level, as long as the shut-off valve on the wall closes fully. If it doesn’t, have a plumber replace that valve first.
See how the aquaHALT 2X toilet shut-off valve fits, or contact us with a question.
