Vibration in floor...boiler/water heater?

[Rachiex]

Can anyone offer any experienced or expert advice?

I'm being woken most nights especially around 1am and again around 4 - 6am to my floor and bed vibrating. A neighbour has said his water heater/boiler had new valve fitted. He said it's noisy but didn't think it would cause vibration in my next door flat.

It's happening now asI'm typing and I put my ear to various walls to try to locate it. The only place with any sound is next to this neighbour and there isa pressured sound in the wall.


Is this sounding like aboiler/water heater problem? If so what sort of problems are there? I'm wondering about offering to pay for my neighbour to have aplumber check the boiler, as it's affecting me, but if they checkedduring the day when there often isn't any perceived vibration, wouldthey still find a problem?


Thoughts and advicewelcome on this one. I seriously cannot sleep at night as itvibrates the whole flat and there's nowhere to place my mattress tosleep!

 

[Rachiex]

Anyone have an opinion on this? I realise you may not have an answer but still interested in any thoughts. Or can you direct me to other places where I could ask this question, it does seem like a plumbing issue to me...thanks

 

[Dotty]

Do you know what sort of valve it was? Gas or water?

As a quick check ask your neighbour to make sure all stop cocks etc are open.

 

[Rachiex]

Thanks. I don't know what sort of valve and at the moment I'm leaving my neighbour alone as he doesn't think it's coming from him, and I can't keep on about it...even though I'm seriously sleep deprived.

What would making sure all stop cocks are open do?

I don't think anyone in these flats has gas by the way, so perhaps it's water??

Thanks for your time

 

[jonnyswamp]

It seems as though your neighbours cold water supply pipe runs through your flat and when water is used elsewhere in the building you get to hear the water hammer
Have you got a landlord or a company that looks after the building? It will probably only be a faulty washer, but it's finding which one in which flat, which (if you have one) the maintenance co should sort out
Or it's time to let a plumber spend the night at yours, I'm sure there will be one or two candidates (reprobates) on here would oblige
Croppie is known for his generosity

 

[jonnyswamp]

Deleted, double post

 

[Rachiex]

Interesting, the management company don't seem interested at all. I think I'm 95% sure which flat, at least in terms of direction now. I just need to talk about things in a way that doesn't scare the neighbour off, or make them think they'll have to pay out loads. i'm willing to pay for a plumber to do some checks BUT someone told me the plumber would only check the water heaters and would be unlikely to find a problem.

How would a plumber check for this? Would they have to be present when it's happening or can they switch stuff on to check? Sorry for the daft question, but it's always at the wrong time. I have vampires for neighbours.

And being so sleep deprived I'm not really very good company lol

 

[Rachiex]

Something else I've thought of, the neighbour who I think it's coming from often goes to bed early, around 10 ish and is up very early for work, sometimes at 4. But I feel the vibrating often from 11pm - 2.30am. I don't think they would be using water all that time....thats the confusing part.

 

[Riley]

It's all guesswork mate. Tanks could be refilling slowly when the neighbour is asleep. Really need to get a plumber in again

 

[Radioman]

You could try and find his water meter and turn it off.

 

[Rachiex]

Now I'm showing my ignorance....would turning his water meter off immediately stop the vibration (and hence confirm where it's coming from)? Thing is I don't want to upset anyone, lol

 

[Rachiex]

Ok, so tomorrow I will try and find a plumber. The difficulty is that most people answering the phones are not actually plumbers, they can't discuss the issue. But I'll have another go tomorrow. Thanks

 

[Dotty]

Whereabouts are you? One of us might be nearby.

 

[jonnyswamp]

Whereabouts are you? One of us might be nearby.

You're not staying overnight!
Mrs Croppie wouldn't be best pleased

 

[Riley]

Ha ha

 

[Dotty]

You're not staying overnight!
Mrs Croppie wouldn't be best pleased

No..... no, she wouldn't be. ....

 

[Rachiex]

I know it's guesswork, but with the description I've given, does it even remotely sound like something you'd deal with? Vibration, more at weekends, from 10pm - 2am, and again anytime from 4am - 9am, usually 5am. Ongoing. From the You Tube vids I've watched that isn't typical water hammer...though, as a lay person I wouldn't rule it out, but ongoing for those lengths of time, and why more at weekends....the only difference is that the neighbours are home more then.

Before I get a plumber, will have to see if the neighbour is ok with it, as the plumber won't be checking out my flat (unless the vibration is happening then, but often isn't during daylight and early eve). Thanks for reading.

 

[Rachiex]

LOL, by the way I'm in Dorset...and seriously feeling ill and sleep deprived.

 

[plumb_know]

If it happens every day, I would try turning off your meter or internal stopcock for the flat for the night and see if this stops the noise?. If it does then would point towards it being your flat. Common problems would be stopcock washer/jumper or toilet float valve washer.

I would see if turning your water off at night first cures it rather than pay for plumber to investigate a neighbours property which could be waste of time

 

[Rachiex]

Thanks for that. It was happening at a time when I had a leaky tap so I was routinely turning the stopcock off, and it was still happening, but I will give it another go. Also I guess that would be an easy thing to ask a neighbour to try one night...although they're up at four for work so I don't know if it will tell me much as they'll have it on again. But I will bear all this in mind, thanks.

 

[Stoney Ground]

At those times pressure in mains will be at its highest, if someone is using water elsewhere could cause water hammer in associated pipes.

Good luck finding it.

 

[Last Plumber]

It does sound like water hammer.
Sometimes a ball tap that's closing after filling a cistern could cause it ( On a WC or cold water tank possibly). Especially diaphragm types.
The water pressure in the mains is higher at night so that might account for you hearing it more at night !
The difficulty is that sound travels well through pipe work and if it's a block of flats, it could be anywhere.
Is there a maintenance team/person ?
Could you ask if there is any chance of them checking the flat next doors WC or the main cold water tanks if there are any.
Ask your neighbour if he uses the water during the night !

Sorry for waffling on, hope you sort it

 

[Rachiex]

Thanks Stoney Ground and Last Plumber - Last Plumber, don't apologise for waffling, it's helpful, this is driving me crazy, I don't feel like my home is my own anymore.

I am talking to the council this week, I will tell them what 'theories' I have (thanks to the help here also) and look at the options as to what to do next, which will probably involve asking my neighbour for help with it again, whether he is using the water, whether the maintenance company can check the tanks, etc.....this week I'll look for more specific answers. I really hope I find something as it's been almost a year with very little sleep (on top of two bereavements and other family stress....and breathe.....thanks again)

 

[Riley]

where in Dorset are you I am there sporadically these days with work. If I can't help then I may be able to recommend somebody reliable to try and sort you out

 

[Rachiex]

where in Dorset are you I am there sporadically these days with work. If I can't help then I may be able to recommend somebody reliable to try and sort you out

Thanks Riley

I'm away for most of the next fortnight, so for now I just want to try and pinpoint in theory what might be going on, but I may get back to you and others here.