Talk about freaking out. I came home from work on Monday and I heard this buzzing rumbling noise. It was constant, and very loud. I could not pinpoint exactly where it was coming from except that it was strongest under the first floor powder room. I went back and forth to the basement. I checked everything that I could think of. I was ready to grab a bag of clothes and leave!
Before fleeing the scene, I called a friend who remembered that I had mentioned plumbing work being done the day before. Well apparently while the water was off for plumbing work pressure built up in the line. I can just imagine what might have happened had I not come home on time! Man oh man. So, he told me to turn on the faucet for a while to let it release air.
I thought all was well. Then today while working from home I first noticed the toilet in there making a strange sound that I could only describe as a burst of air. It was like “Spewwwww”. It did it every few minutes. I didn’t think much of that at the time. But as I laid on the couch, the strangest thing happened. This time what sounded like a saw buzzing under my feet in the family room went by “Bzzzzzzzz” and then it would reach the bathroom and the toilet would again go “Sppeewww”. I could actually feel it vibrating under my feet. I thought “Oh no, not again!” I hopped on Google and did some searching. Then I got up and headed back to the basement to play with the pressure regulator. I adjusted the water pressure down a tad. It did not help. Then I remembered that the toilet was making the strange noise before the pipe phantom showed up and realized that I had been hearing it for a few days. So, I went to investigate. I also opened all faucets in the house and let them bleed.
I opened the toilet lid and immediately noticed that the line around the bowl was up farther than the water level, and the tube was bubbling. I grabbed a flat head screwdriver and adjusted the bubble so that the water level was back where it had been.
I waited. I listened. I watched. So far, no more strange toilet noises, and no more pipe phantom. I feel so accomplished. 😀
Wow, good job Kris, good thing you recognized the tank water level had changed huh? I don’t know if I’d have figured that one out, good eye for detail!