Running water

turn off external stop c*ck. If practical wait a few hours in case something's draining. Fridges & freezers can make such noise btw.

NT

Deff not the Freezer, will turn off and wait for an hour or two.

I once had this issue, and it turned out that an external hozelock connector had blown, and thus what I could hear was the outdoor tap running. I now always switch the tap itself off! :-)

ditto dehumidifiers and a/c

NT

Next door's water running?

"Jonathan Homer" wrote

Do you have a water meter? If so, turn everything off in the house. Then examine the meter gauge closely. On ours there is a little needle-pointer thingy which rotates. This is a far more accurate way of noticing small rates of flow than trying to make out movement of the digital counter.

From what you say about heating, I assume there are no water storage tanks in your install. These can continue filling long after demand is removed.

Finally get a long handled screw driver, put blade on pipe and ear on handle end. "Listening" for leaks can help with location - not sure if it will work on plastic though :(

If it is a leak on the mains, it will not necessarily stop the moment you turn off the water supply! If you have a small leak low down in your system, then water will continue to escape until the level of water reaches the leak point. But you should notice a slowing of the leak indicated by a change in noise made by escaping water - may take a few minutes though.

HTH

Phil

Check all overflow outlets are present, correct (not running water).

Check the bottom of cavity walls are dry, overflow can sometimes run back and thus through a large hole dump water down the outer or inner leaf of the cavity wall.

If not solid floors examine UNDER the floorboards for any CW supply pipe damage or other problem.

Check guttering is not blocked at some point, re holding back water which drains slowly.

Water pipe "whining" can be neighbours drawing water which resonates through your piping if on a shared supply - that supply pipe may be leaking somewhere causing the noise, it is not always obvious on the surface depending on sub-soil.

Sometimes a partially opened radiator valve can make a noise uncannily like water running.

Peter Scott

Yeah... but... do you have your heating on this week?

Andy

Very common problem: I once gave myself a scare when I hopped over the fence to turn off the neighbour's while he was out. Then remembered the rottweiler!

Yes water supply pipe should be suspected if you find nothing obvious indoors (Rad header ball c*ck is quite possible if you have an under ground floor leak in a ch pipe - ours was the drain c*ck.). I sat in the bath puzzling about rushing water sounds some years back, and eventually rusty/muddy water from the cold tap gave the hint. The local water co had increased the pressure, and all the original iron supply pipes in the street went, one house after another. Having no readies at the time I spent several days digging it out by hand (and puncturing the neighbour's plastic pipe - about 4" deep and on my side!) while I was at it! (The pros in the rest of the street used a mole.)

Actually we've been wondering about rushing water noises again lately too. I was hoping it is someone elses...

I bet you hopped back a bit quicker!

Might live in the Hebrides!

I bet you hopped back a bit quicker!

More like, froze on the spot! Luckily the dog was even more surprised than me, and just watched as I got back over the fence!

PS: just solved that one: dvdr hard drive sounds like rushing water! Hope that does not mean it is the next thing that is going to pack up!