Water Ghost 1
Dear FIT
Q. After our faucet runs for a little while we hear a dripping noise at the top of the vent pipe near the roof. Sometimes no water has been running and a few drips will occur. We cannot find any leaks anywhere. Do you have any suggestions as to what this is and how it can be fixed?
David
Well David... a water ghost, as FIT would say!
A. Let’s look at some different scenarios to see if we can find that ghost.
First, if you have a 90 percent furnace it is possible to have a drip or gurgle in the pipe from the inducer motor blowing air across a low spot where the water is collecting in the pipe, like an added-on 90, 45, etc., fitting. To fix, go into the attic. You should be able to pinpoint where the sound is coming from by the gurgling sound or water trickling. When you pinpoint the problem area simply lift up and re-secure the pipe with some strapping, attaching it to the closest solid rafter. After this step, if the pipe is sagging too much, you might have to cut the fitting off and install a new one, making sure the new fitting allows the water to drain out toward the unit.
Second, your dripping sound could come from the faucet. This issue is especially common on the hot water side after the hot water has been on for a while, especially in cold weather, as the copper pipe will expand and create a dripping effect. There is no harm here, but it’s a little scary to hear the sound of dripping water.
Third, if there is no water running and a few drops occur in the attic, it could be your attic dripping on to your ceiling. Water could get into the attic in many ways, including snow melting on the roof and a few drips leaking into the attic, wind blowing rain into the attic, or water getting in around where the pipe exits the roof, better known as the pipe sleeve, roof boot, sleeve, flashing, etc. Shine a flashlight up around where the pipe exits out from the attic to the roofline. If you run a rag around the area and water droplets that have formed drop off or are forming then you've found the culprit. Be sure to check your air supply ducts to make sure they are properly insulated; improper insulation and air moving across the duct will form condensation and drip periodically from the supply duct.
Fourth, water supply lines located in the attic could be the source of the drip. Peel back some of the insulation and look for moisture or green that has formed on the pipe. Look at couplings that may be dripping drops of water down the insulation and finding a way out. If you have had some remodeling done in the past they may have penetrated a nail or screw through the pipe, and oddly enough, it may take years to ever show up, and then it can stop and start back up again at another time.
FIT
Q. After our faucet runs for a little while we hear a dripping noise at the top of the vent pipe near the roof. Sometimes no water has been running and a few drips will occur. We cannot find any leaks anywhere. Do you have any suggestions as to what this is and how it can be fixed?
David
Well David... a water ghost, as FIT would say!
A. Let’s look at some different scenarios to see if we can find that ghost.
First, if you have a 90 percent furnace it is possible to have a drip or gurgle in the pipe from the inducer motor blowing air across a low spot where the water is collecting in the pipe, like an added-on 90, 45, etc., fitting. To fix, go into the attic. You should be able to pinpoint where the sound is coming from by the gurgling sound or water trickling. When you pinpoint the problem area simply lift up and re-secure the pipe with some strapping, attaching it to the closest solid rafter. After this step, if the pipe is sagging too much, you might have to cut the fitting off and install a new one, making sure the new fitting allows the water to drain out toward the unit.
Second, your dripping sound could come from the faucet. This issue is especially common on the hot water side after the hot water has been on for a while, especially in cold weather, as the copper pipe will expand and create a dripping effect. There is no harm here, but it’s a little scary to hear the sound of dripping water.
Third, if there is no water running and a few drops occur in the attic, it could be your attic dripping on to your ceiling. Water could get into the attic in many ways, including snow melting on the roof and a few drips leaking into the attic, wind blowing rain into the attic, or water getting in around where the pipe exits the roof, better known as the pipe sleeve, roof boot, sleeve, flashing, etc. Shine a flashlight up around where the pipe exits out from the attic to the roofline. If you run a rag around the area and water droplets that have formed drop off or are forming then you've found the culprit. Be sure to check your air supply ducts to make sure they are properly insulated; improper insulation and air moving across the duct will form condensation and drip periodically from the supply duct.
Fourth, water supply lines located in the attic could be the source of the drip. Peel back some of the insulation and look for moisture or green that has formed on the pipe. Look at couplings that may be dripping drops of water down the insulation and finding a way out. If you have had some remodeling done in the past they may have penetrated a nail or screw through the pipe, and oddly enough, it may take years to ever show up, and then it can stop and start back up again at another time.
FIT
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