Ping: Homeowners - settle an argument

[Maple Leafs]

Here's the situation: whenever we run the dishwasher or kitchen sink, we hear what sounds like a dripping noise coming from the pipes. This only happens with hot water, and only when water is running (not when things are shut off). There are no external signs of leaks anywhere (puddles, water damage, mold, etc).

My wife and I disagree about the possible cause. I will present both viewpoints here, without comment, and I ask you to let me know which you think may be correct.

Viewpoint #1: This is just normal pipe expansion from the hot water. The pipes are expanding as they heat up, causing a creaking noise which could be mistaken for dripping. Proposed solution: when running the sink or dishwasher, turn the volume on the TV up.

Viewpoint #2: This is the end of the freaking world. There is apparently a magical leak in the outtake piping which somehow responds only to hot water, and is clearly causing some unseen reservoir in our home to slowly fill with water. Eventually the water will burst, flood the home, and we will have to move out. Proposed solution: call in an army of plumbers to tear the house up looking for the damn leak, while we stand in the background throwing hundred dollar bills at them.

Again, I will not reveal which of these viewpoints is mine until after the votes are in. What do you guys think?

[Primal]

Hmm... hard one, and who says women are illogical

[Vince]

I'd say #1 is probably closer to correct (go figure), but that's not something I'd @%$& around with. Probably wouldn't hurt to have someone 'professional' have a look, at least. Do you know any friends whose talents lie in said field?

[wbonnell]

My money is one the first theory.

By the way, if we take the advice of Nicholson's character from "As Good As It Gets" by starting with a man and then removing all reason and accountability, I'd say that viewpoint #2 belongs to your wife. ;)

[Maple Leafs]

Originally posted by Vince
Do you know any friends who's talent lie in said field? No. I'm seriously considering spending the money to have a plumber come in and spend 10 minutes listening to it. It would probably be worth the wife's piece of mind. But it's the principle of the thing, dammit...

[sabotai]

#1, it's the same with some of the piping in my house.

And for your sake, I hope #2 is her's. :)

[Draft Dodger]

#1 - same things happens to us

[Maple Leafs]

Originally posted by sabotai
And for your sake, I hope #2 is her's. :) Yes, you have guessed correctly.

Here's where the real problem was. I've been hearing this noise for a while and never thought anything of it. She just noticed it recently. When she started to worry, I explain what I thought it was and told her to ask a few people at work what they thought. I figured she'd come home, say "yeah, they agree with you" and it would be done.

Well, wouldn't you know... the first person she asks tells her that they did have a leak one time, it did all collect (it was dripping into some plastic around some insulation) and form a huge collection. Apparently when they found it, it was on the verge of bursting and causing untold damage.

Just my luck... the one person who has this happen, and they sit next to my wife at work.

[Godzilla Blitz]

Humm...

Does the pinging/dripping sound continue if the hot water has been running for say, ten minutes? If it's #1, the sound should stop once the pipes heat up.

It could be a leak in the hot water line behind the wall, before the pipe is visible. Can you tell the direction the sound is coming from? I suppose you've done this, but sticking your head way in the cabinet under the sink might help find the noise. If it is behind the wall, it's probably at the elbow where the pipe turns to come into the kitchen. Might be easy for a plumber to find.

Another thought is that if the water is leaking on the inside, the damage should go down, and sometimes the apparent damage can be pretty far from the source of the leak. You've checked your basement thoroughly?

If the sound isn't going away after the pipes warm up, I would think there is enough of a chance that something is leaking to warrant getting a plumber to check it out. I doubt you're dumping enough water to make it an emergency, but it would be best to check it out, IMHO.

[NoMyths]

I'll take option #2, just because it's so neutrally stated.