# Yow! loud buzzing/groaning from toilet. Remedy? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 21, 2010, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yow-loud-buzzing-groaning-from-toilet-remedy/547521 "2010-07-21T23:12:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@CC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CC)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2010, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yow-loud-buzzing-groaning-from-toilet-remedy/547521/1 "2010-07-21T23:12:46Z")
Suddenly, when the toilet is flushed, as it fills it makes a loud buzzing/groaning noise. I gotta figure something’s loose, or needs adjustment, but I don’t know where to look. What’s the likely culprit? ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2010, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yow-loud-buzzing-groaning-from-toilet-remedy/547521/2 "2010-07-21T23:41:06Z")
Could be a bit of crud in the valve or refill line. Reach into the reservoir and push down on the float so as to open the refill valve. Jiggle around on it 10 or 15 times so as to exercise the valve. Your noise might go away. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2010, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yow-loud-buzzing-groaning-from-toilet-remedy/547521/3 "2010-07-22T02:04:27Z")
Maybe you’re pooping too much. Do you have a Flintstone-style [toilet](http://familyguy.wikia.com/wiki/Peter%27s_Got_Woods/References)? ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2010, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yow-loud-buzzing-groaning-from-toilet-remedy/547521/4 "2010-07-22T14:24:13Z")
Normally you don’t see that kind of behavior in a major appliance. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2010, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yow-loud-buzzing-groaning-from-toilet-remedy/547521/5 "2010-07-22T15:34:48Z")
Could be water hammer. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2010, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yow-loud-buzzing-groaning-from-toilet-remedy/547521/6 "2010-07-22T15:40:02Z")
> [@Sailboat](#): > > Normally you don’t see that kind of behavior in a major appliance. Thanks for that helpful tip, Dr. Venkman. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2010, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yow-loud-buzzing-groaning-from-toilet-remedy/547521/7 "2010-07-22T15:41:10Z")
is the sound during the bowl fill or the tank refill? either case there may be a valve not closing completely and vibrating. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2010, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yow-loud-buzzing-groaning-from-toilet-remedy/547521/8 "2010-07-23T05:24:25Z")
> [@CC](#): > > but I don’t know where to look. Take the top off the toilet tank, and watch inside there, and see if anything is vibrating or looking funny. Shut off the water to the toilet, and then flush it. If you still hear the noise, the problem is in the flush valve & the bowl filling phase of the toilet. If no noise, then turn the water back on. If you hear the noise now, it’s in the tank filling phase of the toilet action. ---
**Author:** ![CC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@CC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CC)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2010, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yow-loud-buzzing-groaning-from-toilet-remedy/547521/9 "2010-07-23T13:51:19Z")
I should have been more specific. I know to look inside the tank. I meant that I didn’t know precisely which component might be causing the problem. Apparently, there’s a washer inside the ball cock (giggle giggle) that sometimes gets worn and can vibrate, making that sound. It can be replaced, but it can also be jiggled and re-set, which is what I’ve done. Thank you for your kind and reasoned responses. xo, C. ---
**Author:** ![Frazzled](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frazzled/32/3368_2.png) [@Frazzled](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frazzled)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2010, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yow-loud-buzzing-groaning-from-toilet-remedy/547521/10 "2010-07-23T15:31:24Z")
I had exactly the same thing happen to my toilet - I had turned off the water in the back to replace the flapper but didn’t turn it all the way back on. It was on enough for water to flow, but it would hum loudly exactly like you described. In my case the solution was simple, I opened the valve up a little bit more.