Why Toilet Water Ripples When It's Windy — and Other Weird Home Phenomena

On a windy, cold night, you wake up to strange phenomena occurring in your home. You hear strange cracking noises, and the water in the toilet is moving. Your immediate reaction is that something is wrong, and you wonder if the severe weather has damaged the building. As you surface from a deep sleep, you realize you've heard these noises before but wonder what's causing them.

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1. Why Toilet Water Ripples Sometimes

Ripples in the toilet bowl are a sign that the water is being disturbed, usually by water leaking into the bowl from the tank. As the water drips into the bowl, it creates a ripple where the drops hit the surface of the water.

The most common reason for ripples is that the flapper valve in the tank is leaking. This valve is at the bottom of the tank, connected to the flush handle by a short chain. The flapper valve may need to be replaced. Check the sealing surface is clean and there's no mineral buildup to prevent the flapper valve from seating properly.

2. Why Does the Toilet Water Move When It's Windy Outside?

If the water level in the toilet bowl fluctuates, it's an indication that you're experiencing atmospheric pressure in the toilet. The reason is that the sewer line from the toilet has a vent pipe that goes through the roof of the house. As the wind blows over the top of the vent pipe, it reduces the pressure in the pipe. Known as the Bernoulli effect, the wind creates a lower pressure in the vent line, which pulls the water level in the toilet bowl down.

Slight water level fluctuating is normal, but if the toilet water movement changes are large, it's a sign that there's a blockage in the sewer line or debris is blocking the vent pipe. If you experience vent pipe noise when flushing the toilet, the vent pipe is likely blocked.

3. Why Does My Toilet Flush on Its Own?

Ghost flushing, when the toilet apparently flushes on its own, is a puzzling phenomenon that often has a simple cause. What typically happens is you have a leak in the toilet tank that gradually empties the tank. Once the water level in the tank gets too low, the float drops and triggers the fill valve to refill the tank. The sound you hear is not the toilet flushing, but the tank refilling.

Reasons for water running out of the tank into the bowl include a worn flapper valve or a cracked flush valve. Another possibility is that the tank itself is leaking. This may be caused by a cracked tank or worn rubber seals on the water supply inlet and where the tank connects to the toilet bowl.

4. Why Is There a Continual Sound of Running Water in My House?

A constant sound of running water is worrying as it may be a sign of a water leak. The first step is to check that the sound is, in fact, from running water by closing the water main. If the sound goes away, then you have a constant flow of water somewhere in the home and this is not a good thing.

Before calling the plumber, see whether there's a simple explanation. Possibilities include a toilet that’s running because of a worn flapper valve, a faulty inlet valve on the dishwasher or washing machine or a leaking irrigation system. If there isn't a straightforward explanation for the sound, you may have a leaking pipe in the wall or floor and need to call a plumber.

5. Why Is There a Banging Noise When I Turn on the Faucet?

Another plumbing weird noise is a loud banging that happens when you turn a faucet on or off. The noise may also occur when the inlet solenoid valve in the washer or dishwasher operates. It's caused by water hammer, which results from a sudden change in the flow of water. Reasons for water hammer include high water pressure, air in the water and pipes that aren't properly secured.

Water hammer generates a lot of energy that can damage plumbing and may lead to leaking joints. Solutions include fitting a pressure control valve to lower the water pressure and installing water hammer arrestors. A water hammer arrestor has a small sealed air chamber that absorbs the water hammer energy. Fit the arrestor as close as possible to the faucets and appliances causing the banging.

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6. The Walls in My Home Sweat. Why?

Sweating, or condensation, on the walls of the home happens when humid air is in contact with a cooler surface. A common example is condensation in the bathroom when you shower. Condensation that quickly disappears is not a problem.

What you should be concerned about is whether the condensation accumulates. This may happen when the air is humid, and the walls of the home are cooler than the air in the room. Sweating often occurs at night when the outside temperature falls sharply.

Constant sweating damages paint and drywall and leads to mold and mildew. You can reduce condensation by installing better insulation, improving ventilation and using a dehumidifier.

7. What’s the Reason the House Creaks and Cracks at Night?

There's nothing more perturbing than when your home creaks and cracks as the temperature drops at night. These noises are caused by the timbers of the home and roof contracting as they cool. Although normal, the sounds can be loud and sharp, making you wonder if something is breaking. Walls also groan as the framing shifts and settles as the temperature changes. You may notice similar sounds coming from wooden floors and supports, especially in older buildings.

Expansion and contraction are natural phenomena that are nearly impossible to prevent. There isn't much you can do to stop these creaking and cracking noises except to make certain everything is tight and secure.

8. Why Do the Lights Dim When Appliances Kick In?

When large appliances such as air conditioners, washers and dryers start, you may notice the lights momentarily dip. This is caused by a reduction in the voltage at the lamp from the surge in power as the motor in the appliance starts up.

During start-up, electric motors draw a large current that's much higher than the normal running current. The surge temporarily overloads electrical circuits, causing a voltage dip. It's perfectly normal and usually nothing to worry about. When you should be concerned is if the voltage dip is large, as this shows there may be a problem in the breaker board, or the electrical wiring is too small.

Newer homes often have dedicated circuits for large appliances, so the effect is less noticeable. Additionally, newer appliance drives are inverter-controlled, so there's no power dip when they start.

9. Why Is There a Scratching Noise Coming From the Walls?

A scratching noise in the wall is often a sign of mice or rats. The noise may stop when you get near, but continues when you leave the room. If you hear these sounds, you need to call in a pest extermination company. Rodent droppings can spread disease, while the scratching is often a sign of these small pests chewing the insulation in the walls to make a nest. More concerning is their ability to chew through electrical wires and cause a short and possibly a fire.

Other pests you may encounter in the home or attic include bats, squirrels and raccoons. After removing these pests, keep them out by sealing gaps in the exterior walls, especially those used for utility lines.