Strange sounds from frontloading washer

[Karen G]

We have a frontloading LG Tromm washer and matching dryer that we've been using for about three months with no problems. Today I keep hearing the sound of water trickling or running--sounds like it's in or behind the washer. When I open the washer door and listen closely it doesn't sound like it's inside the washer.

There is no water leaking anywhere by the washer or anywhere in the garage, which is on the opposite walls of the laundry room.

On the other side of the wall behind the water connections is the garage and the water softener is near, but not right behind the washer, in the garage. The water softener sounds like it's running.

This is driving me batty. I fully expected to come home to a flooded house after church today, but no sign of leaks anywhere. Yet, the sound continues.

Any ideas? We lived in the house just a couple of months and this is the first time I've heard this sound.

 

[Fern Modena]

The water softener makes a rushing water noise when it is recycling, which mine does every three days. Perhaps that is what it is and you've just never noticed it before. Jerry heard it recently and got scared, thinking we had a water break in the garage, too.

Fern

 

[UWSurfer]

Many home water meter have a pinwheel type of indicator which turns when water is running. It's a very useful tool to confirm if you may have a leak somewhere.

Most water meters here are near the street , submerged under the sidewalk or parkway grass with a cover to access the thing, and then a second cover which protects the glass face of the meter. Nearly all the meter readers here in S.Cal leave the 2nd over open all the time, which means you may need a rag to clean off the face enough to see the small pinwheel, often at the bottom of the meter face.

It may be possible that the water valve internal to the Trom is partly stuck due to a small "deposit" (rock) or piece of rust which came with the water supply and the washer is filling up. It's so hard to tell looking at them whether it's filling or not. Start by watching the water meter when you are sure everything is stopped and not running.

 

[Icarus]

Can't you just turn off the valves to the washer and see it it stops?

-David

 

[UWSurfer]

Can't you just turn off the valves to the washer and see it it stops?

-David

Well yeah...if you want to make it easy or something.

Good point.

 

[Rose Pink]

It's a ghost. I once had one living in my basement toilet. Maybe it's moved to your house. I think it is a relative of Moaning Myrtle.

 

[Karen G]

Thank you all for your interesting observations. I'll know for sure what it is when the repairman comes on Thursday. The clogged fill valve idea seems the most plausible to me, but we shall see. The sound continues at random times and various degrees of loudness with still no leaks anywhere.

 

[Karen G]

More info--more questions

We pulled the washer out to try to turn off the water, but the faucet connections are different from the standard faucet where you can turn the handle and shut off the water. There's a different top on each water line, one red and one blue (hot & cold, I assume) that won't easily turn and I didn't want to force it.

But, we did see another tube where the water sounds are coming from. We think it may be the water softener (this is our first experience with a water softener.) There's a copper pipe coming from above that goes into a clear pipe that goes into a hole or drain (we think). We could see water running in the clear pipe and bubbling occasionally.

Those of you with water softeners--does this set-up sound like what you have at your house? Do you ever hear water sounds from the water softener at the washer inside the house? The water softener unit in the garage does have sounds of water running, but it's different from what I hear in the house.

 

[UWSurfer]

Water softeners have the main line passing through them so it softens the water for everything (aka the household) down stream of it. Therefore you'd hear water running through it regardless if it's doing it's fill and purge session.

That is a cycle the units pefore usually on a timer, often set to the dead of night so it's not interupted by demand for water.

The plastic hose is likely a drain. When the softener flushes itself...the drain is used for the brine it rinses out. It empties anywhere from a gallon to 5 gallons depending on the unit.

 

[Karen G]

Mystery solved

The sound of running water was from the water softener drain. The water softener likely has a seal that has failed, but the unit we have isn't big enough for our house and isn't really doing the job properly. So we're getting a new one tomorrow.

There's no problem with the washer after all.

Thanks to all who replied.