Gurgling Sounds From Drains or Fixtures

A household drain opening with visible standing water

This hub covers gurgling or bubbling sounds from drains and fixtures—like a sink that gurgles after draining, a toilet that bubbles, or a floor drain that makes noise at night. Gurgling often points to air movement in the drain system and can be triggered by other fixtures running, a partial clog, or a venting change after a remodel. Use the groups below to match where you hear the gurgle and what triggers it, then open the closest article title.

Air, Noise & Vibration in Pipes

Fixture-to-fixture gurgling and bubbling

Bubbling or gurgling that appears when one fixture runs and another responds, often indicating shared vents or backpressure in the branch drains.

  • Toilet gurgles when shower runs

    When shower flow causes a toilet to gurgle, the fixtures may share a vent or the drain flow is displacing air into the toilet trap.

  • Toilet bowl bubbles when sink drains

    Bubbling in a toilet when a nearby sink drains suggests trapped air or a partial clog between the fixtures or in their shared venting.

  • Kitchen sink bubbles when dishwasher runs

    Dishwasher discharge into the sink drain can push air back into the trap or reveal a venting restriction at the branch connection.

  • Gurgling when washer drains

    High-volume washer discharge can create temporary siphoning or pressure that moves air through nearby traps if venting is marginal.

  • Gurgling when multiple fixtures run

    If several fixtures running together cause gurgling, the main line or common vent may be undersized or partially restricted for the combined flow.

Where you hear it

Symptoms tied to a specific location can narrow whether the issue is local to the trap, the branch, or the main line.

  • Sink gurgles after draining

    Gurgling after a sink drains often points to slow downstream flow, a partially blocked trap or tailpiece, or limited venting nearby.

  • Gurgling from bathtub drain

    Bathtub gurgles can come from long horizontal runs or a shared vent that isn’t allowing air to move freely during drainage.

  • Floor drain gurgles at night

    Nighttime gurgling in floor drains may be caused by slow sewer flows, thermal changes, or settling air pockets moving through the main line.

  • Basement drain gurgles

    Basement drains often tie into the main sewer; gurgling there can indicate a partial obstruction in the main or backpressure from downstream flow.

  • Gurgling from wall cavity

    Sounds coming from a wall cavity suggest noise transmission along vertical stacks, vent pipes, or concealed drain runs rather than the fixture trap itself.

After changes or events

New gurgling that starts after construction, service interruptions, or device installation often points to altered venting or trapped air introduced during the event.

  • Gurgling started after remodel

    Remodel work can reroute pipes or change vent connections; new gurgling may mean a vent was capped or a branch was modified incorrectly.

  • Gurgling after city outage

    Service outages and the subsequent restoration can introduce air pockets; gurgling after an outage is often temporary but should be monitored.

  • Gurgling after installing vent device

    Adding an air admittance valve or other vent device can change airflow patterns; noisy operation or incorrect placement can produce gurgling.

  • Bubbling noise after water heater refill

    Refilling a water heater can push air into the plumbing; bubbling afterward is commonly a temporary condition as the system purges air.

Intermittent or random bubbling

When bubbling is not consistent, the cause is often a variable flow, occasional air pockets, or intermittent vent performance.

  • Gurgling only sometimes

    Intermittent gurgling points to conditions that vary with flow rates, weather, or sewer activity rather than a constant blockage.

  • Random bubbling from pipes

    Random bubbling may indicate air pockets moving through the system or occasional backflow in a shared drain during peak use.

Partial clog clues

Certain gurgling patterns suggest a partial obstruction in the main line or a venting problem that allows air to be forced through traps.

All Articles in This Cluster

More posts