Can taps turn themselves on?

[loren1987]

Is it possible for the hot water tap over a bath to turn itself on full blast?
Its happened three times since i moved in my flat in august, once in the day time and twice in the middle of the night around 3.00am
Its never a trickle, it takes me two full turns to turn it off. The flats i live in are not new, i would guess they were built in the 60's/70's any ideas?

[Wak]

It's either a very old and worn thread coupled with very high water pressure, a practical joker or a poltergeist.

[jomifl]

It is possible, here's how. The washer that controls the water flow is fitted on a 'jumper,' this held in place by a cylindrical peg that fits closely in a socket in the part of the tap that you turn. If when you open the tap the washer/jumper does not free itself quickly water can get into the socket that the jumper peg fits in thus causing a hydraulic lock and preventing the jumper from fully seating in the hole. When you close the tap the hydraulic lock acts like a solid object and transfers enough pressure to close the washer against the seat. after a while possibly when the tap has cooled the water can escape allowing the jumper to rise and to seat properly in the socket thus allowing water to flow. This is unlikely but it is possible.

[benny3008]

Creeepy!

[yogi-bear]

As benny says.......creepy, loren.

There is a lovely Ab'er called Redcrx who investigates paranormal activity and spooky goings on.

Hopefully she'll read this and come on to advise you if she's ever come across this sort of thing before, if paranormal.

Being somewhat sceptical, i would suggest getting in a plumber to check the taps for problems that may be causing the weirdness.

Have you done any research into the house to see if anything weird has happened there to previous owners or tenants?

[Hopkirk]

Replace the taps asap

[Barquentine]

I was living in a basement flat in Truro in 2004 and that happened once in the bathroom. I was in the bedroom and I heard the tap suddenly start at full blast. I am of a very sceptical and cynical disposition so it did not freak me out - I just assumed a washer had blown or something, but I was able to turn it off -just like you - 4 or 5 turns.
However, when I mentioned it to the landlady who lived in the house upstairs, she did say that she had lost several tenants because of the poltergeist activity in the flat - and I had been wondering how I'd got such a cool flat at such a low rent! It never did happen again - even though I was thrilled at the possibility of living somewhere haunted! I wish all this spooky stuff were true - life would be so much more exciting - but it's not and there's always some boring practical explanation for it. Ho hum!

[twix123]

I would be inclined to change the locks in case a previous tenant is coming in and playing a practical joke!

[jaydah]

spooooky....make sure you've got the plug out when you go to bed; worry if the plug is in when you wake up :)

[ELVIS68]

Sod that, I`d be out like a shot

[mike11111]

Sounds very much like my own internal waterworks problems, especially two bursts at 3.00 am. Perhaps Sqad will advise.

[ELVIS68]

lol@ mike

[jomifl]

of course poltergeists are the logical explanation, thats why plumbers always have a qualification in exorcism.%)

[lcg]

pmsl @ tonyted...brill x

[redcrx]

lol Thanks for the compliment Yogi xx

personally, id say that unless loads of other weird stuff is occuring that its more than likely to be dodgy plumming, Loren.

[jomifl]

Try this, when you have turned the tap off mark it with some sticky tape so that you can see if it has moved or been moved,when you have to close it again you will see if the problem is with the tap or the hypothetical and as yet un-exorcised poltergiest.

[moonraker558]

Try leaving off the booze for a night and see if that helps. lol

[chloeee]

This happened to me today hence why I'm on this page! I came upstairs and heard running water, went in the bathroom to find both the sink taps and the bath taps running on full? Members of the family and myself have also seen the hot tap running on its own but this stopped when we got a new bathroom fitted a few years ago, until now!