Knocking, tapping noise

Brian_45

There is a knocking, tapping noise in one of my pipes that is really irritating. It is not a loud sound but a subtle annoying sound. We have steam heating in my apartment building. Is it the heat or the hot water pipe for the building? I'm hoping it will stop when they shut off the heat in the building. Any help or suggestions would be appreciated.

Brad White_38

Getting POEtic here are we?

"Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of someone gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
" 'Tis some visitor," I muttered, "tapping at my chamber door;
Only this, and nothing more."


Ahem

Water hammer. Very common. Often due to collapse of steam into condensate (a 1700 to 1 ratio), or pockets of water -condensed steam- being compressed by approaching steam. Often this is the result of too much steam pressure. Steam can do remarable things heating a building when the pressure is low.