Loud boiler & banging rads

Jim Franklin

It does have a V1 and it really isn't that loud at the source. Guess it's time to look at the shims on the lally columns.

The burner came on as I was about to send this so I investigated. In the basement I hear no bass noise. As I walk up the stairs it gets louder. It's loudest in the office, which has one wall abutting the chimney. Putting my ear up to any of the walls surrounding the chimney, it's a significant roar. On the 2nd floor with my ear against the brick of the chimney it's hardly a hum. So it seems the problem is the 1st floor chimney walls, radiating out to the other walls.

Something that just clicked in my head- I remember seeing a 1' square crack pattern on the chimney wall in the office when I moved in a few years ago.

{moves everything away from wall}

Sure enough, the roar is much louder around that square and there's a change in pitch when I rap on it, much like rapping on thin wood paneling that has been glued to a lath & plaster wall and spackled to cover up a hole in a chimney from an old wood stove...

Thanks for the impetus to get me hunting this down.

jim

Jim Franklin

Two separate issues...

My oil fired steam system is loud. The boiler itself doesn't seem overly loud when I'm next to it in the basement (certainly isn't quiet though), but the house rumbles when it's on. The pipes are hung from the floor joists so I'm guessing it's the floor acting like a soundboard, but I've never heard anyone else's steam system do this. It's a 28 x 32 cape, boiler in the center with two loops- one front of the house, one back.

Other issue is the radiators bang from expansion/contraction. Is there a common fix or can I just stick some sheet metal under the legs? I'm almost certain it isn't hammering since I can induce a good bang by waiting until it's ready and stomping the floor :-)

thanks,
jim

Steamhead (in transit)

What make and model

boiler do you have, and what burner is on it?

Some of us have tried those Teflon sliders like you'd put under a chair or something to quiet the radiators, and they seem to help.

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Jim Franklin

Make & model

The burner is a Beckett AFG (DR802) with a .75 nozzle in it.

The boiler is a Dunkirk Empire 3ES1.35

I'll pick up some of those sliders, that's a great solution.

jim

Steamhead (in transit)

That AFG should have the V1 head

which is quieter than the fixed-head version. If it does have a fixed head, a pro can order the V1 head and airtube and install it.

If the burner isn't the problem, look for some sort of harmonic vibration. These can be tough to trace to their source- expect to spend some time on it.

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Steamhead (in transit)

Wood paneling over the hole?!?

you were very lucky you caught this in time. Bet you find some charring on the inside.....

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