Constant snapping noise --radiator

Jamie Hall

a light snapping sound, and only when the radiator is heating (or just before or after) it is likely expansion of the pipes. And can be quite annoying. And not all that much to be done about it...

Laura Harrison

Radiator problem

Hi,

I just moved into a 3rd floor newly remodeled apt. in Brooklyn at the beginning of the month. When I first moved, in the apt was very warm and I kept the radiators turned off and had to open the windows. The pipes running vertically between floors in the kitchen and bathroom put out alot of heat. Are they called riser pipes?

Midway through my first week, the boiler in my building was worked on. I was told that it was pushing too much hot water through the pipes and had to be adjusted. No hot water for 24 hours! I assumed that this problem was part of what had been keeping the apt. so warm. Water was constantly running through the risers (?) which were always hot. After the boiler was worked on, apt was cooler, but the radiator in the living room began to make this annoying, constant snapping noise--not a water hammer or a click, but a snap, which is coming from beneath the floor boards very near the radiator. At times the snap can sound like the crack of a whip. I have only had the radiator in the living room on once since March 1st and only for a few hours. Even though the apt. is cooler after the boiler was adjusted, it is still warm enough that additional heat is unnecessary.

A plumber checked the pitch of the radiator by placing a level on it and said it was perfect. He guessed that there might be water in the pipes below floor level that is causing constant expansion or contraction. He is young and not experienced in steam--in fact he is currently taking a class on it. This noise is fairly constant and goes on for hours. Does anyone have any idea of what's going on here? Please help!!!

Brad White_185

Snapping

Hi Laura

The riser pipes- or just "risers": you have named them correctly.

Just a hunch but I suspect that the snapping is a binding of the pipe against either flooring, subfloor, joists or other structure and is caused by thermal expansion.

I have no idea what was done, but if there was no snapping before, it may have been running constantly (one would hope with outdoor reset to vary the temperature). My guess -and it is only a guess- is that they may have implemented a cycle time, turning on the circulator (pump) only when there is a call for heat.

This cyclical timing, if it coincides with the snapping sound, could be the clue that you seek.

Now, ideally, I would run the circulator constantly and as mentioned, on outdoor reset. This allows variable water temperature, cooler in mild weather, hotter in cold weather, with changes so incrementally and smooth that the pipe expansion is very slow and usually not noticeable.

If you find the snapping in a regular rhythm, I would suggest listening closely to the radiator. It may be picking up some vibes from Peggy Lee if you hear the song "Fever".