Multiple rapid banging during call for heat

icesailor

Don't use a Dremel It will damage the pipe. Take some photos of the holes in the floor and holes in the walls where the pipes are going through.

If you're really serious about resolving a rub issue, I can tell you better ways to go about it. But I have to see what you have.

1960 baseboard used metal slides. They were noisier. If you have those, you can spray them with Silicone or WD-40.

I think that your noises are more like wood expansion.

Photos.

forumpersona

Will take pics tonight

forumpersona

Pipe out of floor

forumpersona

Hangar

forumpersona

plastic on very 1st element. the rest have much narrower metal under the elements.

forumpersona

icesailor, let me know if you need anything else to make a diagnosis.

Thx

Tony Massi

Check out How to quiet a noisy baseboard heater, from this Old House on You Tube. It explains what sounds like may be your problem.

icesailor

forumpersona said:

Pipe out of floor

The hole is way too small. Slant-Fin makes a rubber grommet that fits inside a 1 3/8" hole to stop the rubbing. No way that would even fit.

If your baseboard loop is long, long enough to go through 3 rooms, you need an expansion joint. If the hole at the other end is as small as that, its going to make quite a racket.

Many plumber/heaters can do fine finish work with a Sawzall. There is a special short, narrow metal cutting blade. I used to cut around the wood without hitting the pipe. An acquired skill. The real question is, did the heat installer drill that hole and fit that pipe through the floor, or did the installer drill a large hole for expansion and Woody wanted to show off his measuring and wood boring skills. That happened to me often.

There's a lot there.

icesailor

forumpersona said:

plastic on very 1st element. the rest have much narrower metal under the elements.

If that is the only plastic one and the rest are all metal, it must have been noisy from the beginning and had all metal slides.

When you take the covers off, does the element run wall to wall with the covers or is there spaces between elements where there is bare 3/4"copper tube? If so, you can put expansion joints in. I personally like the mechanical ones better that the El Cheaper'o ones that look like CSST tube. They're fine for bending around obstructions, but not for dealing with expansion issues.

Gordy

Something to try before you Dremel, and risk nicking a pipe. Get some white lithium grease in a spray can with the extension nozzle. Go around to conspicuous areas, and liberally spray the hole around the pipe. See if the noise goes away. This is not a permanent fix the wood will absorb the grease eventually, but if done systematically you can save unneeded dremeling.

icesailor

@Gordy:

I'd use a Roto-Zip with a carbide cutter before I used a Dremel. Dremel actually makes a cutter or two that will work with a carbide cutter. Its just that no one ever stocks them. They cut through Cast Iron like warm butter.

Gordy

I have one .

icesailor

Gordy said:

I have one .

They really cut ceramic tile for electrical boxes. Unless it is hard red quarry tile.

forumpersona

icesailor said:

forumpersona said:

Pipe out of floor

The hole is way too small. Slant-Fin makes a rubber grommet that fits inside a 1 3/8" hole to stop the rubbing. No way that would even fit.

If your baseboard loop is long, long enough to go through 3 rooms, you need an expansion joint. If the hole at the other end is as small as that, its going to make quite a racket.

Many plumber/heaters can do fine finish work with a Sawzall. There is a special short, narrow metal cutting blade. I used to cut around the wood without hitting the pipe. An acquired skill. The real question is, did the heat installer drill that hole and fit that pipe through the floor, or did the installer drill a large hole for expansion and Woody wanted to show off his measuring and wood boring skills. That happened to me often.

There's a lot there.

Icesailor, I think it's tight through the plywood below as well. In the dining room below, the hardwood has a nice gap but when I put my finger through it I could tell that the plywood was tight against the pipe there as well.

forumpersona

icesailor said:

forumpersona said:

plastic on very 1st element. the rest have much narrower metal under the elements.

If that is the only plastic one and the rest are all metal, it must have been noisy from the beginning and had all metal slides.

When you take the covers off, does the element run wall to wall with the covers or is there spaces between elements where there is bare 3/4"copper tube? If so, you can put expansion joints in. I personally like the mechanical ones better that the El Cheaper'o ones that look like CSST tube. They're fine for bending around obstructions, but not for dealing with expansion issues.

icesailor, I think there's a spot with a gap between the elements, perhaps that's where they joined them. That would require a plumber and flushing of the system right?

forumpersona

The good news is that with the HI set to 160 and the LO at 140 the noises have diminished significantly and the house stayed warm although it was zero degrees out overnight. The boiler did kick in every 10 minutes though and ran for 2-3 minutes each time.

forumpersona

icesailor said:

@Gordy:

I'd use a Roto-Zip with a carbide cutter before I used a Dremel. Dremel actually makes a cutter or two that will work with a carbide cutter. Its just that no one ever stocks them. They cut through Cast Iron like warm butter.

My local home depot has them. Also, the dremel with the flex-shaft is more maneuverable and I already own one.

icesailor

Whatever we are comfortable working with.

Patchogue Phil_2

I've never been able to find those Slant Fin Hydro/Tite expansion couplers.