Hydronic Baseboard Return Tubing Expansion Noise

healeymp0

My upstairs zone is one long continuous above-floor run. It has 3/4" copper return tubing resting on return tubing brackets above the fins. When the return tubing heats or cools it causes the brackets to "ping" a little bit as the friction between the return tubing and the brackets is finally overwhelmed by the tension of the expansion/contraction of the tubing. The front covers are attached to these same brackets, and these "pings" get transferred to the covers and cause them to make noise.

I doubt I am the first person to experience this problem. Does anyone know of a good remedy?

HVACNUT

Expansion noises are all too common. See if you can put pieces of pipe insulation wherever pipe meets metal.

Jamie Hall

Or just small pieces cut from a plastic milk jug. Often works wonders.

Dave H_2

or consider adding outdoor reset to the system.

The noise you are experiencing is the rapid expansion/contraction of the pipe when it goes from 70F to 180F.

Outdoor reset controllers will modulate the water temp based upon demand and outside air temp and can help in quieting the system down.
It can also save you some fuel costs.

Dave H.

healeymp0

I'm liking the milk jug solution. Thanks for the tips!

Ironman

If the pipe is restricted from expanding by something at either end, that may be your problem also.

100' of Copper tubing will "grow" 1" in length when it's heated 100* (70* to 170*).

They make fittings that can be installed to absorb the expansion.