Cast iron baseboard heater making noise

nate70500

I have a cast iron baseboard heater in my living room (single pipe steam system). I recently fixed a leak between 2 of the sections and the heater works way better now. My question is when it is initially warming up, it makes a tick, almost very light knock noise, doesn't sound metallic at all. The noise moves along the radiator following the spot where it's warming up until it is completely warm. There is also some bubbling noise from the entire radiator, which I assume is water in there heating up from the steam. Is this normal? My only thought is maybe the radiator needs to be angled back towards the pipe slightly more?

Jamie Hall

It probably would help if the radiator were angled a little more -- baseboard radiators are notorious for not draining condensate well. But the tick type noise is expansion -- and may be very hard to get rid of. However, you could try slipping pieces cut from a plastic milk jug or something of the sort into all the places where the radiator is touching anything -- supports or whatever.

nate70500

Ok it won't be hard to angle it back more. and the tick noise really isn't a problem it's pretty quiet I just wanted to make sure it was supposed to do that