Baseboard gas heating- loud banging

DSchrader00

Good Evening All,
Context is baseboard gas heat in an old house with new boiler. Every time the second floor thermostat engages the heat there is a loud banging. We had it checked out and the gent said it was not worth bleeding the pipes as every register is throwing heat upstairs. The primary theory running is that there are pipes in the ceiling that are banging against wood beams. We cut into the ceiling, will post a pic, and are trying to figure out the best way to approach it. My friend put downward pressure on the pipe while it ran and it seemed to work, thus the picture of us testing the downward pressure theory. It didn't work though that night. This is definitely where the noise comes from though. Do you all have any other ideas on what it could be?
Thanks so much for your input. 
Best,
Dave

kcopp

It expansion noise from the hot water expanding the copper when it goes from 60F to 180+ F. What temp is the boiler running at?
Best fix is to drain the system and drill out the hole larger.

DSchrader00

Thanks kcopp, drill out which hole? In the beams?

mattmia2

Might be able to slide a piece of plastic or rubber between the wood and pipe to encourage it to slide without sticking then releasing as it expands and contracts.

DSchrader00

mattmia2 said:

Might be able to slide a piece of plastic or rubber between the wood and pipe to encourage it to slide without sticking then releasing as it expands and contracts.

So a wedge of some sort? Jam it in there and see if it stabilizes it? 

EdTheHeaterMan

To the question you posed to @kcopp, Yes the holes in the beams. That means removing the pipes and making the holes larger, then putting the pipes back.

The first thing I would try is to cut a plastic milk carton up into strips that can be wrapped around the copper pipe and slid into the holes. You don't need to drain the boiler and remove pipes to drill bigger holes with that option. If that solves the problem then patch up the ceilings

If that does not work or you can't get the plastic into the holes, then drain the boiler and remove the pipe and replace it with PEX tubing with an oxygen barrier. After you drill the holes bigger of course. The tubing will still expand and make some noise but it won't be a BANG!

DSchrader00

Thank everyone for your input so far. Slughtly more context.. my wife reminded me the noise wasn't this bad last year and we had the new weil mclain put in this summer. In case that may spark some thoughts. Draining the system is a last resort at this point and the house is so old I really don't want to gut and replace piping if I don't absolutely have to. I've put the milk carton around two sections of pipe-in-wood where the sound is coming from. I'm a little nervous the issue may be on the other side of the wall... pic to follow.  To answer the temp setting question I think the temp is 180 on the boiler bc that is where it turned off when I watched it go on to heat just now? One more question I would appreciate input with is what type of professional would be the right one to fix this? A carpenter if it is cutting more ceiling and drilling around the pipes? Or would a company like the ones who installed it make more sense? Thank you again for guidance. It truly is appreciated as this wakes my wife and I up at night. It isn't normal noise which we do expect to hear, we know baseboard isn't silent. 

mattmia2

DSchrader00 said:

mattmia2 said:

Might be able to slide a piece of plastic or rubber between the wood and pipe to encourage it to slide without sticking then releasing as it expands and contracts.

So a wedge of some sort? Jam it in there and see if it stabilizes it? 

No. the pie will expand and contract. It has to be able to move. Put it in sheet form between the wood and the pipe so it doesn't stick then release but slides gradually like Ed said.

mattmia2

You could also lower the supply water temp to maybe 150 or 160 or so and see if that reduces the amount that it expands enough to stop the violent release of the movement.