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Clicking sound

Ludwig12
Ludwig12 Member Posts: 2
edited April 2021 in Gas Heating
Hi experts,

When the thermostat turns the heat on, there is a clicking noise (I attached the recording, sorry I had to zip it as it does not allow me to upload mp3 file directly). The continued noise is from the boiler, the clicking noise comes once every few seconds. Sometimes, it is more frequent and louder. It will go away after 30 seconds or so. This has been going on for some time, is this something that I should be concerned about?

Thank you,
Lud

Comments

  • STEVEusaPA
    STEVEusaPA Member Posts: 6,506
    YES
    steve
  • EdTheHeaterMan
    EdTheHeaterMan Member Posts: 7,720
    edited April 2021
    No
    Maybe
    Edward F Young. Retired HVAC ContractorSpecialized in Residential Oil Burner and Hydronics
  • HomerJSmith
    HomerJSmith Member Posts: 2,426
    If you have spark ignition, it is possible that the ignition cable is sparking to ground.
  • Ludwig12
    Ludwig12 Member Posts: 2

    If you have spark ignition, it is possible that the ignition cable is sparking to ground.

    Sorry, I was not clear in the original posting. I recorded the sound standing next to the boiler but the clicking noise did not come from the boiler, it is somewhere in the piping. I can hear it even clearer when I am upstairs.

    Thanks.
  • HVACNUT
    HVACNUT Member Posts: 5,804
    Is it Time by Pink Floyd?
    Its pretty hard to discern from your audio. Use your phone for video, lets see what you have, and follow the sound. 
  • Zman
    Zman Member Posts: 7,561
    My bet is a chattering check valve.
    Some pictures or a video would help.
    What does your system pressure gauge read?
    "If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough"
    Albert Einstein
  • Ludwig12
    Ludwig12 Member Posts: 2
    Thanks for the responses. The system pressure is at 12 psi. The clicking sound seems to be coming from piping inside the wall not from the boiler.

    Attached is a short video and photo of the boiler set up. Both hot water and central heating is coming off the boiler.
  • Ludwig12
    Ludwig12 Member Posts: 2
    Hi all. I was able to trace the source of the sound to the gas vent pipe. The grey pipe in the picture. It makes the clicking sound every few seconds when the boiler is on. Any idea of what is going on? Thanks.
  • mattmia2
    mattmia2 Member Posts: 9,575
    Is it loose and free t move on the hangers and through the holes it is routed through? Plastic expands and contracts a significant amount as it heats and cools, if it can't move freely it will slip and sick and make clicking or ticking noises.
    delta T
  • delta T
    delta T Member Posts: 884
    mattmia2 said:

    Is it loose and free t move on the hangers and through the holes it is routed through? Plastic expands and contracts a significant amount as it heats and cools, if it can't move freely it will slip and sick and make clicking or ticking noises.

    Years ago I installed a triangle tube solo 110 for a retired engineer. We wanted to use teardrop hangers on all-thread to suspend the vent piping that ran 40' horizontally through the mechanical room. He insisted that that was not secure enough, and wanted to build a rigid support down from the ceiling and use two hole clamps against the wood supports to suspend the vent piping. We told him that the expansion of the pipe would cause noise but if that's what he wanted we would do it. Two months later his wife called us and told us to remove his supports and do what we wanted to do in the first place because the noise was driving her nuts. She could not hear the boiler running, but the ticking noise from the vent expanding was transferring through the floor big time. With tear drops, the pipe can slide through the hanger and you don't get noise.

    I suspect the noise is being caused by this in your case.
    mattmia2
  • Ludwig12
    Ludwig12 Member Posts: 2
    delta T said:

    mattmia2 said:

    Is it loose and free t move on the hangers and through the holes it is routed through? Plastic expands and contracts a significant amount as it heats and cools, if it can't move freely it will slip and sick and make clicking or ticking noises.

    Years ago I installed a triangle tube solo 110 for a retired engineer. We wanted to use teardrop hangers on all-thread to suspend the vent piping that ran 40' horizontally through the mechanical room. He insisted that that was not secure enough, and wanted to build a rigid support down from the ceiling and use two hole clamps against the wood supports to suspend the vent piping. We told him that the expansion of the pipe would cause noise but if that's what he wanted we would do it. Two months later his wife called us and told us to remove his supports and do what we wanted to do in the first place because the noise was driving her nuts. She could not hear the boiler running, but the ticking noise from the vent expanding was transferring through the floor big time. With tear drops, the pipe can slide through the hanger and you don't get noise.

    I suspect the noise is being caused by this in your case.
    Thanks to Mattmia2 and Delta T for the insights. My main concern was something may be faulty and I should deal with it now before it is too late. The sound is a bit annoying but still tolerable, so I will just keep an eye on it for now.