rad noises

GW

Gotta nice older couple in a new home, steam system is kinda blah, no main vents. Anyway I can't put my finger on the slight 'pinging' noises happening at the rads. It's like a very dull guitar string: it kinda 'pings' then there's an immediate trailing off sound (hence the guitar reference). It's not loud but it is certainly noticeable. Thanks for any tips

neilc

milk jug the feet and the pipe thru the floor?

Jamie Hall

^^^ or a loose tension rod?

GW

 Sorry, I don’t understand a milk jug reference. But yes, pipe through the floor 

also, the steam system is original to the house, then it was converted to a two family—-they yanked the steam on the first floor. Now, it’s a one family again, and the steam is only on the second floor. Boiler piping seems OK. boiler size seems OK.

Jamie Hall

Pieces of milk jug, @GW . The plastic gallon size. They go under the feet of the radiator to help it slide across the floor as it expands or contracts. You can also use pieces of it to shim between the pipes where they come through the floor, if they are touching.

I guarantee nothing... but it sometimes works

GW

Ahh ok lil sliders. 

EBEBRATT-Ed

Ptch is the only thing I can think of but you probably checked that already

GW

Ed the Radiators are pitching correctly. It’s not loud but it has a bit of a twang, I’ve never heard this before

JUGHNE

I have noticed that column radiators that are not connected across the top with nipples will "Ping" or "Clack" due to expansion as they heat up.

Once hot they are nearly quiet.

GW

Thanks J I’ll pay more attention to the types of rads 

mattmia2

You could try to make the run shorter, more frequent cycles so they don't heat and cool as much

KC_Jones

JUGHNE said:

I have noticed that column radiators that are not connected across the top with nipples will "Ping" or "Clack" due to expansion as they heat up.

Once hot they are nearly quiet.

The one in my bedroom does this. I've contemplated tightening the tie rods to see if that helps, but the thought of breaking something scares me. lol Mine does it, to a lesser extent, when cooling as well.