Hot Water - Baseboard Loop Upstairs w/Sleeved Stainless Fins

Tim Hodgson

Is the system heating the first floor correctly? Where is the boiler installed? How many feet above the boiler are the second floor baseboards? What is the water pressure at the boiler gauge? How long after you turn the thermostat up does it take until the pipes start to bang? If you were an air bubble in the second floor baseboard, where would you get stuck if the pump were shut off? How loud is the banging? an 8 lb. sledge hammer or a small screw driver hitting the pipes? I'll be looking for your reply, Tim

Frank Gifford

Hot Water Heat Problems - Baseboard

I rent a two story home with hot-water heat but have had problems recently upstairs.

The banging and knocking is loud enough to wake you a person up out of a dead sleep, especially my 20m old son.

Problem is, I tried bleeding the system several times, opening the holes up through the wall, lowering the temperature on the boiler all to no avail..

I looked at the info on this site about Loop Hot Water and see most systems enter on on end and exit on the other. Here it was set up to enter at one end, run all the way around the upstairs, drop 3" and then run all the way back around the upstairs (although w/some fins now, stainless sleeves I think) and down.

At each end there is a bleeder, but no air at either end regardless of the amount of time spent trying to bleed it.

Any help and or information would be appreciated, if I could get it to stop I'm sure my son would sleep all night. As of now from time to time when the heat comes on he begins tossing and turning, sometimes waking.

Thank you...
Frank


To anyone who can help, I greatly appreciate it.

ScottMP

Frank

My opinionis that for systems like yours there are two types of common noise. Both are related to expansion and contraction of the piping.

1) A small "tinkling" noise. This is caused by the aluminum fins on the baseboard not being set properly in the glides in the enclosure. As the elements expand formt he hot water these aluminum fins scrape against the other metal. Sort of like running your thumb over a metal comb.

2) A rythmic knocking noise. This is caused by the copper tubing being installed to close to the wood. Again as the piping heats up and expands it rubs against the wood and can make quite a drum solo ( sort of like Ringo on the abby road album ).

You can try and make the holes larger witha hand saw. Slide a piece of metal around the pipe where it contacts the wood to allow it to slide. Or take it apart and drill the holes larger.

Any other noise besides what I have described needs to be looked at by a proffesionall.

Good Luck

Scott

To Learn More About This Contractor, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Contractor"

Sonya

upstairs heat not keeping up

My question concerns our upstairs zone. We got new thermostats, and the main floor stays quite accurate. The upstairs seems to have trouble keeping up, especially when it gets colder. It will kick on, but then (when it is behind) 'runs' forever w/ no heat coming from baseboards. We wondered if part of this problem is due to the fact that there is a water heater serving as a holding tank for the boiler right now?? Or possibly something is not triggering boiler when upstairs kicks on? Is there any obvious thing to look for, or that jumps out to anyone? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!