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Noisy Pipes

mph
mph Member Posts: 77
We have a customer who is complaining about their heating system making "ticking" noises when it first comes on in the morning (or worse yet, sometimes in the middle of the night). This is a multi-zone, baseboard sytem with 3/4" copper, series loops.

I suspect the installer ommitted some pipe insulators in the joist penetrations in the ceiling/floor assembly.

Any suggestions on how to quiet this down without tearing open the floors/ceilings?

Jeff

Comments

  • Ray  Binder
    Ray Binder Member Posts: 11
    ticking

    I would look first at the brackets that hold up the pipes. There should be a nylon piece under the fins so that the pipe can slide. If it is missing or not sitting on the bracket you will get a ticking noise as the alum fins catch on the bracket
  • Big Ed
    Big Ed Member Posts: 1,117
    Element glide

    The baseboard element sits on a rack . Between the tin element and the rack there should be plastic gliders so when the base board expands it will slide accross the rack with out the "tick , tick , tick" noise. Could be missing or missplaced glide . Also make sure nothing is in the elements path...

    ... Word of advice if the base board is old or bang up , if you try to fix this you will marry the call . I suggest at this time......recommend to the owner, about install new baseboard . This way you can do the job right .
  • mph
    mph Member Posts: 77
    Ticking

    This is a new install. The ticking is definitely coming from between the floors, not the baseboard itself. The owner reports that it is most pronounced in the morning when the system comes out of set-back.

    Jeff
  • jackchips_2
    jackchips_2 Member Posts: 1,337
    Have you

    checked for the supply/return pipe rubbing anywhere? It could be the holes through the floor or between rooms are to tight.
  • Scott06
    Scott06 Member Posts: 8


    We solved a problem like yours with continuous circulation on outdoor reset. The piping does not expand and contract as quick with on/off circulation.
  • steve_38
    steve_38 Member Posts: 74
    tick tick tick

    Usually when that sounds accurs, I believe the heating pipes are butted to tight against the walls, so when the hot water flows through the pipes,the pipe expands and being that tight against the walls they will make that ticking noise.
  • mph
    mph Member Posts: 77
    Rubbing pipes

    There are plastic pipe insulators everywhere the pipes come up through the floor. The sound is coming from between floors.

    Jeff
  • jackchips_2
    jackchips_2 Member Posts: 1,337
    It sure sounds like

    expansion noises, Jeff and the only way to cure those are to prevent the pipes from coming into contact with the structure.

    Others have suggested constant circulation and that is certainly a solution without opening walls or floors.

    Best of luck.
  • S Davis
    S Davis Member Posts: 491
    Soft Start

    You might try a Tekmar control with soft start, I have used them before and it usually solves this kind of problem.

    S Davis
  • mph
    mph Member Posts: 77
    Tekmar soft start

    Which Tekmar control has the soft start feature?

    Jeff
  • S Davis
    S Davis Member Posts: 491
    Soft Start

    The Tekmar 262 has the soft start feature.

    S Davis
  • Paul/Pa.
    Paul/Pa. Member Posts: 4


    Just a thought but to keep it simple couldn't you just add a bypass so that the return water mixes with the supply. This would allow the supply and return to come up to temp more evenly. As the return water temp goes up the supply would as well. Of course it may not stop it completely but it would help.

    Paul
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