Ticking/Clicking Noisy central heating pipes

[keithrob91]

Hi,

We had some pretty old radiators replaced a while back, for some modern ones, and ever since then the central heating pipes upstairs have started ticking/clicking when the heating comes on and goes off, loud enough to wake us up. I can only assume the replacement of the rads moved the pipes enough to start causing the problem (it didn't happen before).

After reading around a bit I decided to have a go at finding and fixing the problem myself. All the floorboards that I can get access to I have lifted, and wherever the pipes were up against the joists I have cut away the joist a bit to make an air gap (at the sides and underneath the pipe). This has improved things a little bit, but the problem is still very much present. So I could do with some help and have some questions:

1. Will the clicking sound transmit down the metal pipe and 'fool' me into thinking the problem is one place but actually its somewhere else?

2. As a result of me cutting away a bit of the joists around the pipes, the pipes are now no longer firmly in place and can move a little bit (not much though.) Is this a problem?

3. I bought some small felt pads (the sort you put under the feet of sofas) in preparation for sticking between the pipes and joists but haven't done so yet, mainly because everywhere I can I have cut the joist to produce the air gap, so wasn't sure it was actually required. Will they help in any way? Maybe to solve (2) above?

Help and suggestions to fix this would be greatly appreciated.

Keith

 

[kbdiy]

1) possibly;
2) maybe, but if you wrap some pipe insulation around the pipe where it bears on the joist then that will be sufficient;
3) as 2) above.

In short you may need to play around with some soft packing (felt, pipe insulation or similar). The noise may well transmit along the pipes so the source may not be immediately obvious but you are on the right lines. The fitting of the new rads will have move some of the pipework slightly or could be movement of the rads themselves on the brackets, hence the noises. Trail and error to cure them I'm afraid.

 

[keithrob91]

One fly in the ointment is that I think the pipe that is probably the one causing most of the issues is inaccessible due to it being under floorboards that are covered by a big, expensive, and extremely tight fitting wardrobe that is pretty much impossible to move without destroying it. I have a nasty suspicion I will have to re-route that section of pipe work and lay some new piping, but that scares me as I can see that causing other issues, like leaks in existing joints!

I guess even a millimetre movement here or there could make a difference, so I'll keep trying... Damn frustrating though.