Central Heating pipe noise driving me insane please help!

[midas]

Hi all.
Recently my central heating has been making a constant tapping noise which I assume is coming from the pipes.
I wouldn't be so bothered except it's right where I sleep.
I think but am not sure that it only happens when the downstairs circuit is active. The tapping starts when the heating comes on and gradually diminishes when the heating goes off.
At night this can take up to 45 minutes.

The noise doesn't appear to be coming form exactly one spot but seems from a general area in my bedroom.

The pipes are not easily accessible so what other options are there to try first?

Thanks for any help and advice.

 

[45yearsagasman]

Any pipe that exits a wall, floor, or ceiling should ideally have a gap so as not touch the pipe, or should be insulated from surrounding structure in some way. Pipes should be clipped. If the noise is from underfloor then you know it will take a bit more effort to fix.

 

[midas]

Any pipe that exits a wall, floor, or ceiling should ideally have a gap so as not touch the pipe, or should be insulated from surrounding structure in some way. Pipes should be clipped. If the noise is from underfloor then you know it will take a bit more effort to fix.

Thanks for the prompt reply.
I assume then it's some kind of expansion problem as the pipes heat up and there's no other solution apart from what you recommended?


Thanks.

 

[45yearsagasman]

You need to get to the pipes that are "ticking" in order to remedy the situation. Check all the visible pipework first. Sorry, but there is no other way that I know of to make it an easy fix. (Earmuffs)

 

[midas]

I've been doing some further investigation and accessing where I think the noise is coming from isn't as tricky as I first thought as it appears to be coming from below the chipboard flooring in a sloping roof recess which I can get to.

The immersion heater is also in the bedroom about 10ft away. Below the immersion downstairs is where the boiler is located.

I noticed whilst listening for the noise that in the pipework behind the immersion there appears to be a pulsing noise which coincides with the tapping noise so now I can't work out whether the pulsing is causing the tapping or is simply an echo of the pipe expansion problem?

Any ideas or shall I just go ahead and rip up the flooring and take it from there?

Thanks