Friday, March 29, 2024

4 Reasons for loud noises from your heating system

You desperately need a good night’s sleep, but your noisy heating system seems to have other plans for you! You can’t switch it off as its cold and you should not ignore these loud noises as it usually means something’s wrong with the HVAC. While professionals can solve the problem you can also perform these easy 4 troubleshooting tips before that.

1. Boiler making loud noises

Limescale is usually the cause for noisy boilers triggered by the accumulation of hard-water in the boiler’s heat exchanger. Adding chemical descalers to the F&E tank so that it pumps through the heating system helps remove excess scale after which you have to flush clean water through the unit a few times. Adding inhibitors to the heating system also helps as it prevents corrosion.

A low water flow rate can also create loud noises as modern gas boilers work optimally with a particular flow rate. So make sure the flow rate is maintained all the time. Improper installation can lead to air in the central heating system which makes your boiler emit strange, loud noises.

2. Humming sounds

As the pump is usually the culprit for humming sounds from the heating system, you have to check its speed. Too high speeds lead to vibration and noise which can be resolved by adjusting the speed.
If this does not stop the humming, replacing or installing anti-vibration brackets may help. If this too doesn’t help, check the pipe size as too small pipes create a humming sound as it cannot hold the water it carries. The solution here is to install larger pipes, which has to be done by a professional.

3. Creaking sounds

Pipes under the floorboards or behind walls may be the cause for creaking sounds you hear when the heating system is in use. Pipes generally expand as hot water passes through them and contracts to normal size once the water cools down.

It’s when the expanded pipes are very near the floor or wall that you hear loud noises when they expand and contract as water passes through them. The solution here lies in finding out where the noise comes from and inspect the pipes.

If the pipes are sagging, place some felt around the pipes for a better fit and if it’s too tight, try to create some space for expansion by creating a surface notch. Even pipes touching each other may create noises; so placing some felt in between them helps create some space and reduce the noise. However, the best option is going for a combi boiler replacement. If several years have passed since you installed your boiler or heating central, now might be the best time to replace it.

4. Banging sounds

Waves are created in pipes if the water is abruptly stopped, and these waves cause a banging noise which continues till the waves settle. Check if there’s a faulty stop-cock, ball valve or tap in the unit as it prevents the smooth flowing of water through the system. If this too does not solve the problem, check and ensure the water is not flowing too fast.
If your heating system still makes loud noises despite all these troubleshooting tips, it means it’s time you called professional HVAC mechanics to take a look at your unit! They will be able to check and find out if the heating system parts are properly installed, or if there is something else causing the loud noises.

Teodora Torrendo
Teodora Torrendohttps://www.ccdiscovery.com
Teodora Torrendo is an investigative journalist and is a correspondent for European Union. She is based in Zurich in Switzerland and her field of work include covering human rights violations which take place in the various countries in and outside Europe. She also reports about the political situation in European Union. She has worked with some reputed companies in Europe and is currently contributing to USA News as a freelance journalist. As someone who has a Masters’ degree in Human Rights she also delivers lectures on Intercultural Management to students of Human Rights. She is also an authority on the Arab world politics and their diversity.

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