Heat System Pipes Tapping

While I saw some similar posts, I think my situation is a bit more extreme, and I know both I and the plumber who installed the system have not figured it out in 2-3 heat seasons! So, the system is a hot water return system with Slant/Fin baseboards running throughout a 3-family brownstone. The entire system was installed 7.5 years ago as part of a complete gut renovation. There are 3 boilers, one for each unit, so there are really 3 systems. Each heating season, we bleed the system for air because there has been an increasing problem with that maddening, consistent pipe tapping…no knocking and just a little bit of banging, which occurred only during this season’s extreme cold nights on the pipes closest to the external walls. But this tapping is literally torture. It’s almost exclusive to the evening/overnight, and started in 1-2 ceiling areas above the parlor floor but has expanded to include a vertical chase as well as the ceiling between the 3rd and 4th floors (Units 2 & 3). The plumber who designed and installed the systems has bled the system…no air to speak of. He also recommended adjusting the thermostats to be warmer overnight, which gave some temporary relief. He also confirmed the pressure on all the systems is correct. (The systems for units 2 & 3 seem to be the problem because there’s no noise issue btw the garden and parlor floors…all systems are located in the cellar.) It could be that pipes are expanding and rubbing against joists, but before I start ripping open ceilings all over the house, does that seem likely when this problem has been expanding across at least two of the systems? And if it is likely, is there any smart alternative to redoing ceilings? He’s drawing a blank, I’m losing my mind and my tenants are sleeping with earplugs.

nodnyc

in About Brooklyn 10 years and 6 months ago

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sagggesej | 10 years and 6 months ago

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maybe this old house link will help [](http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/video/0,,20353316,00.html)http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/video/0,,20353316,00.html

nodnyc | 10 years and 6 months ago

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Thanks Bessie. bklynshrink, it’s exactly that almost dripping sound…it can really get to you. In some locations, it happens consistently at the same time and in a rhythmic pattern and then elsewhere it just takes off randomly. I’m hoping Mvster Plvmber weighs in! Thank you!

bklynshrink | 10 years and 6 months ago

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This happened to us several years ago and I nearly lost my mind. After some bad advice from other plumbers, John from Gateway came in and figured out that the pipes were not properly supported from below. I can’t remember exactly why that caused the tapping, but he fixed it by putting in supports in the basement. Something about the pipe expanding, especially on a cold startup in the middle of the night, causing some kind of dripping sound. Sorry I can’t be more specific, but it’s been a while. Good luck!

Bessie | 10 years and 6 months ago

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We have had a similar series of noises with our steam system and it seems to be related to pipe movement against trim (you can actually see the pulsation) and structure (underfloor).