» The pipes are clicking. Causes of malfunctions: why do heating radiators make noise in a private house and how to fix it? Extra sounds from heating appliances

The pipes are clicking. Causes of malfunctions: why do heating radiators make noise in a private house and how to fix it? Extra sounds from heating appliances

Noisy batteries - unnatural phenomenon causing significant discomfort to residents of a private home. The volume of crackling, splashing, and gurgling noises is not always evenly distributed throughout the system.

Some rooms of the house do not suffer, while in some rooms it is simply impossible to be present. The problem is aggravated by the use of metal elements when installing radiators - metal conducts vibrations well, making the hum loud and widespread.

Identifying the cause of noise is a priority task, since extraneous sounds indicate disruptions in the functioning of a system that is vital in the cold season. Some of the reasons left unattended will lead to to failure of the heating circuit, accident or major material damage.

Why do heating radiators make noise in a private house?

Batteries in a private house are noisy for different reasons. The breakdown can be corrected only after it is known exactly why the radiators are noisy.

Overpressure

Radiator noises caused by excessive pressure inside the entire installation indicate about the danger of a breakthrough.

Technical communications are designed for a certain operating pressure, which is controlled using sensors - pressure gauges.

Based on the standard indicators specified for a specific circuit of heating systems, you can adjust the pressure pumped by the pump, on one's own.

Incorrect installation of thermal valve

The home master does not see the difference which side to install the battery shut-off valve. But if the thermal valve is installed incorrectly, hot water pressure at valve, causing noise. Such a crane can tap periodically.

Pump noise in the boiler room

Previously, it was customary to place injection equipment in a separate building to reduce the volume of the sound it produces. Modern pumps are located in the basement of private houses.

Their work has been improved to such an extent that maximum efficient use of the heating circuit is possible with minimal hearing discomfort.

Photo 1. Pumps in a boiler room located in a semi-basement room can cause vibration and noise from radiators.

But incorrectly selected for a specific home pump power is reflected in the appearance of constant noise from radiators and pipes. Metal communications perfectly convey vibrations of a powerful supercharger throughout the private house.

Attention! To prevent this effect, you need to adjust (reduce) the power of the pump, and before installing it coordinate its performance with specialists.

Incorrect boiler operation

Monitoring the correct functioning of the device eliminates the hassle of battery operation and failure. The first sign of problems with the boiler functions is the appearance of extraneous sounds.

To eliminate the defect, the modes of turning on and off the heating apparatus are adjusted.

Frequency of mode changes occurs once every 20-40 minutes. Good performance indicators - 75-80% of the boiler's rated power.

A good solution to the problem is to install automatic room regulators that independently control the boiler power by measuring the temperature on a specific radiator.

Uneven supply pipes

When installing a system of “communicating vessels” in a private house the laws of hydrostatics are strictly observed. All installation work is carried out using a level - a device that controls the parallelism and perpendicularity of the heating circuit elements to the level of the earth's surface. Pipes installed at an angle create unnecessary drop in water level, provoking splashing inside them.

Battery displacement when heated

The radiator is attached to the wall using special brackets made of metal with lower thermal conductivity than the batteries themselves.

This protects the stands from unnecessary heating, which reduces the temperature of the entire heating system of a private home.

Bracket material undergoes little thermal expansion.

And heating radiators are sensitive to changes in coolant temperature. High thermal conductivity material expands significantly when heated. The junctions of such different elements often crack and click.

Reference! To prevent contact of parts, the occurrence of noise and subsequent corrosion of the metal in these places of the battery, elastic gaskets are used. Best fit rubber washers.

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Change in coolant temperature

Failures in the operation of the circuit system also occur due to discrepancies in the power of the heating unit.

The degree of heating in the battery is adjustable, but it is better to carefully select all elements of the heating system in advance.

If the boiler is designed by 2 kilowatts, and the total power of the radiators is 1 kilowatt, then this will periodically lead to malfunctions in the circuit, voltage in the pipes, and noise.

The material from which the batteries and pipes are made is also taken into account. Previously used cast iron, which withstood changes in the heating system.

Now other materials are common, less resistant to increased temperatures, although more attractive due to other characteristics.

The radiator clicks and knocks: causes of crackling, knocking and clicking

Specific sounds in the heating system are created when there is foreign particles. Many people reject this possibility, since the heating circuit of a private house is looped and represents closed system with a small coolant turnover. But the appearance of debris in batteries, which causes them to knock, is a cumulative phenomenon.

The water used for heating does not pass through filters, but is taken from a regular water supply. With constant heating, metal salts settle on the walls of pipes and batteries, forming scale.

Tearing off under the pressure of water, the particles move from place to place, as if they click.

For a private home, eliminating the problem of cracking, knocking and clicking in the battery is much easier than for an apartment building. Almost any owner can do this on his own. Coolant through the valve drains into the sewer. The heating circuit and adjacent communications are washed with clean water. Then the coolant is replenished again.

If the valve malfunctions, it is enough simple replacement of an obsolete element.

Murmuring of water in batteries and methods of elimination

Water in batteries can gurgle for various reasons. To determine, you need to know feature of radiators.

Leaky connections

Air bubbles create splashing and murmurs that frighten the owners of the house. The main reason for the appearance is the lack of tightness in threaded connections. Heating circuit sucks air almost always in such conditions. A kind owner knows this feature and controls condition of valves, pipe joints for integrity and tightness.

Photo 2. Leaky battery threaded connections create gurgling sounds, so you should always check the joints.

Bleeding air when unpleasant “symptoms” appear is a reliable way to avoid discomfort when operating water heating devices in a private home. In the presence of Mayevsky cranes You can quickly bleed air from a separate battery. The “culprit” is determined by palpation. The radiator in which air has accumulated loses temperature, gets cold at the top.

Poor removal of air from the system before starting

Be sure to carefully deflate when commissioning the heating circuit. Heating branches extend from the boiler, each of which has a circulation pump installed. Required on the front side of the pump unscrew the screw. Then the water will begin to drain and the air will bleed out.

During the procedure it comes out about ten liters of coolant. To ensure that the automation does not block the operation of the boiler by reacting to a sharp drop in pressure, the system is simultaneously recharged with an additional amount of liquid.

Error in installing the heating system

The heating circuit in a private house is a serious communications scheme. It is forbidden to install its elements without following strict rules.

During the operation of heating systems, extraneous sounds periodically arise that should not be there. These noises are generated due to the following reasons:

  • uneven movement of the coolant caused by changes in speed and pressure;
  • malfunctions of installed pipeline fittings;
  • incorrect settings of equipment and pipeline fittings.

And if, during the operation of the heating system, noise appears in the heating pipes, then the first step to eliminating it should be a correct diagnosis.

Classification of extraneous noise

All extraneous sounds can be classified as follows:

  • crackling noise coming from heating pipes. It usually appears when heating is put into operation;
  • clicks that appear with a certain frequency;
  • hum in the pipeline system;
  • knocking in the heating pipes in the apartment.

All of these noises not only reduce the comfort of staying in the house, but also clearly indicate the objective reasons that serve to cause them.

If they are not eliminated in time, then you can expect troubles in the form of damage to the batteries, installed pumps and valves, up to a complete stop of the heat supply.

One of the main causes of noise in the heating system is water (coolant) leaks from the pipeline. You cannot eliminate these defects in an apartment building on your own; they must be reported to the management company. Its specialists must inspect all rooms located in the building for coolant leaks. As a rule, sources of leaks are flanged or threaded connections, valves, valves and fistulas formed during operation. If the inspection does not produce results, then it is necessary to check the entire heating system and the units installed in it.

A knocking noise in the heating pipe of a private home may come from the heating pump.

It should only be removed by specialists who have special skills and tools.

In addition, individual devices installed in the heating network, for example, a drain valve or an air vent, can generate knocking noises in heating pipes in a private house. Modern heating systems are assembled in such a way that the main pumps, control valves, control and automation equipment are located in one room and it makes sense to immediately conduct a full inspection.

Extra sounds from heating appliances

The next source of noise and knocking in the heating pipes of a private house is heating radiators. As a rule, the cause of their occurrence is errors made during installation or defects in the housing. In the latter case, it is advisable to change the battery.

If the radiator is not damaged and its installation was carried out strictly according to the rules, then the cause of noise in the pipes may be the presence of an air lock in the radiator.

Its presence creates an obstacle to the movement of the coolant and at the same time a hum appears.

In addition, an unreasonably large number of fittings built into the heat supply system provokes unnecessary noise. The battery can become a source of hum and knocking in the heating pipes of a house due to improper installation, and the vibration that occurs when the coolant moves is transmitted throughout the pipeline. And of course, one of the reasons that can contribute to noise is debris accumulating in radiators.

Cleaning the heating radiator from deposits

By the way, another reason may be that when installing pipelines, transitions from one diameter to another are used too often. Using these nuances results in the flow of the work environment slowing down or speeding up.

These are the main reasons for the appearance of extraneous sounds in heating radiators.

Air is removed from radiators using a Mayevsky tap. This operation is carried out when filling the heating system with coolant, before the start of the heating season. If such defects appear during operation, you will have to stop the heat supply to the building or, at least, reduce it and wait until the temperature drops to 30 degrees. After this, you need to open the tap and wait until the air comes out of it and the coolant begins to flow out. Typically this procedure lasts one to two minutes, but this depends on the volume of the system. After this, the heat supply is turned on again and if the noise disappears, then all work has been done correctly and the air lock has been removed from the system. Mayevsky taps are installed at the highest point of the heating system.

By the way, the presence of air indicates that coolant leaks have formed in the heat supply system, which urgently need to be found and eliminated.

Debris in the radiator

One way or another, debris accumulates in the radiators - these are small particles of rust, limestone sediment, etc. You can check its presence after dismantling the mesh filter; if particles of rust and plaque are visible in it, then, most likely, debris has accumulated in the radiator .

In this case, to eliminate knocking in heating pipes in an apartment, two methods are used. The first method is called hydrodynamic, the second chemical. When using the first method, a powerful pump is used that creates high water pressure. But at the same time, we must remember to limit the operating pressure in the system. If it is exceeded, radiators and other elements of the piping system can be damaged.

The second method implies that special chemicals dissolve the particles or destroy them, after which they leave the system under coolant pressure. But before you engage in chemical cleaning, you must read the instructions very carefully. Phosphoric acid may be used in some formulations. When using it, increased safety precautions must be observed.

Excessive noise in pipelines

Excess noise in heating pipes appears due to:

  • incorrect operation of the circulation pump;
  • presence of debris in pipes;
  • design errors;
  • improper installation of the structure.

Sometimes these problems can appear simultaneously, and sometimes all together. In this case, the diagnostic task becomes more complicated. The cause can be identified first of all by the nature of the sound. For example, clicking sounds indicate a blockage in the heating pipe. A blockage in the pipe can significantly reduce its internal bore diameter.

This leads to an increase in operating pressure in a certain section of the pipeline and, as a consequence, to the appearance of excess noise.

A cracking sound indicates that the air valve has most likely failed. It needs to be tested and replaced. Vibration, which also creates extraneous noise, occurs in improperly installed heat supply systems. That is, the passage of the working medium can cause the pipe to vibrate and, if installation rules are not followed, it may hit the wall.

To avoid clogging, all heating supply components are washed either before the start or at the end of the heating season.

Pump noise

Above were descriptions of the causes of extraneous noise and knocking in heating pipes. A private house or high-rise building has a heating system consisting of passive and active parts of pipeline fittings. But, these noises can also be created due to malfunctions in the operation of pumps, valves and other equipment operating from an electric drive.

In the event of partial failure of the impeller or rotor, vibration occurs during pump operation. Moreover, when operating a defective engine, the operating parameters of the system, that is, pressure, may deteriorate. This defect can be eliminated either by repairing or replacing the pump. Which is not difficult to do even during the heating season.

Typically, two pumps are installed, one is considered the main pump and the other is a backup.

And one of them can be cut off from the coolant supply line for some time.

By the way, unstable operation of the pump can also be caused by errors in the design or flaws during the installation of the heating unit, more precisely, in its electrical part. If electricity is supplied to the power plants with insufficient parameters or phase imbalance, then you can be sure that the movement of the coolant will be uneven. Accordingly, this will lead to noise and knocking in the heating pipes when the coolant is heated.

In addition, extraneous noise and knocking in heating pipes in a private house may occur for the following reasons:

  • violation of the rules for installing the pump; its shaft must be positioned strictly horizontally;
  • discrepancy between the technical parameters of the installed pump and the design parameters.

In the first option, runout of the pump shaft may appear; in the second, a change in technical characteristics leads to an increase or decrease in the flow rate of the working fluid.

Diagnosing the source of noise and knocking in heating pipes in a private home is a difficult job. To perform this, you must dismantle the pump and have certain skills in working with various tools. As a rule, diagnostics are performed by trained plumbers.

Noise in boilers

Boilers that produce heat, like any other equipment in the heating system, can also generate knocking noises in heating pipes in a private home. As a rule, the reasons for their appearance are similar to those that cause extraneous sounds during operation of pipes and radiators. These are lime deposits and debris getting into the heat exchanger.

If cleaning the boiler does not bring a positive result, then it is necessary to look for the causes of noise in other components. In addition, they indicate errors in the operation of the boiler itself.

In any case, boiler maintenance and repair work should only be carried out by trained specialists.

Causes of noise in different types of boilers

In practice, four main types of fuel are used:

  • solid – coal, wood;
  • gas - liquefied gas, propane;
  • liquid – diesel fuel;
  • electric.

Each type of boiler has its own disadvantages. Thus, when boilers operate on solid fuel, the pipe becomes clogged and, as a result, the draft decreases. This is the reason for the appearance of abnormal sounds; to eliminate them, it is necessary to clean the chimney in a timely manner.

Boilers that use diesel fuel may whistle.

This occurs due to incomplete combustion of the fuel and a large amount of soot forms on its injectors.

Theoretically, using the methods described in the technical description, you can clean the boiler combustion system yourself. As a rule, the documentation describes the frequency of cleaning, the order of actions performed and the tool required for this.

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In multi-storey buildings you can hear various extraneous sounds, especially when the walls in the apartments are not sufficiently soundproofed. It is not uncommon to hear knocking on pipes and a crackling sound in the heating system. Such phenomena indicate unstable operation of the heating supply structure or the presence of malfunctions in it.

Common causes of noise

Since in most cases, pipelines and radiators in houses are made of metal, which is a good conductor of sound, the source of noise in the heating pipe can be quite far away. Most often the problem is that the equipment is not being used correctly.

The main reasons contributing to the appearance of extraneous sounds in heating systems in the form of knocking or vibration are:

  1. One of the pipeline elements is clogged.
  2. Severely worn structural parts.
  3. Violations of the rules for arrangement and operation of heating equipment.
  4. Presence of air pockets.
  5. Too weak or, on the contrary, too strong a pressure.
  6. There is a leak in the system.
  7. Due to a breakdown or incorrect selection, the pump makes noise.
  8. Errors were made when selecting the technical characteristics of the equipment.
  9. There is insufficient coolant volume in the system, so you can hear water flowing.
  10. Sound insulation is broken and building codes are not followed.
  11. The regulator is incorrectly selected.
  12. There is a significant pressure drop in the system.
  13. There is no room for a pipe passing through a wall to expand as it heats up.


If there is water noise in the heating pipes in an apartment building for just a few hours, this may mean that repair work is being carried out on the system.

Noise in radiators

To correctly diagnose the causes of noise in the battery, you should make sure that it is in normal technical condition. Often, when inspecting the radiator, damage is discovered. In this case, it should be repaired or replaced with a new device. If there is no obvious damage, it is necessary to determine the type of noise. Most often you can hear a hum and/or clicking noise in the radiator.

Their causes include the following common problems:

  1. Incorrectly installed battery.
  2. When moving, the water flow transmits vibration to the radiator, which in turn transmits vibration to the mounting units located in the wall.
  3. There is a foreign object inside the device. Often, once it gets into the system, it settles in the battery. Either this item was there initially and was not removed during installation.
  4. Air has entered the radiator. This causes the noise of flowing coolant or hum to appear in it.
  5. Incorrect functioning of the thermostat. The reason for this is the displacement of the shut-off rod.


You need to start fixing problems only after correctly diagnosing them. If the cause of extraneous noise is in the central heating main, you must contact the management company. When extraneous sounds are heard for a long time, you should call specialists to carry out diagnostics.

Presence of noise in the heating system pipes

When noise is detected, especially if heating pipes are cracking and there is a hum, the reasons may be complex.

It is quite difficult to immediately understand the sources of sounds, since they can overlap:

  1. If there are clicks in the heating pipes, they are often caused by a blockage that has formed in the system. Most likely, the lumen of the pipeline has narrowed and following this, in a separate section of it, the pressure becomes higher, then it drops, and the presence of such a difference makes itself known.
  2. In the case when heating pipes crack in a private house, the malfunction is associated with the air valve. It should be checked and, if necessary, replaced with a new product.
  3. When the pipe vibrates, then an error was made during installation of the system, and it may hit the wall. If a problem is detected inside the structure, it needs to be flushed to solve it. If the cause of vibration is located outside the pipeline, additional absorbers and fasteners should be installed. If there is a problem with the pumping equipment or mixer, they are either repaired or replaced.

Heating pump malfunction

If the radiator and pipes are working properly, and the cause of the problem is related to the pump, it should be diagnosed. Most often, noise is caused by a faulty rotor or impeller. The entire heating system suffers from this and its efficiency begins to drop. Repair or complete replacement of parts can solve the problem.

The noise from the circulation pump is sometimes caused by external reasons, for example, a voltage drop. As a result, imbalance occurs, synchronization is disrupted and the coolant begins to move unevenly. This causes noise to be heard both in the radiators and in the pipes. The diagnosis must be carried out by a specialist.


But in some cases, even during stable operation of the pump, noise and vibration occur, then you need to check:

  • whether the equipment power corresponds to the initial calculation results. If not, then the coolant moves through the pipes either too slowly or too quickly and creates different types of noise;
  • correct installation. First of all, you need to check the location of the rotor of the device. It must be in a strictly horizontal position.

Extraneous sounds in heating boilers

Noises heard in heating boilers arise for the same reasons as in the case of pipes and radiators. Most likely, they appeared as a result of clogging of the heat exchanger due to lime deposits. The design feature of the unit plays an important role. If the problem is a clog, it needs to be removed. When cleaning does not help, you should further look for the cause of the problem, but the best solution would be to call a specialist.

When determining the noise problem in the boiler yourself, you should take into account the peculiarities of its design and the fuel used:

  1. Gas unit. Perhaps the whole point is that the burner is not functioning evenly. Such a problem as knocking in the gas pipe appears in already outdated boiler models that do not have additional control over the flame. In this case, it is advisable to update the device so that it meets modern standards.
  2. Solid fuel boiler. Extraneous sound may come from behind the chimney. As a result of prolonged use, it begins to become clogged and the traction force decreases. The chimney structure needs to be cleaned.
  3. Diesel appliance or apparatus operating during mining. A whistling noise is heard from the injector nozzle and should be cleaned.

It should be borne in mind that the cause of extraneous sounds may not be one fault, but several. Therefore, comprehensive diagnostics of the heating unit should be carried out.

Use of vibration compensators in heat supply systems

It is possible to ensure noise insulation of pipes by installing vibration compensators. In the presence of vibration and water hammer, the installation of special flange elements will help solve the problem. They are designed to eliminate mechanical stress and protect the heating system from unwanted loads.

If a vibration compensator is installed in a private household, then this should be done near the pumping equipment. When the problem occurs in an apartment building, these devices are installed near the central riser from which the coolant flows, or near the wall partitions.


Installation is simple and many property owners can handle it themselves. This method of sound insulation eliminates the main noise irritants transmitted through pipes.

If you have not been able to deal with the problem of noise in the system on your own, and the heating pipes in a private house are still clicking or there are hums and clicks in the radiator, you should dismantle the heat supply structure and install it again, but with the help of specialists.

In conclusion, it should be noted that it is impossible to foresee all problems with the heating system, and individual cases may generally be unique.

The heating system is a very ambiguous design, which is often fraught with very unexpected pitfalls. If you have problems with pipes, a leak appears, or strange sounds arise in the form of crackling, knocking or a muffled roar, this means that it’s time to get very serious about correcting problems and mistakes in the structure of the system.

Don’t know why the radiators click, but want to immediately find out the reason and fix this problem? We will help you not only solve the problem, but also get to the root of it.

The main causes of noise in the heating system

So, why do heating batteries click, and is it possible to eliminate the cause of this problem yourself? No specialist will immediately give you a definite answer. This is due to the fact that the cause of the noise may depend on various aspects, and a specialist will help you determine exactly the factor that caused the heating system to produce sounds that irritate and disturb you.

And so, first, let's try to understand the reasons why an unpleasant buzzing, noise or hum may occur in the heating system. Here are the main points to consider:

  • Leak formation. During a break or even a small leak in the system, an unpleasant sound, similar to a distant hiss, may be recorded throughout the riser. By eliminating the leak, you will get rid of suffering and protect yourself from more serious breakdowns and their consequences.
  • Incorrect pipe connection. When the transition from one pipe diameter to another sharply decreases, a pressure drop occurs in the system, which can also lead to the formation of noise and knocking.
  • Damage to the valve or system valve.

Initially, you may not understand why heating radiators are cracking, and what is the root cause of this strange phenomenon, but if you look in more detail, then everything becomes more than clear! If you don’t know why radiators are crackling, and you want to find out and eliminate the wildly annoying noise as soon as possible, then get ready for a detailed analysis, the basics of which we will teach you.

How to determine the nature of extraneous sounds in the system

First, let's find out the nature of the sound and try to establish its source. To do this, we ensure silence in the house and carefully examine the system. Where the noise is best heard and where you should look for the problem. If you have found the location of the noise, but still have not established why the radiators are crackling, try to analyze the nature of the sound and determine what it is most similar to. It is important to do this as soon as possible, because extraneous sounds that constantly disturb the silence of the apartment can lead to very negative consequences for all family members.

Other possible reasons why heating pipes are humming.

Humming and gurgling is present due to air entering the heating system. And there is only one way out - look for the Mayevsky tap and bleed the air, otherwise the noise will not stop, and the heating system will not work to its fullest. The reason why heating pipes hum may also be debris in the riser or the radiator itself, a torn valve, or thermal expansion.

To tell exactly what sound is coming from the system and what it means, you need practice, which we dare say you don’t have. For this reason, the craftsmen involved in repair work have it, and if you need to consult with a specialist, do not hesitate to call him and invite him to your home.

Remember that an air lock formed in the battery should not cause a sharp crackling sound, which means the reason is something else. But it never hurts to open the tap and check again for airiness. If we take the very principle of arranging batteries, then it is such that when heated, the system expands slightly, thereby providing the opportunity for the formation of a new thermal field. If something prevents the battery from expanding, then the occurrence of noise and extraneous sounds will also be possible. Try to free the pipes from close contact with the wall, and maybe this will solve the problem and understand why the heating pipes are humming.

Why are heating pipes knocking: who is to blame and what to do?

Does noise from the battery interfere with your sleep?

Let's try to figure out why heating pipes make noise and how we can eliminate the causes of this noise.

The case when noise occurs in the heating pipes during normal operation of the system is not something exceptional; Almost everyone has probably encountered knocking or noise in risers.

Let's try to analyze the most common causes of noise of various kinds.

The risers are humming

Most often, residents of apartment buildings complain about a uniform hum or whistle. So why are heating pipes humming?

There are only two main reasons for such noise: a leak in the heating system or a narrowing that prevents circulation, through which a large volume of water passes with difficulty.

Leaks and working vents

Let's use the most reliable tool: logic. If there is a leak somewhere in the heating system a short distance from the apartment, it means that a large amount of hot water is flowing into one of the adjacent rooms.

It's quite difficult not to notice this. So, we have to raid our neighbors. Waterproofing the floors, alas, does not protect against leaks from the upper floors, so if the house has at least half of the neighbors on the riser, the search will not be long.

However, let's assume that all neighbors have dry floors; however, the nerve-wracking whistling continues.

Well, let's take a flashlight and go to the basement.

If we are met by clouds of steam, the investigation can be considered complete: all that remains is to find the location of the leak and eliminate the leak, be it an open vent valve on the riser or a fistula in the drain pipe (horizontal heating distribution pipe).

The fistula, by the way, may well be hidden under thick thermal insulation: all we will see in this case is a stream of hot water running to the ground. Well, we remove the thermal insulation and look for a leak...

The place where water under pressure escapes into the atmosphere, by the way, does not necessarily have to be located near the apartment in which they complain about noise: sounds travel through pipes over a long distance.

Of course, in nearby rooms the noise is more audible, but do not forget that people react very differently to unfamiliar sounds: some will ignore them, while others will suffer night after night in fruitless attempts to sleep.

Don’t be too lazy to get to the elevator unit; it is quite possible that for some reason there is an open drain there, draining water from the heating system into the sewer.

The “reset” operation of the elevator unit is usually used only when starting the heating system for a very short period of time, however, a careless mechanic who has been plagued by complaints from residents about cold radiators may well, instead of agreeing with a higher organization through official channels, change the diameter of the elevator nozzle , simply allow the water to flow from the supply line directly into the drain.

However, we went around the neighbors and examined the basement, but there are no leaks, but the noise continues. We are making the following attempt to understand why heating pipes make noise.

Reducing pipe patency

The next stage will be very difficult: you need to find the source of the noise by ear, simply walking past the pipes and listening to where it becomes stronger. Once we find its approximate location, we can understand what exactly happened.

In apartment buildings, the source of noise can primarily be elevator units and benches - places where the flow of water is fast enough for its deceleration at the narrowing to be acoustically detected.

In the heating riser, the narrowing will simply lead to a significantly lower battery temperature compared to its neighbors; The pressure difference between the supply and return (in the case of bottom filling) risers or between the top and bottom (in the case of a top filling heating system) of one riser is too small.

First of all, half-closed valves or valves with a damaged valve can hinder the flow of water (this, of course, applies to old screw valves); A piece of slag or scale standing somewhere across the pipe can also cause noise in the pipe.

If in the first case you can simply open the valve all the way or repair/replace it (of course, this will require at least a partial reset of the heating system), then in the second, in order for the heating pipes to be cleaned successfully, you may need the help of a welder, and in severe frosts and subsequent heating of frozen risers; in regions with a harsh climate, it is better to leave such work until spring.

However, sometimes it helps to stop the heating using any shut-off valve located along the water flow higher than the problem area, and to open any discharge immediately after the place where the water is shut off: the unfortunate pebble can easily be carried out in a counterflow.

A little advice that will be useful at the design stage in any private or apartment building: when it comes to purchasing shut-off valves, forget about the existence of screw valves and small diameter gate valves. At all. Modern ball valves, which shut off the water by turning the handle ninety degrees, are incredibly more practical, more convenient and create far fewer problems during operation.

Among other things, they do not have those same narrowings under the valve, where, as a rule, ALL the debris flying through the pipes collects, sooner or later blocking the flow of water, regardless of the position of the valve. In addition, for a ball valve it does not matter how it is oriented relative to the water flow: you can forget about the problem of the valve coming off in case of incorrect installation.

Not a very typical example, but it is probably better to mention it as part of the exchange of experience. In the author’s practice, there was a case when the residents of the entrance began to complain: the heating pipes were noisy.

The reason for the continuous noise in the heating riser was the residents' continuous cleaning of the radiator for several days. They sincerely believed that they would be warmer this way. If a materialized antonym for the word “economy” is possible, then the owner of this apartment seriously lays claim to its role.

It’s worth making one more lyrical digression. The above statement that a noise source cannot be located inside the heating riser applies exclusively to apartment buildings with permanent heating distribution.

Where there is a so-called barracks wiring - where all the batteries on the floor are combined into a ring, and even made from a great mind in the wrong way - when the batteries are cut parallel to the main pipe, but in such a way that each battery breaks the ring - any piece of slag on at the entrance to the radiator or at any other narrowing, it can sing a love song to the owners day and night.

Note!

In the case of private houses, the layout of heating devices, which implies the possibility of disrupting the ENTIRE flow of water in the heating system with one interruption, is aggravated by the fact that private boilers are often equipped with a circulation pump that creates a FAST flow of water. At any narrowing it will make quite noticeable noise.

The batteries gurgle

The next cause of noise is air. If something is continuously seething and gurgling in the battery, like in the stomach of a sick cow, that’s it, darling. Soundproofing heating pipes, even if it were done, would not give anything - the sound will be heard through the walls of the radiator.

Are you on the top floor of a house with bottom drain (where both the heating system supply and return pipes are located in the basement)? Then look for a Mayevsky tap on the radiator or jumper between adjacent rooms - a device that helps bleed air.

In all other cases, it is worth looking for a counter-slope (of course, if the heating system works normally in all other respects, except for noise). A radiator hanging skewed or a section of the supply line to it, which is lower near the riser than near the battery itself - this is what you have to fix, most likely in the summer - stopping the heating system in winter for a long time, especially in the harsh climate of Siberia or the Far East, is unlikely would be a good idea.

The batteries are knocking

Another common case is when heating pipes begin to make not a uniform noise or hum, but periodic clicks, as if someone is hitting the radiator with a hammer with tiresome consistency. Drum? Aliens?

Cracking in heating pipes can sometimes be identified by grateful listeners in a very unique way. The author met with a respectable old woman who, in the case described, wrote letters to certain government agencies, assuring that her upstairs neighbors were printing money at night.

So, why do heating pipes click?

In fact, there are only three typical reasons for such immoral behavior of pipes and batteries:

  • Debris in the radiator or riser,
  • Broken valve valve
  • Thermal expansion coupled with temperature instability of the riser or radiator.

Debris in the radiator or riser

Various pieces of slag that have got into the heating device and are now spinning in a leisurely stream of water, periodically tapping on the walls, can be tried to be removed by ordinary washing.

We connected the flushing hose, opened the flushing tap (if, of course, there is one) - and off we go. If you want to know how to flush heating pipes, it’s easy to find videos on the Internet.

However, be prepared for an emergency shutdown of the heating riser: any plumber is ready to list dozens of cases when the notorious piece of scale jammed the flusher, making it impossible to close it.

In the worst case, you will have to remove the heating device (after the end of the season, of course) and disassemble it: in the case of a cast iron or aluminum radiator, unscrew the plugs; in the case of a register, alas, open it with welding.

Torn valve valve

A torn valve is a typical problem with all types of screw valves, never mind. When installed “against the grain”, when the water flow does not come from below the valve, but from above, the inevitable erosion of the valve sooner or later leads to the inevitable end: the valve is completely or partially torn off.

It can completely block the flow of water, leaving a dozen or two apartments without heat, or with a slight distortion it can tumble in the stream, creating turbulence, and periodically block the water flow for a moment, creating a water hammer (an instant stop of water - it is practically incompressible, and the pressure jumps several times in a fraction of a second).

So the heating pipes are knocking. These periodic heavy blows will be unclouded and sincerely rejoiced by the entire entrance, and perhaps more than one.

This is the case when a short-term shutdown of the home heating system to replace the valve is completely justified. An hour of torment with replacement and restart is much more pleasant than warming up and restoring risers and radiators that have defrosted into rubbish in the event that one night the valve finds its desired position and completely blocks the flow of water.

Thermal expansion coupled with temperature instability of the riser or radiator

Finally, the third scenario: periodic quiet knocking in the heating pipes or in the battery. Quietly, like a gnome using a hammer. As annoying as a toothache. The interval is from ten seconds to several minutes. Do we still remember the school physics course? When heated, any body expands slightly. When cooled, it cools down.

If we are talking about a sufficiently long object (for example, a heating riser, fixed on one side in a sleeve welded to the bracket; the bracket, in turn, is tightly fixed to the wall) - then its loose end will move with any significant change in temperature in space by fractions, and sometimes by several millimeters.

If it is pressed tightly against something, you can hear a creak. Only due to the extremely slow expansion and compression will this creak be perceived by the ear as rare clicks in heating pipes.

The problem, to be honest, is more typical for hot water supply systems - simply because there the temperature of the supply is less constant: the water is drained - it heats up, there is no water supply - it cools down. However, cases when a section of the heating system noticeably changes its temperature several times a day is also not something far-fetched.

A typical example is a window that opens for ventilation directly above an aluminum radiator hung on metal pins. Opened it - it cooled down a little, closed it - it warmed up again.

Alas, there is only one method of dealing with the phenomenon: clearly localize the source of the noise, and then eliminate the problem in any available way. Sometimes all you have to do to do this is place a fluoroplastic plate under the notorious radiator on a steel mount, and sometimes you have to break through the ceiling around the heating riser, that is, make it small and fill the cavity with polyurethane foam, followed by re-plastering the ceiling and sealing the floor.