Home Repair forum - hot water baseboard heat question

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hot water baseboard heat question

nospam

2006-12-27, 9:25 am

Hi all,

Bought new house, all the old houses we've
lived in were either forced hot air, or old
steam type radiators.

The new one has hot water baseboard heaters.

They seem to work fine, no complaints.

However, at night you can hear some slight
noises coming from the baseboard radiators
when the circulator pumps are running. Odd
little periodic metallic popping noises.

Having "Google'd" the topic, it seems this
is normal to a degree (the slight expansion
& contraction due to metal heating up and
cooling down - and that's what i'm hearing).

Does this correspond to what others of you
with this type of system in your home experience?

beerguzzler50@yahoo.com

2006-12-27, 9:25 am

On Dec 27, 8:32 am, "nospam" <nos...@nospam.net> wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> Bought new house, all the old houses we've
> lived in were either forced hot air, or old
> steam type radiators.
>
> The new one has hot water baseboard heaters.
>
> They seem to work fine, no complaints.
>
> However, at night you can hear some slight
> noises coming from the baseboard radiators
> when the circulator pumps are running. Odd
> little periodic metallic popping noises.
>
> Having "Google'd" the topic, it seems this
> is normal to a degree (the slight expansion
> & contraction due to metal heating up and
> cooling down - and that's what i'm hearing).
>
> Does this correspond to what others of you
> with this type of system in your home experience?

Yes, this has been my experience too. Every time the heat comes on you
can hear the metal expanding...a ticking of sorts. More noticeable at
night.

Rich

2006-12-27, 9:25 am

nospam wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> Bought new house, all the old houses we've
> lived in were either forced hot air, or old
> steam type radiators.
>
> The new one has hot water baseboard heaters.
>
> They seem to work fine, no complaints.
>
> However, at night you can hear some slight
> noises coming from the baseboard radiators
> when the circulator pumps are running. Odd
> little periodic metallic popping noises.
>
> Having "Google'd" the topic, it seems this
> is normal to a degree (the slight expansion
> & contraction due to metal heating up and
> cooling down - and that's what i'm hearing).
>
> Does this correspond to what others of you
> with this type of system in your home experience?

Yes it is normal to hear small popping and creeking but you may be able to
reduce it by putting things right. If you have the kind that the metal
covers come off then pop the large bottom cover and make sure the arm that
come up to hold aluminum fins up has a piece of plastic on it centered and
there are no metal to metal contacts.

The next thing you could do is take these covers off let the system cool and
then go room by room where you have more of the noise and turn the system on
and then address the biggest clicks and clunks until you have them reduced
to your liking.

Rich

Stubby

2006-12-27, 9:25 am

I found squirting some engine oil in where the pipe goes through the
walls helped a bit. Also, I tried popsicle sticks carved to be used as
wedges. You just have to experiment.

nospam wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> Bought new house, all the old houses we've
> lived in were either forced hot air, or old
> steam type radiators.
>
> The new one has hot water baseboard heaters.
>
> They seem to work fine, no complaints.
>
> However, at night you can hear some slight
> noises coming from the baseboard radiators
> when the circulator pumps are running. Odd
> little periodic metallic popping noises.
>
> Having "Google'd" the topic, it seems this
> is normal to a degree (the slight expansion
> & contraction due to metal heating up and
> cooling down - and that's what i'm hearing).
>
> Does this correspond to what others of you
> with this type of system in your home experience?
>
>
>

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