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Circulator pumps (C) Daniel FriedmanHeating System Noise Sources
Diagnose & Repair Heating System Noise Problems

  • POST a QUESTION or COMMENT about how to diagnose and fix heating system noises, rattles, bangs, hisses, clanking, and other sounds

Diagnosing heating equipment noises:

This noise control article discusses the diagnosis and cure of heating system noises, including heating equipment noise, heat piping or ductwork noises, radiator noises, steam pipe banging, and steam radiator vent noise control.

We describe just about every single noise that might come from or have to do with building heating systems.

We describe the heating system noise, where that noise usually originates, and what to do about it. We discuss: Heating System Noise & Sound Isolation methods. Heating System Noise Cause Diagnosis List & Articles. Troubleshooting heating system noises traced to chimneys and vents. Troubleshooting heating system noises traced to thermal expansion/contraction.

InspectAPedia tolerates no conflicts of interest. We have no relationship with advertisers, products, or services discussed at this website.

Heating System Noise Source Identification & Cure

Buzzing aquastat relay © D Friedman at InspectApedia.com Heating systems and building heat as a source of indoor noises and sounds includes a huge range of sounds such as air bubbling in piping, shrieks (bearings), bangs (puffbacks), rumbling (air noise, mechanical noise), grinding noises, and other mechanical noises. A complete list of heating equipment noises, causes, and cures is given here.

Watch out: for roaring freight-train sounds from your oil or gas or wood or coal fired heater chimney: indicating a very dangerous chimney fire if your chimney is roaring get everyone out of the building immediately, then call your fire department

Shortcut: use your browser's search feature (Ctrl-F) or (Cmd-F) to search this page for the kind of noise you're hearing, such as "banging" or "vibration".

For a more thorough understanding of heating system noises let's start by noting that fixing or controlling noises traced to building heating systems is divided naturally into these topics:

Photo: relays in heating equipment can be a source of buzzing or humming that means a part is going to fail soon.

[Click to enlarge any image]

  1. Identify the source and cause of noises traced to the heating system or its components.

    Some heating system noises are normal and are thus not a worry.

    But other heating system noises (rumbling, buzzing, banging) might be a sign that the heating system needs repairs, that it is not operating efficiently (costing more than necessary for heat), or the heating system may be unsafe.

    To rule out heating system operating problems, review heating system noises and noise sources given below, organized by type of heating system
  2. Fix the noise if it's due to a defect or problem

    We list heating equipment noises by noise description, its cause and cure, below on this page.
  3. For normal but annoying heating noises, isolate noises, or prevent heating system noise transmission through the building.

    Once we are confident that the heating system noises themselves are normal, we can focus on keeping those noises out of the rest of the building.

    You will still need to identify specific heating system noise sources, since some noise control steps focus on specific heating system installation details.

    Once those noise and sound problems have been addressed, normal building noise transmission and sound control measures, such as sound insulation, can be applied to the room where heating equipment is located.

    See HEATING SYSTEM NOISE & SOUND ISOLATION

Watch out: while adding sound control barriers and insulation around a mechanical room be sure that you do not interfere with proper combustion air supply or you risk making the heating system work poorly or you may make it unsafe, risking carbon monoxide production and even death.

Complete Alphabetical Index to Causes of Heating Systems

Circulator pumps (C) Daniel FriedmanHeating systems and building heat as a source of indoor noises and sounds include air bubbling in piping, shrieks (bearings), bangs (puffbacks), rumbling (air noise, mechanical noise), grinding noises, and other mechanical noises.

Below is an alphabetical list that includes both noise types by noise name and noise sources by equipment name such as "boiler" or "furnace".

Buzzing aquastat relay © D Friedman at InspectApedia.com

Heating System Noise & Sound Isolation

Examples of steps that reduce noise transmission from heating systems include

HVAC Duct noises: review and fix loose HVAC duct components, check that vibrations from the mechanical systems are not being picked up and carried through the building by metal duct vibration.

HVAC Ducts & Privacy - no kissing in a Baltimore Basement: Sound from any source can also be transmitted between building areas through the ductwork itself.

The author, politely smooching his girl friend in her family basement rec-room, was jolted by her father's sudden loud voice:

"Joanne! time to come upstairs!!" - her dad just shouted down through the air ducts into the basement,

scaring the heck out of the author and leaving the couple to wonder if their private sounds had been transmitted up to Joanne's parents' bedroom.

The heating ducts in the basement rec-room, heated by forced warm air, provided a listening device for worried parents.

Oil piping vibration transmission: as we cite in the article list just below, clamping heating oil piping to the underside of floor joists converts the floor above to a speaker cone to transmit vibrations from the oil burner into the space above.

Mechanical room sound isolation: once specific sound sources have been addressed, what remains is the isolation of mechanical room sounds from the rest of the building. See the sound control articles beginning

at NOISE / SOUND DIAGNOSIS & CURE - home

 




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Reader Comments, Questions & Answers About The Article Above

Below you will find questions and answers previously posted on this page at its page bottom reader comment box.

Reader Q&A - also see RECOMMENDED ARTICLES & FAQs

On 2023-01-06 by InspectApedia Publisher

@Anon, Please see your questions and photos and our replies now moved to the Reader Q&A section

at AQUASTAT HI LO DIFF SETTINGS

That article is more in line with your issues.

On 2023-01-05 by Anonymous

How do l get to the aquastat? Sorry, I know nothing about this

Aquastat settings and boiler photos (C) InspectApedia.com Anon

On 2019-02-05 by danjoefriedman (mod)

Anonymous said:
My heat making big sound. What can I do?

Reply:

Anon
see the diagnostics above in this article

On 2019-01-24 by danjoefriedman (mod) - buzzing sound coming from the box

Pjh

Above in this article, you will find descriptions of and links to details about the various sources of buzzing noises at heating systems.

From your brief note I suspect there is a failing relay or motor in a zone valve.

On 2019-01-10 by Pjh

We have 3 heating zones. One of them we turn the thermostat up and takes awhile just to bring up the temp a degree or two even though I raise it 6 to 8 degrees. Theres also a box(basement) over the main heating pipe that goes to that zone. Theres a buzzing sound coming from the box...does anyone know what the problem is?

 


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HEATING SYSTEM NOISE DIAGNOSIS at InspectApedia.com - online encyclopedia of building & environmental inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair, & problem prevention advice.


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