Diagnostic questions and answers help diagnose heating oil burner gurgling noises that may be heard at the oil burner, oil storage tank, oil lines to the burner, or at a heating boiler itself.

We include examples of gurgling noises right at the oil burner and compare those with gurgling noises in hot water heating pipes, radiators, or baseboards.

Oil Burner or Oil Piping Gurgling Bubbling Noises

Gurgling Oil Burner Piping Question: loud gurgling sounds coming from oil fuel line

I have an oil storage tank in my basement. A few years ago I had new valves and orange-colored fuel lines (from tank to burner) installed.

Over the past several months when the oil burner is running there is a loud gurgling/rumbling sound on the first floor of the house, but can't be heard in the basement.

I thought it was the oil burner but it actually seems to be coming from one of those orange fuel lines coming out of the tank. Any suggestions? - Kevin C 10/19/12

Sketch at left provided courtesy of Carson Dunlop Associates, a Toronto home inspection, education & report writing tool company [ carsondunlop.com ].

Reply:

Kevin,

Ask your service tech to check for leaks in the oil supply or more likely return line or it's connections.

Watch out: air in the heating oil lines can lead not only to loss of heat but to a dangerous oil burner puffback.

See details at OIL BURNER SOOT & PUFFBACKS

 

Don't Confuse Hot Water Heating Pipe Gurgling with Oil Burner Gurgling Noise

Several readers have asked about gurgling noises at their oil fired hot water heating systems. Here we need to clear up some noise confusion.

Listen Carefully to just where the noise occurs. If it's in hot water piping it's not an oil pump or oil burner problem.

Example Gurgling Boiler Questions:

I can hear water flowing (loud gurgling) into the back of our outside oil boiler. The noise can then also be heard in the pipes inside the house. Lasts about 20 to 30 mins. Is it likely to be the water pressure coming into the house ( too low or to high)? - (Oct 30, 2014) Martin

I can hear water flowing (loud gurgling) into the back of our outside oil boiler.

The noise can then also be heard in the pipes inside the house. Lasts about 20 to 30 mins. Is it likely to be the water pressure coming into the house ( too low or to high)? - 10/31/14 PC

My house use hot water heating systems, the system and pump is about 9 yrs old.

Start this year, I don't feel there was lose any heat in my house, however I start to noticed that noisy gurgling pipes like (sound like a waterfall) when heating is running, but there is no water leaking anywhere. Recently there is one zone pump went bad and I have a plumber to replaced the bad pump with new. And I also "air bleeder " all zones.

I still hearing "noisy gurgling pipes sound like a waterfall". All rooms have heat but just a bit noisy gurgling water sound when the heat running. Any suggestion what might went wrong? Thank you very much. - On 2018-04-16 by apapabear - gurgling hot water heat

Moderator Replies: these are problems with air in hot water pipes or radiators, not in the fuel oil line or oil burner

Martin and P.C.

More likely there is air in the hot water heating system - which in turn may mean that an automatic air purge valve is not working.

The risk, beyond the noise, is ultimately loss of heat if the hot water piping becomes air-bound.

Find and fix any automatic air purgers and ask your heating service tech about purging the existing air.

Details of how to do this are at AIR-BOUND HEATING SYSTEMS

 

How do I fix Gurgling noises at my hot water baseboard heat system and its oil fired oil burner?

I have a hotwater baseboard gas fired heating system (installed in the 1990's new).

It has a automatic bleeder valve that was replaced in October 2018, I believe.

After the repair I noticed more and more "air bubble" "gurgling" sounds for the upstairs zones pipes when the heat turned on.

I just manually flushed all the lines this morning, and I did flush a lot of air pockets out, now things sound right.

My concern is since my furnace has an automatic airbleeder valve (installed on top of some kind of cast iron piece, looks like some of the pictures on this website) I shouldn't have to be manually flushing the heat zones to get air bubbles.

How can I check / test / tell if my automatic air bleeder is working right or if the problem is something else (like the circulator is so weak the bubbles from the upstairs lines never make it back down to the furnace).

I have not indications the circulator is weak, the heat upstairs is good and kicks on quickly (hear fins on pipes creaking) when the thermostat kicks on.

How to Fix gurgling pipes at the air bleeder on Hot Water Heat Pipes or Radiators

Tim

1. Check that the little screw cap on the air bleeder is loose - it should not be screwed all the way tight or the bleeder can't vent

2. To test the air bleeder remove the cap and with a small screwdriver, pencil or the like, press the center pin - that opens the valve.

If water squirts out the bleeder is working and there was no air to vent

Watch out: Doing this test can result in a bleeder that starts to leak and won't stop. If jiggling the pin up and down doesn't stop the leaking then the valve needs to be replaced. Meanwhile you can stop the leaking by screwing the cap down tightly - it'll stop leaking but it also can no longer vent air.

The air bleeder at the boiler cannot remove all air from the system - if there is air trapped in upper floor piping, radiators or baseboards it may need to be removed by using bleeder valves at those higher locations.

I"m doubtful that your boiler flushing operation at the boiler would get rid of all air in the system though this article series does describe how a heating service tech might successfully do that by using those drains plus a bucket and a pony pump - not something a normal homeowner is equipped to handle.

If you want to see those details they're in AIR BOUND HEAT SYSTEM REPAIR by PUMP

...

Continue reading at OIL BURNER NOISE SMOKE ODORS - topic home, or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.

Or see these

Recommended Articles

• AIR-BOUND HEATING SYSTEMS - makes a gurgling sounds in hot water heating pipes
• BUBBLING GURGLING SOUNDS in HOT WATER HEATING PIPES - signs of an airbound heating system
• HEATING SYSTEM NOISE DIAGNOSIS
• OIL BURNER INSPECTION - home
• OIL BURNER NOISE SMOKE ODORS - home
• OIL BURNER NOISE / ODOR DIAGNOSTIC INDEX
• OIL LINE BUZZ & VIBRATION CURE - other noises coming from heating oil piping
• REFRIGERANT PIPING GURGLING

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OIL BURNER PIPING GURGLING at InspectApedia.com - online encyclopedia of building & environmental inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair, & problem prevention advice.

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INDEX to RELATED ARTICLES: ARTICLE INDEX to HEATING OIL, OIL BURNERS, OIL FIRED HEATERS, OIL TANKS

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