# Boiler Noises



## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

My father-in-law had a new nat. gas boiler installed in his place in NY. He said it's making funny noises like pinging and such and that it never did that before. Being a FL plumber I don't have any experience with boilers. My guess would be the air bleed valves or whatever they are called are not expelling air. But I am just guessing. I'm not sure if this is enough information. I can't remember if it is a 1-pipe or 2-pipe system.

He can't get a hold of the people that did the install. 

Any boiler experts care to weigh in? He has to just call someone else to come back and check things out.


----------



## Tango (Jan 13, 2018)

Trapped air in the tubes of the boiler will do that. Not enough flow the burner can super heat the water in the boiler and make pinging sounds.

Easiest would to bleed air at the radiators and high point bleeders if there are any.


----------



## spamispeople (Feb 21, 2009)

Is it a steam or hot water boiler?


----------



## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

spamispeople said:


> Is it a steam or hot water boiler?


 










I don't understand the difference. 
Is that a trick question? Like asking where does the pump go on a furnace?.....

He has iron radiators in the home.


----------



## Tango (Jan 13, 2018)

There are boilers with water going though the pipes and radiators and there are boilers who produce steam for the pipes and radiators. The steam system needs condensate return lines to the boiler. 

To put it simply when steam contacts the cooler water it creates "an explosion". .


----------



## Cagey57 (Mar 2, 2018)

Tommy,
Not a trick question. Hot Water Boilers have a circulating pump that moves the water through the radiators. Steam Boilers do NOT have circulation pumps since the Steam moves through the radiators as a gas, condense back to water and then the condensate flows by gravity back to the Boiler. First guess is the boiler may be low on water which may be a condensate return problem.


----------



## chonkie (Jul 31, 2014)

I have some random ?'s which i only ask because I have never dealt with a boiler. Do they hook up to a supply line or is the pressure only supplied by the circulating pump? If no supply, do they have a holding tank of some sort or do they just use what h20 is in the lines/radiators? Are they only used for heating a house like through radiators or do they also get used for the hot h20 throughout the house like a w/h? I guess I could google it but was already here.


----------



## Tango (Jan 13, 2018)

chonkie said:


> I have some random ?'s which i only ask because I have never dealt with a boiler. Do they hook up to a supply line or is the pressure only supplied by the circulating pump? If no supply, do they have a holding tank of some sort or do they just use what h20 is in the lines/radiators? Are they only used for heating a house like through radiators or do they also get used for the hot h20 throughout the house like a w/h? I guess I could google it but was already here.



Here is a free condensed version from the brains of Tango :biggrin:

The boiler is fed by city water, the system has an expansion tank, aquastat, zone valves recirc pump etc. The boiler in a house is for heating only (usualy).

Sure you could have a boiler for hot hot water for the sink but it would be complicated because you'd need a heat exchanger so the water doesn't mix with the heating system. 

Water in the heating system usually contains chemicals to prevent corrosion and sediments in the lines or glycol. Lines are usually black pipe so taking a shower would turn you black like spinkler water! At the casino where I used to do plumbing maintenance there was a guy who every week would test the water in the heating system to adjust the PH.


----------



## spamispeople (Feb 21, 2009)

First thing that came to my mind is that it's a steam boiler and they didn't skim it after installation. I feel like I'm about the only one who does it around here.

All kinds of odd things can happen when there's a layer of scum on top of the water.


----------



## GAN (Jul 10, 2012)

*it"s gonna blow captain run.........*:biggrin:

Agree, bleed first water or steam. More likely water gets knocks. Skim it next.


----------



## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

spamispeople said:


> Is it a steam or hot water boiler?


 










I'm showing my ignorance on this subject by questioning your question. But I believe it is a steam system.


----------



## GAN (Jul 10, 2012)

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=steam+boiler+makes+a+knocking+sound&view=detail&mid=BA07A1517CB358291A2CBA07A1517CB358291A2C&FORM=VIRE


----------



## jnohs (Jan 27, 2012)

Skim, and lower the pressure. A lot of boiler guys use there knowledge of hydronic heating and attempt to use it in steam heating. Logic would suggest higher pressure means quicker heat. But with steam it usually means fast steam which means to hot to quick which leads to steam condensing quickly and abruptly and causing knocking and banging.


----------



## mtfallsmikey (Jan 11, 2010)

Steam boiler: clogged return or not graded back to boiler, piping on Hartford loop clogged, some systems have steam traps, they can be a problem. Lots of real noisy banging on some of these.

Hydronics: old system piped in black, new boiler near piping/connections out of copper, can be noisy, pipe creeping and creaking in straps/supports, or just plain old expansion.


----------



## Tango (Jan 13, 2018)

So Tommy with all sorts of noise causing problems, maybe toss a few coins and go with randomness! :biggrin:


----------



## Adriane Gray (Apr 24, 2018)

Clunking and banging noises are called 'kettling' noises and are caused when limescale accumulates on the exchanging of heat.


----------



## Tango (Jan 13, 2018)

Adriane Gray said:


> Clunking and banging noises are called 'kettling' noises and are caused when limescale accumulates on the exchanging of heat.





An intro is requested from all new members. In case you missed it, here is the link. http://www.plumbingzone.com/f3/.

The PZ is for Plumbing Professionals ( those engaged in the plumbing profession)

Post an intro and tell our members where you are from, yrs in the trade, and your area(s) of expertise in the plumbing field.

This info helps members who are waiting to welcome you to the best plumbing site there is.

We look forward to your valuable input.


----------



## skoronesa (Oct 27, 2015)

Tango said:


> There are boilers with water going though the pipes and radiators and there are boilers who produce steam for the pipes and radiators. The steam system needs condensate return lines to the boiler.
> 
> To put it simply when steam contacts the cooler water it creates "an explosion". .


Not all steam systems have condensate return lines, hence single pipe or two pipe systems. In single pipe systems you have to be extra careful to have adequate pitch all the way around so the condensate can run back along the bottom of the pipe.

Also, may steam systems also have some flooded branches, usually added later on because it is easier than adding more steam lines. Flooded lines are also used to heat indirect domestic water heaters.

I am no heating expert but if he usually doesn't have noises than it was probably piped correctly. If the burner fires alright and the temperature stays where it should than my guess is he just needs to run all the bleed valves a bit to get the air out.

Also check the water level in the sight glass, most steam boilers around here the water level should be around midway or there will be a mark from the usual service person where the water level should be. If it is old enough you should see a line of buildup just above where the water level usually is. 

IF THE SIGHT GLASS SEEMS EMPTY TURN OFF THE BOILER AND LEAVE

It could have ran dry and is very dangerous until it cools down. Once it cools down for a couple hours you can add more water.


----------



## mtfallsmikey (Jan 11, 2010)

skoronesa said:


> Not all steam systems have condensate return lines, hence single pipe or two pipe systems. In single pipe systems you have to be extra careful to have adequate pitch all the way around so the condensate can run back along the bottom of the pipe.
> 
> Also, may steam systems also have some flooded branches, usually added later on because it is easier than adding more steam lines. Flooded lines are also used to heat indirect domestic water heaters.
> 
> ...



A dry-fired steam boiler usually equals a cracked boiler. Not a sermon, justa thought...


----------



## skoronesa (Oct 27, 2015)

mtfallsmikey said:


> A dry-fired steam boiler usually equals a cracked boiler. Not a sermon, justa thought...



There's only one way to find out!


----------

