Do you stay awake at night due to loud banging, vibrating or whistling noises from the boiler? If yes, then you should know boilers have a vital role to keep your house warm and provide hot water. But what should you do when they start making strange noises? Well, it is a cause of concern and most common noises of boiler may be diagnosed as well as fixed without the help of a professional. Go through this blogpost to know about different kinds of noises your boiler is making and what they mean.
Common noises from the boiler
Let us take a look at the most common noises you might hear:
- Humming
- Kettling or whistling
- Clicking
- Gurgling
- Tapping
- Vibrating
- Gurgling
- Whooshing
- Loud banging
Reasons the boiler make loud noise
Several reasons are there why the boiler system might make loud noise. Here are some common causes:
- Low pressure of water: Low water pressure may cause the boiler to create humming noise.
- Build up of limestone: When limescale accumulates inside the boiler, it may restrict water flow and cause it to get trapped around heat exchanger of the boiler. This may make exchanger to overheat, expand and produce steam for creating whistling sound.
- Air intake or clogged flue: These may lead to vibrating noise in the boiler system.
- Trapped air: When the boiler sounds like kettle boiling water, it means there is air trapped inside your heating system.
Let us look at each type of noise and how you can fix them:
- Humming – This is a common noise of the boiler and relates to the pump. Your pump creates humming noise and so, you should check this at first. When the pump remains warm, it will possibly be due to normal operation. But if it is very cold, it may indicate seized part. You will then have to call an engineer who provides emergency plumbing service to handle your boiler issue.
- Kettling or whistling– This boiler noise means there is air trapped into your heating system. You can remove the air by bleeding the radiators. Another cause of kettling is the accumulation of limescale. When limescale builds up, it will restrict water flow causing it to get trapped around heat exchanger of boiler. This makes exchanger overheat, expand and produce steam, which creates a whistling sound. For treating limescale, you may introduce an inhibitor to lessen limescale into the boiler system to break down collected sludge. If you have released trapped air and are yet concerned your boiler is kettling, then you should call engineer to inspect the boiler.
- Vibrating – The vibrating sounds occur due to a bracket becoming loose in the boiler. Try to check brackets around your boiler and tighten them yourself with a screwdriver. When vibrating noise does not stop, you need to call a certified engineer who will diagnose the exact cause of your boiler.
- Gurgling – If you leave trapped air in the boiler, this might cause major problems and so, you should correct the issue soon. The condensate pipe may freeze in the winter season which causes gurgling noises. Do not use boiled water as this may cause pipe to crack. When the low pressure of water causes the pipes to gurgle, use the manual of boiler to know precise reading. But if the reading is less than 1, you will then have to increase the pressure.
- Loud banging– If you hear loud bang with the boiler turned on or hot water running, this might be due to airlock in your heating pump. You may release little air by adjusting bleed screw which is fitted to your pump for relieving the banging.
- Clicking –This means failure of ignition and you need to check the boiler to see whether it is firing up. If it is not, the noises you hear may mean your boiler fails to ignite. When central heating pipes make tapping noises when switched off, the issue requires an engineer to resolve the problem.
- Whooshing– Whoosing noises that come from the boiler may be either due to air filter blockages or air intake pipe blockages. You will find out whether you can feel air by putting hand over the entry point of air intake pipe. If you cannot, then it is obvious the pipe may be blocked. Both the problems require an engineer who will inspect the boiler and fix problem soon.
How to keep boiler in good condition
Proper maintenance can create a difference between preventing the problem or detecting it early. Here are some simple checks to keep your boiler working efficiently:
- Check the boiler daily to detect leakages and inspect pipes for any damage and crack
- Fit a filter to get hold of debris or sludge. Hire an engineer to clean the filter during each service
- Inspect the pump to ensure it has been seized
- Examine heat exchanger for the accumulation of limescale
- Check the pressure and flow rate of your boiler
When the boiler creates constant noise
If your boiler makes noise continuously and you cannot detect the underlying cause, it is advisable to contact a certified engineer. Old boilers that are already out of warranty can create all kinds of sounds, and long term damage might Essay On Chandrayaan 3 Successful Mission occur without proper inspection.
It is extremely important to identify and fix noisy boilers with little effort and basic knowledge. By keeping up with regular maintenance checks and following troubleshooting guide, you can keep your boiler quiet and efficient. If you are still facing problems, feel free to call a professional engineer for getting quality boiler service in London.