Why is my central heating making different kinds of noises?

We all would like a world where the central heating system that plays a crucial role in making our home warm and cosy in the winter operates smoothly and efficiently without making noise. But that’s not the case; at some point, the central heating will make strange noises.

The noisy central heating won’t just irritate you; it will also worry you regarding the performance of your boiler and radiators. The good news is that you can fix the noise problems in most cases yourself, but if the situation looks serious, it’s better to call in a gas-safe registered engineer and have him investigate the issue in detail.

In this article, we will tell you why your central heating system makes noise and highlight some of the typical noise problems that your central heating system makes. Along with that, we will also mention the necessary actions that you need to take to solve the problem.

Why is my central heating so noisy?

Before we get into ways you can solve central heating noise problems, you must know the reasons behind them. The problems are related to multiple aspects of your central heating system, including noisy heating pumps, radiators, and frozen condensate pipes.

Firstly, it could be related to pipes, especially if you live in an old home, as older homes tend to have copper pipes, which expand as the water heats up and brush against the surface, making a gurgling noise. Secondly, it could be the trapped air in your pipes and radiators, which makes tapping and clicking noises and also affects the performance of your radiators, resulting in less efficient heating for your home. Lastly, the buildup of limescale and debris, you can get the same issues as if there was air in the system if limescale is present. Some examples of this are pipes that tap and radiators that are colder towards the bottom.

A whistling sound known as “kettling” can be produced due to the limescale lodged in your boiler, particularly in the heat exchanger. Or your pipes may be the source of the noise coming from your central heating system, either because they are old and have begun to grow, causing them to scrape against the surface, or because they are creating noise in general. Your pipes having air trapped inside them may also be the reason.

Now you have an overview of the reasons behind the noise that your central heating system makes. Let’s discuss the problem in detail.

1. Tapping Noise

In most instances, faulty or poorly fitted parts cause the tapping sounds. It is a result of the engineer’s careless work. So, take a check, and if you see any central heating system components vibrating or tapping, call an engineer immediately to rectify it. If you are a 24|7 Home Rescue customer experiencing this problem, please contact us at 0345-3192-247.

If the pieces fit correctly and there are no other issues, the noise may be caused by limescale build-up, which may necessitate powerflushing of your central heating system.

2. Dripping Noise

When you hear a dripping sound, this indicates potential leaks in your system. Now, this is a problem you should not tend to fix and better call a professional to fix it. Generally, leakage in your boiler is caused by the pressure being too high. To know what to do in this situation, read this article. Apart from that, the reason for the leakage can also be related to the condition of your boiler. Maybe it’s too old, or its parts are getting worn down.

So the best decision is to get a new energy-efficient boiler. We know it is expensive, but if your boiler is faulty, you are already paying money on repairs and energy bills, and if the upfront cost is bothering you too much, then there is good news, as you can also get boilers on finance.

3. Kettling Noise

As the name suggests, the kettling noise is like the noise that a boiling kettle makes. It is an issue that is faced a lot by homeowners and landlords. The reason behind these irritating noises is the possible build-up of sludge and limescale in the central heating system with time. This means the heat exchanger cannot distribute the water around your home. What happens next is the water trapped due to blockage creates steam and starts to expand, causing the kettle-like noise, which may insinuate an explosion, but don’t worry, it won’t explode. But that doesn’t mean you can ignore the problem and let it be, as this might cause damage to your boilers and their operating efficiency.

However, this problem can be solved by powerflushing your central heating system. Read this blog to get more information on how to powerflush a central heating system. Also, you can install magnetic filters to keep the sludge and limescale away from your boilers.

4. Banging Noise

Central heating banging noise disrupts the peace of your home. The noise results when the pipes are not fitted properly and heated water passes through and expands the pipes, causing them to make a banging noise. As the problem is with pipe fitting, you need to call an engineer and get your pipes appropriately fitted to eliminate the banging noise.

5. Humming Noise

Generally speaking, the boiler makes a noise when operating that shouldn’t worry you as it’s part of its function. But if your central heating system is making a humming noise, then you should locate the source; maybe it is related to a noisy thermostat or a noisy central heating pump, or sometimes it is beyond your understanding, in which case you should contact a professional gas-safe engineer immediately.

6. Gurgling Noise

Another common issue related to the radiator of your central heating system is that the radiator makes a gurgling or bubbling noise. It is caused by trapped air inside. Too much air in the system prevents water circulation, which causes the trapped water to make a gurgling or bubbling noise. Solving this problem is simple: bleed out all your radiators by shutting off your system and restarting it again after bleeding. For a step-by-step guide regarding how to bleed your radiators, click here.

Conclusion

In this article, we have highlighted why your central heating system makes certain kinds of noises and what you can do in this situation, which includes getting your central heating parts fitted correctly, bleeding out your radiators, powerflushing your central heating system, and checking your thermostats. If you are still facing problems, you might need some professional assistance, and for that, you can call us at 0345 3192 247, whether you are our existing customer or not.