Clanging/Banging pipes - help needed!!

[RichardF]

Hi

The pipes have started to clang upstairs in my house. I cant work out where its occuring though. Sounds as if it is in the front room but when you are downstairs you can hear it in the back bedroom. (I'm not even sure if a clang is the right noise, could be more of a bang)

The banging/clanging happens every 10 seconds or so. If I turn the pump speed up it increases the frequency, say happens every 5 seconds.

Its not heat induced as I've noticed that when the heating turns on and the pump begins to turn, the boiler isnt even on yet and the noise is there. Also sounds worse when the heating just turns on and then seems to slow down.

I thought it was air but I've bled everything and no air is getting out. I've also checked the there is water in the F&E tank in the loft which there is.

The heating system is an open vented system with a glow warm fuelsaver 35F boiler. The heating runs fine, just the noise is annoying as hell.

Doesnt occur when the boiler is heating hot water only.

Any ideas? TIA

 

[gasmarc]

i suppose you have to ask has it just started ,and are your rads getting hot downstairs which would rule a problem out with the pump ,is it gravity hot water ?

 

[RichardF]

Rads are working fine downstairs. The hot water is gravity feed.

Pretty sure its not the pump

 

[gasmarc]

well i suppose you could try the water and see if there is any banging then put the heating on with the boiler stat turned down to prove its not heat related

 

[RichardF]

I did try changing the boiler stat down and up to see if there was any difference which there wasnt. Well that or my stat dont work!!

the noise starts as soon as the pump starts- the boiler hasnt even fired up at this point.

 

[gasmarc]

well that proves that it is nothing to do with the boiler so switch the boiler of and let the pump run and trace the noise

 

[RichardF]

OK, so if I located the noise, what could it be?

The floor is a wooden floor thats been glued, no way of lifting it up just to have a look.

 

[Scottley]

If you cant take the floor up then the only alternative is through the ceiling of the room below, if its ground floor then sounds like your stuck.

 

[RichardF]

Before I rip up the floor, what do you think i will find thats causing the noise?

Tonight it sounded more like a loud tick

 

[gasmarc]

is that with the boiler switch off or on ?