My central heating sounds like it is on when it isn’t

[Hollie]

I have a conventional heating system. Had boiler replaced last August and since then my heating has made a humming noise - even when it is off. Had British Gas come go look at it but couldn’t hear it. I asked if it may be something to do with tanks in loft, but he said no and wouldn’t even go and have a look. A few weeks after I noticed that there was no humming. Eight weeks later I find bedroom carpet wet and water coming down the wall ruining wallpaper. I went up into the loft and water was dripping from tank and things nearby soaking wet. Got British Gas in again and they said ballcock needed replacing - which they did. The next day humming came back and once again heating sounds as if it is on when it is not. Any ideas please?

 

[Chuck]

Does the noise stop if you cut the power to the boiler?

 

[Hollie]

Hi. No it still hums

 

[Chuck]

What about if you turn your water off at the stopcock?

Does your system have a pump that is external to the boiler. If so, is that responsible for the humming?

 

[Hollie]

What about if you turn your water off at the stopcock?

Does your system have a pump that is external to the boiler. If so, is that responsible for the humming?

Thank you so much for your reply

Just turned water off at stopcock - noise still there.

The pump is in the airing cupboard but no noise coming from it. British Gas came a few months ago and said it was not the pump (think they tested it with something)

 

[Aquarius]

Any idea where noise is loudest?

 

[Hollie]

Any idea where noise is loudest?

Just had a walk around the house and it is about the same in all the rooms

 

[Chuck]

Just had a walk around the house and it is about the same in all the rooms

How does it change if you block your ears with your fingers?

What makes you think that it is your heating that is responsible?

Is the house detached or semi-detached?

If you go outside at a quiet time can you still hear it?

 

[Aquarius]

If the noise is still evident when boiler off and water off, then I’d say it’s something else.

 

[Murdoch]

Maybe find a local heating engineer to come and take a look? and a young child / teenager as they have better hearing than the most of us - so maybe they could pin point the source

And are you detached, semi, terrace flat? sound travels through buildings further than you imagine

 

[Hollie]

If the noise is still evident when boiler off and water off, then I’d say it’s something else.

What else could it be? Is it possible the pump is running - or something like that?

 

[Hollie]

How does it change if you block your ears with your fingers?

What makes you think that it is your heating that is responsible?

Is the house detached or semi-detached?

If you go outside at a quiet time can you still hear it?

Can still hear the noise when I block my ears

Noise starts when the central heating is put on and continues for hours after it is turned on and sounds the same as when the heating is on.

house is detached.

same noise is not oitside.

This noise only started when I had a replacement boiler fitted - never had it before

 

[Hollie]

If the noise is still evident when boiler off and water off, then I’d say it’s something else.

 

[Hollie]

Have you any ideas why I didn’t get this noise when water was leaking because of the ballcock?

 

[RayW]

If the noise is apparent with the stopcock off and the consumer electric box off it could be tinnitus.

 

[Chuck]

Can still hear the noise when I block my ears

With no change in volume level?

 

[Hollie]

Maybe find a local heating engineer to come and take a look? and a young child / teenager as they have better hearing than the most of us - so maybe they could pin point the source

And are you detached, semi, terrace flat? sound travels through buildings further than you imagine

Well I asked the heating engineer who put me a new boiler in to come and have a look but he didn’t want to know (made a mistake getting him to do the job obviously).

Could try a much younger person - but will have to wait until they are allowed in.

Detached house

 

[Hollie]

With no change in volume level?

No

 

[Chuck]

No

Your answers have pretty much ruled out your heating system as the cause of what you are hearing. I think you may be experiencing 'The Hum', see for example:

The Hum - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Reportedly, this phenomenon can sometimes be suppressed/masked, e.g. by a white noise generator, which may explain why you only hear it when everything is quiet.

See if playing some 'white noise' or a synthetic ambient background suppresses it:

The Ultimate White Noise Player — Design Your Own Color

Create your own white noise with myNoise's innovative sound engine.

mynoise.net

 

[Hollie]

Your answers have pretty much ruled out your heating system as the cause of what you are hearing. I think you may be experiencing 'The Hum', see for example:

The Hum - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Reportedly, this phenomenon can sometimes be suppressed/masked, e.g. by a white noise generator, which may explain why you only hear it when everything is quiet.

See if playing some 'white noise' or a synthetic ambient background suppresses it:

The Ultimate White Noise Player — Design Your Own Color

Create your own white noise with myNoise's innovative sound engine.

mynoise.net

Thank you anyway for all your help 🙂