Noisy plumbing

[Badger10]

Hi Hoping someone can help…
I live in a ground floor Victorian flat. Over the last few weeks my neighbour’s pipeshave been very noisy, a tapping/dripping noise in my ceiling that starts in theevening and happens every couple of hours during the night.
After having researchedsolutions online I went to try and put some insulation around them (my ceiling currentlyhas a hole in it which means I have access to one section of them ) but there is very little room as thetop of them is sitting almost right against the floor boards upstairs. Also they are a weird green colour around thejoin (see picture). Does anyone knowwhat the green stuff is and have any ideas whether insulation might solve thenoise, or is it something else? Thanks verymuch

 

[Masood]

The noise sounds like pipes expanding and contracting due to heat. As it's become colder, presumably your neighbour has just started using the heating. Every couple of hours all through the night seems unusual - most people don't leave the heating on all night.

The green stuff is copper oxide - caused either by flux residue from when the pipes were soldered, or a small weep. Lagging would cure the problem if it's due to the pipes knocking against each other as they warm up, they seem to be touching so that's a strong possibility. Knocking is also caused by pipework not being properly clipped, lagging won't fix that.

 

[Badger10]

The noise sounds like pipes expanding and contracting due to heat. As it's become colder, presumably your neighbour has just started using the heating. Every couple of hours all through the night seems unusual - most people don't leave the heating on all night.

The green stuff is copper oxide - caused either by flux residue from when the pipes were soldered, or a small weep. Lagging would cure the problem if it's due to the pipes knocking against each other as they warm up, they seem to be touching so that's a strong possibility. Knocking is also caused by pipework not being properly clipped, lagging won't fix that.

Thank you. It's strange as I moved in early February and it wasn't doing this last winter. it seems to also happen when they run the bath as well. I've just checked and the pipes are touching each other and the top one is touching the floorboards so there is no room for any legging at all. Are the clips worth trying in that case?

 

[Best]

You could also try some dpc membrane which is thin and will perhaps slip between the pipe and floorboards or joists. If possible, cut small piece about 10cm x 10cm and try wrapping it around the pipe just one wrap and piece of electrical tape to hold it together and slide to where pipes are touching something

 

[Masood]

You could also try some dpc membrane which is thin and will perhaps slip between the pipe and floorboards or joists. If possible, cut small piece about 10cm x 10cm and try wrapping it around the pipe just one wrap and piece of electrical tape to hold it together and slide to where pipes are touching something

Either that or try some felt lagging. That's pretty thin and will slide into small gaps as well.

 

[Best]

Either that or try some felt lagging. That's pretty thin and will slide into small gaps as well.

Yes, I prefer the hairfelt lagging if enough space. Sometimes though it is still a bit too thick and also prone to snagging when trying to slide it between existing pipes and joists.

 

[Masood]

Yes, I prefer the hairfelt lagging if enough space. Sometimes though it is still a bit too thick and also prone to snagging when trying to slide it between existing pipes and joists.

True. I had previously only seen/used the tubular stuff that slides over pipes. Only saw the rolls of the felt "tape" quite recently!

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

Either that or try some felt lagging. That's pretty thin and will slide into small gaps as well.

Hessian felt?

 

[1Steven]

Have they had any work done, New bathroom maybe? If you here dripping keep an eye on the ceiling for dark stains.

 

[Masood]

Hessian felt?

Think so - I've always called it hairy felt... Got the plastic backing, not sure if it's hessian though. Isn't hessian woven like the old cloth sacks?

 

[1Steven]

That's the stuff flame proof now, did not used to be!

 

[Best]

Think so - I've always called it hairy felt... Got the plastic backing, not sure if it's hessian though. Isn't hessian woven like the old cloth sacks?

Used to be what I used on 90% of pipework years ago. Only pipes very exposed to cold were done with Armaflex. Was much too time consuming to wrap pipes well with it, although I did get very good at using it.

 

[Badger10]

Thank you for all the suggestions, will see if any of those will fit round it. For some reason I stopped getting notifications after the first reply, hence my slow response! Thanks very much.

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

Think so - I've always called it hairy felt... Got the plastic backing, not sure if it's hessian though. Isn't hessian woven like the old cloth sacks?

yes,its similar with plastic binding it

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

Thank you for all the suggestions, will see if any of those will fit round it. For some reason I stopped getting notifications after the first reply, hence my slow response! Thanks very much.

Try this,getting it in may be the hard bit,just tear bits off,no knife needed,tears easily ,most merchants stock it ,its called various names,Hessian felt,felt wrap etc Celafelt Felt Lagging Wrap Around Type - Plumbing > Copper > Pipe Lagging > Celafelt Felt Lagging Wrap Around Type in at Berhams

 

[Badger10]

Brilliant, thanks!

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

Brilliant, thanks!

before spending any money try getting thin strips of cardboard in,pipes wont burn it