Pipes still creak despite expert attention

[Stainless Steve]

Hoping someone can advise, as I’m at my wits end with creaking central heating pipes. Previous system installed 1970 in house originally built 1955. Wood joists and floorboards, used to creak and ping like crazy, so when I had the system replaced this year I specified contractually that the system must run quietly. Downstairs is all solid floor, so the upstairs and downstairs (now separately zoned) are both supplied via pipework under the bedroom floors. Highly recommended builder and his sub-contracted plumber assured me that eliminating the creaking was achievable, and agreed in the contract. They have eased all the joist notches, made sure that the floorboards were not too tight over the pipe runs, lagged in the notches, and removed pipe clips. Still creaks on start up from cold, and while cooling off. While I am satisfied with the builder’s and plumber’s responsible attitudes, (and I still have retention monies held from the contract price), after four visits to correct, still no improvement. Any ideas on what further can be done please?

 

[Blackcatgas]

Sounds like they are doing thier best and are doing what I would have done, its hard to isolate the creaking to one spot but you need to do this, try lifting a board where pipe work is run,turn on the heating, does it stop? Ive had this before where surface mounted pipe work runs through platerbaord, make the holes bigger and cover with a pipe collar.

 

[djboyd]

I'm an engineer by trade, not a plumber! I know that it'll only take one creaking bit to reverberate through the whole pipework. If the pipes were not moving somewhere then they wouldn't creak! is it not possible to trace at what point of the boiler cycle they start creaking, ie if it is soon after the boiler fires from cold then it is likely to be near to the boiler where the creaking is. Has the boiler been replaced? was the pipework replaced / fixed entirely from the boiler? Perhaps it is the boiler itself that is causing the noise, or it's housing.

 

[Stainless Steve]

Thanks gents.

blackcatgas - I 'll try a board at a time. And another thought - I think it doesn't creak when the plumber has finished his corrective work, maybe because there is no weight on the floor - then we put the bed back plus two adults - puts undue pressure on the culprit board.

djboyd - the boiler is new, and in a completely different location (new extension) so all that pipework is new, but the old pipework to the rads. was left in place. I take your point about sound travelling, and suspect that the creak might emanate from areas that are not easily accessible, e.g. under built-in cupboards that the pipes pass under.

 

[gasmarc]

a mate of mine had a similar problem and took all the boards up and sat down and switched the system on to trace the noise which he eventually did by clipping a pipe, but as you say it could anywhere on the system ,good luck

 

[SafeGasInstall]

replace all the pipe work ,using plastic!

this will definitely rectify your problem !!!