Baseboard Heat "Clunk" sound
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Baseboard Heat "Clunk" sound
I have a very recent baseboard heating system, modern boiler etc. The heat works fine, but there is a loud "clunk" every time the zone valve turns off. It's a loud banging sound and sometimes oscillates for a few seconds before going away.
This only occurs on my upstairs zone. I have a zone for my main floor and a separate zone for the hot water (watermate system) with no problems. I've tried "flushing" the air out of the system by opening the upstairs zone and running water through the piping but this doesn't seem to help, so I'm not convinced it's an air problem.
Any thoughts on how to correct this?Thanks.
This only occurs on my upstairs zone. I have a zone for my main floor and a separate zone for the hot water (watermate system) with no problems. I've tried "flushing" the air out of the system by opening the upstairs zone and running water through the piping but this doesn't seem to help, so I'm not convinced it's an air problem.
Any thoughts on how to correct this?Thanks.
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Let me guess you have Honeywell zone valves. Some of them are prone to hammering because they close rapidly. Somewhere around here there is a thread on how to improve this. Might be a new zone valve would do it. Grady knows off the top of his head. Sir?
#3
I would suggest checking the direction of flow arrow on all the valves to be sure they all point the way that water should flow through them. If one is reversed, it will hammer all the time and nothing but turning it around will help.
Ken
Ken
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Thanks for the replies....
I checked the direction of the arrow previously and it is pointing the right way (in the direction of water flow).
I experimented with the closing speed of the zone valve (by hand) and it seemed to help. The valves are manufactured by Erie Controls........
Jeff
I checked the direction of the arrow previously and it is pointing the right way (in the direction of water flow).
I experimented with the closing speed of the zone valve (by hand) and it seemed to help. The valves are manufactured by Erie Controls........
Jeff
#5
Erie valves are almost identical to Honeywell valves. There may be a way you could slow the closing down. If your circulator has more than one speed (some do) you could try a lower speed. If it is multiple speed, there would be a small knob on the electrical compartment that you could turn to select 1,2, or3. If not, you should try to figure out how to get the valve to close slower. Someone mentioned that Grady may know. He is conspicuous by his absence. I will rub his lamp.
Ken
Ken
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Lamp is rubbed
I have encountered this problem a couple of times. Once I was lucky enough to find an elbow on the second floor directly above the boiler. Removed that ell & installed a baseboard ell (also called baseboard tee) in which I installed a manual bleeder on about a 1/8 x 3" nipple. In the second case, we had to go to a Taco zone valve which opens & closes much slower than does the Erie or Honeywell.
Honeywell also has a slow closing valve (5000 series of the
V8043 valve) which is supposed to eliminate the hammering sometimes seen in the V8043-1000 series valves. I have not yet used one therefore cannot speak from personal experience.
Honeywell also has a slow closing valve (5000 series of the
V8043 valve) which is supposed to eliminate the hammering sometimes seen in the V8043-1000 series valves. I have not yet used one therefore cannot speak from personal experience.
Last edited by Grady; 12-10-07 at 07:31 PM. Reason: More Detail
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Update on Progress
Just rigged up a method for slowing down the closing of the Erie zone valve – consisted of a couple of rubber bands and some heat shrink tubing.
I visually tested the speed with the zone valve for our main floor and it is noticeably slower. The two zone valves are practically side-by-side so this allowed for an easy check.
As a result, I didn’t hear any hammering last night. I’m not sure if it was because I was so tired from lack of sleep from previous nights or if it is really fixed.
As I mentioned earlier, it appears that the closing speed was the issue. Time will tell all.
Thanks for the wealth of information!!!
Jeff
I visually tested the speed with the zone valve for our main floor and it is noticeably slower. The two zone valves are practically side-by-side so this allowed for an easy check.
As a result, I didn’t hear any hammering last night. I’m not sure if it was because I was so tired from lack of sleep from previous nights or if it is really fixed.
As I mentioned earlier, it appears that the closing speed was the issue. Time will tell all.
Thanks for the wealth of information!!!
Jeff
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Closing Speed
The closing speed is simply a cure for the symptom not the disease. You have air somewhere, but what the heck, you have made the annoying noise go away. In time you will likely have to replace the rubber bands with a spring or something else. I congratulate you on your ability to improvise.
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On that note.....
Grady, let me ask a question.
Should I have installed an auto air bleeder on my upstairs zone?
I was told by a local heating contractor not to because they leak.
I'm thinking if air is truly the problem, this would have helped. Especially on an upstairs zone. Air always seeks the highest point right?
Jeff
Should I have installed an auto air bleeder on my upstairs zone?
I was told by a local heating contractor not to because they leak.
I'm thinking if air is truly the problem, this would have helped. Especially on an upstairs zone. Air always seeks the highest point right?
Jeff
#11
They can (and do) leak... but instead I would have recommended one of the small manual type bleeders that are operated with a square key or a coin slot (or screwdriver).
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Backacers/Auto Vent
I don't like auto vents in an area where a leak could cause a real problem & like Trooper prefer a manual type. That being said, there are auto vents which are made to connect to a piece of 1/4" O.D. tubing routed to a place where it can drain without causing a catastrophe. The trick to these is routing the tubing to a place where you can see a leak but it won't cause any harm.
Yes, air in a hot water heating system will always try to escape & since it is lighter than water, will eventually work its way to the highest point if it can.
Yes, air in a hot water heating system will always try to escape & since it is lighter than water, will eventually work its way to the highest point if it can.