How To Fix A Noisy Radiator

There is nothing worse than having to deal with a noisy radiator, especially if you are unsure of the route of the issue. Noisy radiators can be a somewhat disturbing issue.

When you have appliances installed within your home, whether it is a brand new towel rack, a designer, vertical radiator or a classic styled radiator within your household, you should be able to relax in the room of your choosing. So, what if your radiator is making too much noise? Whether your radiator appears to be banging, gurgling, or clicking, read on to find out why your radiator is behaving in such a way, and what exactly you can do about it. 

Banging Radiators

A banging radiator is often to do with a phenomenon known as “kettling”. This occurs within a hard-water area, due to the build-up of limescale.

As limescale builds up in your central heating system, this can cause the pipes to become blocked, resulting in an irritating banging noise.

This noise can be quite irritating and is a sign of an unhealthy radiator. So, what can be done? If this is to happen, it is recommended that you have your heating system professionally flushed, allowing for the remaining debris to flush from your system, consequently removing it. Following this, your system should be running smoothly, efficiently, and quietly in no time. 

Gurgling Radiators

A gurgling radiator is a more common problem, experienced by many homeowners. This is a direct result of the boiler pumping hot water around the radiators which can cause the air to become trapped within the system. If this air is not removed, issues such as cold radiators and gurgling noises can occur.

If your radiator feels cold to touch at the bottom, this may well be air preventing the hot water from properly heating it. The resolution here is to bleed your radiator. This is a simple process that you can do yourself. Use a radiator key, loosen the valve and wait for the air to escape, before closing the valve.

Clicking Radiators

Sometimes you may hear your radiator clicking, creaking, or groaning. This can be caused by the metal of which the radiator is made of contracts and expands due to the metal heating up and cooling down. This noise is a direct result of hot water coming into contact with the cold metal.

The clicking noise you may hear is the noise made by the metal as it expands. When you turn off your radiator, the metal will return to a cool state, which may again cause such noises to happen. When it comes to resolving this issue, unfortunately there isn’t much you can do about it.

A clicking radiator is not anything to worry about, and clicking, groaning, or creaking is simply part of the natural heating process. If you have an old model of radiator, clicking may occur more, so the answer here may well be to purchase a brand new model of radiator that is less susceptible to making noises such as these.