Ticking or dripping sound in the hotpress????

chuckles30

Ok I know there's a load of threads on central heating, but I have another question.

Last night I noticed a sound coming from my hotpress when I had the heating turned on - at first I thought it sounded like water dripping, so went investigating and everything is perfectly dry. When I was actually looking in the hotpress, I thought it might be a ticking sound coming from a couple of 'white boxes' that are connected to the heating. So now I'm confused

Here's what I know about the heating system. It's a new house, but I haven't needed to use the heating all summer, so only noticed this now. It's oil fired and it's a pressurised system. It's got two zones, one for upstairs and one for downstairs. My understanding from the builder at the time was that these 'white boxes' I mentioned earlier are to do with the zones.

So I guess my question is, does anyone else have these boxes and is it normal for them to tick?? Or do I need to call the builders back and get them to investigate? I have checked downstairs and there are no damp patches to suggest a leak, but as I haven't used the heat a lot, I'm not sure how long it would take to get through.

squire1

It may just be something as simple as copper pipes rubbing off timber as they heat up a cool down causing the "ticking" sound. Try securing the pipes or putting something between them and any timber shelves they might be rubbing off.

I'd say the white boxes you are talking about are the motorised valves for allowing the hot water flow into the different heating zones when required. AFAIK the shouldn't tick but you would hear the valve turning when activated.

Alun

squire1 wrote:

It may just be something as simple as copper pipes rubbing off timber as they heat up a cool down causing the "ticking" sound. Try securing the pipes or putting something between them and any timber shelves they might be rubbing off.

That's certainly the case in our hot press. I keep meaning to get in there and cut a little bit away from some of the shelves so that they don't touch the pipes anymore, but never seem to get around to it

delly

If the ticking noise is coming from one of the motorised valves then it is possible that one has developed a fault. You could try and compare the sounds as both zones are engaged seprately to see if it is the fault. I replaced one myself in the Winter, but it was easy to diagnose as the downstairs heating wasn't coming on at all.


When you turn your heating on in a particuler zone, the motor in the white box turns and allows the flow of hot water into that zone. If the motor is knackerd then you may only get a small turn or none at all and the noise could be from the motor trying to do its job.

chuckles30

Thanks for the replies - it could be the timber and the pipes alright - I must look at that this evening, but my memory suggests that some of the pipes are quiet close to the wood.

Reyman

It sounds to me a timer clock for the heating or the immersion.

Have you tried taking the cover off?