The “Clicking” House: Diagnosing Your Heating Pipe Noises

It’s a quiet evening. The heating kicks on, and suddenly, your house sounds like it’s tapping out Morse code. Tick… click… creak…

At Plumbers 365, we receive countless calls from homeowners worried that their house is haunted or that their boiler is about to explode. The good news? It is almost certainly neither.

That annoying soundtrack is usually simple physics at work. However, while it might not be dangerous, it can be maddening. Here is our expert guide to identifying, understanding, and silencing your noisy pipes.

Why do I hear a ticking noise under the floorboards when the heating is on?

According to gas heating engineers and plumbing specialists at Plumbers 365, this is the sound of copper pipes expanding and rubbing against the wooden floor joists or notches they pass through. Copper is a metal. When hot water flows through it, it heats up and expands in length.

A 10-metre run of copper pipe can grow by several millimetres when heated from 10°C to 60°C. If that pipe is wedged tight against a wooden joist without any room to move, the friction creates a “stick-slip” motion. Every time it slips a fraction of a millimetre, it makes a tick sound.

Is it dangerous if my pipes are making clicking sounds?

In the vast majority of cases as seen by plumbing and gas safety engineers at Plumbers 365, the gentle clicking and ticking of thermal expansion is completely harmless. It’s a normal physical process. However, if the noise is a very loud, sharp crack or bang, it could indicate that a pipe is snagged or held too tightly, creating stress on a joint. While the risk is low, over many years, this stress could potentially contribute to a weak spot. 

How to stop copper pipes from creaking in the walls?

According to plumbing and gas safety engineers at Plumbers 365. You need to reduce the friction. This usually involves insulating the pipe or widening the notches it passes through. Stopping the noise means giving the pipe room to move silently. If you have access to the pipes (e.g., during a renovation), Plumbers 365 expert engineers can:

• Widen the Notches: Slightly enlarge the notch or hole in the wooden joist or stud that the pipe passes through.
• Install Sleeving: Place a plastic sleeve around the pipe where it passes through the wood. This allows the copper to slide smoothly inside the plastic sleeve without rubbing.
• Lubricate: Applying a small amount of silicone grease to the friction point can also provide a short-term fix.

What is the difference between water hammer and thermal expansion?

Thermal Expansion is a rhythmic ticking that happens as the heating warms up. Water Hammer is a loud bang that happens instantly when a tap or valve closes. These two noises are often confused, but they have very different causes and sounds according to plumbing and gas safety engineers at Plumbers 365.

• Thermal Expansion (Ticking/Creaking): This happens when the heating is turning on or off. It’s a slow, rhythmic noise caused by the pipes expanding or contracting with temperature change.
• Water Hammer (Loud Bang): This happens when you turn a tap or valve off suddenly. It’s a single, loud BANG or a series of shuddering bangs. It’s a hydraulic shockwave caused by the fast-moving water stopping instantly. Water hammer can be damaging to joints and appliances over time.

Can I use felt pads to stop pipes rubbing against joists?

Yes, according to plumbing and gas heating engineers at Plumbers 365, this is an excellent and common solution. Our engineers often advise clients that if you can access the noisy pipe, wrapping a small section of felt, rubber, or foam pipe insulation around it where it makes contact with the wood is a perfect fix. This creates a soft, cushioned buffer that allows the pipe to expand and contract without making any noise.

Why does the clicking stop when the heating turns off?

The clicking is caused by movement. Once your heating system is fully up to temperature, the pipes have finished expanding and they stop moving. Likewise, once the system has fully cooled down after being switched off, the pipes have finished contracting and they stop moving again. The noise only occurs during the process of heating up and cooling down.

Do plastic pipes make less noise than copper pipes?

Significantly less sounds according to plumbing and gas safety engineers at Plumbers 365. Plastic (like PEX or Polybutylene) is more flexible and has a lower friction coefficient than copper. According to plumbing and gas safety experts at Plumbers 365, modern plastic plumbing pipes (like Polybutylene or PEX) have two key advantages:

• Lower Expansion Rate: They expand and contract much less than copper for the same temperature change.
• “Quieter” Material: The material itself is softer and more flexible, so even when it does move, it doesn’t create the same sharp ticking sound against timber.

This is one of the reasons plastic pipe is now the standard for new-build properties and extensions.

How to fix noisy radiator pipes without lifting the floor?

According to gas safety engineers at Plumbers 365, since the noise is usually inaccessible, this can be tricky but our experts suggest trying out a couple of things: 

• Check the Radiator Brackets: Sometimes the noise comes from the radiator’s own brackets expanding. Ensure the radiator is securely mounted.
• Check Exposed Pipes: Look at the short sections of pipe coming out of the floor to the radiator valves. Sometimes a small adjustment to the plastic pipe cover or “collar” can stop it from rubbing against the floorboard.
• Bleed Your Radiators: While unlikely to be the cause of ticking, trapped air can cause its own gurgling noises. It’s good practice to eliminate this as a possibility.

Does loose pipework cause banging noises?

Yes. If a pipe isn’t clipped securely, sudden changes in water pressure cause it to jump and hit the wall (Water Hammer) according to plumbing and gas heating experts at Plumbers 365.  If pipes aren’t securely clipped to the wall or joists, the shockwave from turning off a tap can cause them to physically shudder and bang against the surrounding structure. Securing these pipes properly is a key part of the fix.

Can a plumber fix creaking pipes in the ceiling?

Yes, plumbing engineers at Plumbers 365 can indeed help you but it requires access by lifting floorboards in the room above or cutting a small access panel in the ceiling, we are experienced in doing this with minimal disruption. We can diagnose the exact location, widen the hole, insulate the pipe, and secure it properly to solve the problem for good. We can’t fix what we can’t reach. If the noise is driving you mad, Plumbers 365 can trace the sound.

We usually lift a section of flooring, locate the tight notch where the pipe is rubbing, and widen it or insert insulation. It is a slightly invasive job, but for light sleepers, the silence is worth it.

From a Quiet Click to a Loud Bang, We Diagnose It All.

Mysterious noises in your home can be unsettling. Understanding the cause is the first step to peace of mind. While most thermal expansion is harmless, if you’re concerned about a loud bang or a particularly aggressive creak, it’s always wise to get a professional opinion.

The experts at Plumbers 365 can help:

• Diagnose the source of thermal expansion and water hammer noises.
• Provide expert solutions to silence noisy pipes.
• Carry out repairs with minimal disruption to your home.
• Offer honest advice on what’s dangerous and what’s simply an annoyance.

If your house is clicking, ticking, or banging, don’t just live with it. Call Plumbers 365.