Noisy Radiator Clicking

[evsyt]

Have recently moved into a new house and the radiator in our master bedroom clicks like hell when heating up and cooling down. Searched on here and tried everything below but nothings worked. I’ve traced the sound as best as I can, and whilst I can hear/feel it mostly from the TRV pipe side it’s genuinely loudest in the radiator itself. Is there a possibility it could be the radiator unit??? - I’ve tried:

- Pipe from the TRV side looked under floorboards and there’s no obstruction from the floorboard/wood and as far as I can see the pipe isn’t rubbing anywhere,

- Removed and swapped the TRV with another from a different room. No difference.

- the noise is still there even if the TRV is set to 0 or to 5. Which makes me think it’s the pipe, but then as above can’t see any issues or obstructions with the pipe.

- turned lock shield on other end of the radiator to almost completely closed so the radiator barely heated up. Same noise and noise level.

- Brackets on radiator are quite loose to the point the radiator can move up and down so it’s not that tight. I can’t see if there are any plastic brackets (photo attached sorry it’s filthy!) but the noise is concentrated so if be shocked if it was an expanding issue rubbing against the bracket.

Not sure what else I can try. Would next step be replacing the whole radiator? It is quite old and the only other thing is the bleeding port it has rusted to the point where it’s difficult to lock back up again and being bled (though doesn’t leak water so much be closed)

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

If it's a regular and continuous click/pulse, once the room is up to temperature - likely the TRV has been installed on the wrong end of the radiator, though some are designed for use on either end. Does changing the TRV setting stop it temporarily?

Another possibility, is that the small U shaped plastic parts were never fitted, or lost from the radiator support brackets. This can cause a tick as the radiator expands and contracts, as it heats and cools.

 

[evsyt]

Thanks Harry, the clicking stops once up to temperature so I’m sure it’s just an expanding issue be it radiator or pipe. Changing the TRV setting when it’s heating up doesn’t stop the sound.

I’ve felt around the back of the radiator as much as I can (without taking it off the wall) and can’t feel any plastic support brackets so that’s potentially it (though I have the same radiator in another room with no brackets that doesn’t seem to click at all).

Would the bracket issues reverberate through the pipe? When I hold my thumb and finger under where the TRV is I can definitely feel the “clicking” vibration.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

I’ve felt around the back of the radiator as much as I can (without taking it off the wall) and can’t feel any plastic support brackets so that’s potentially it (though I have the same radiator in another room with no brackets that doesn’t seem to click at all).

They are tiny, you likely will not be able to see them. They just form a bush, or bearing, between the metal wall bracket and the metal bracket on the radiator.

 

[pcaouolte]

The plastic parts are a relatively new idea, and the radiator looks quite old, it is likely that the plastic parts were never supplied. This is the type of thing: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/264963861327 but I don't know if they will fit older brakets.

 

[evsyt]

Thanks all, I will try and find something that will fit in.

My other radiator doesn’t have the brackets but doesn’t click, if it’s not the plastic brackets and based on everything I’ve already tried…could it be anything else?? Would it just be worth replacing the radiator?

Trying to eliminate all possibilities, especially pipe wise as there’s only one removable floorboard in the bedroom so if it’s pipe related it’s gonna be a nightmare to fix.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

The plastic parts are a relatively new idea, and the radiator looks quite old, it is likely that the plastic parts were never supplied. This is the type of thing: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/264963861327 but I don't know if they will fit older brakets.

Nope, my rads are 40 years old, and came with the plastic U's.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Thanks all, I will try and find something that will fit in.

Even a short bit of the outer grey, of grey twin and earth cable would work, stuck on the bracket of the rad itself.