Noisy baseboard heaters -yeah, it's a thing...
Over the years we’ve had many questions about ticking, humming, popping or even banging or clicking noises coming from electric baseboard heaters or hot water heated baseboard heaters. The main complaint is that they are loud enough to wake people up – or subtle enough to cause buzzing in the ears that just never turns off. Unfortunately, over winter, these electric heaters turn on and off frequently when their thermostats tell them to.
We’ve even had complaints about some models flashing as they turn on and off, startling cats and causing dogs to bark in the middle of the night – which certainly sucks!
Since electric baseboard heaters have a reputation for ticking people off, we asked a few manufacturers and installers how to silence them once and for all – if indeed it’s possible.
Noisy baseboard heaters – why bother?
Electric heaters are one of the most common heating system across Canada and also fitted as a budget heating system across the USA, so they are well known. They are inexpensive to buy and relatively quick to install, which is also probably a large part of the reason they are so often chosen.
Electric baseboard heaters are basically zone heaters. They are typically installed underneath windows where the heater’s rising air counteracts falling cool air from the window’s glass, and are controlled by thermostats within the room where they are located.
如果房子比较旧，隔热性能不太好，透气性很高，那么这些类型的加热器可能不是家庭取暖的好选择——当然这取决于电、燃气或取暖燃料的成本。In coldclimate zones, we would always suggestinvesting in better insulationfirst, and carrying out an energy audit involving ablower door testbefore installing a full house of baseboard heaters. That said, if the home is reasonably efficient, thenelectric heating can still be a good choice.
If the electricity they consume is generated sustainably, then electric baseboard heaters can be an economical and eco-friendly choice for heating system forwell-insulated green homes.
However, if the questions in the“Ask a Pro” sectionis anything to go by, it seems that baseboard heaters and the cacophony of sound that is released from them can become one of the most annoying things for residents - particularly the light sleepers.
Some of the most popular questions we get asked about noisy baseboard heaters are…
- What can I do tostop electric baseboard heaters making clicking and banging noiseswhen they’re turned on?
- Why dobaseboard heaters continue to be noisywhen switched off?
- How to deal with theconstant high-pitched buzz from electric baseboard heaters?
So it’s normal for baseboard heaters to be noisy?
Baseboard heaters are notorious for emitting different sounds. The clicking and buzzing noises are “normal" in so much that too many of them do it and do it too frequently.
这些声音主要是由于金属在长时间关闭后打开时对温度的突然变化作出反应，或者当温度下降时它们开始加热。底板金属部件启动时膨胀，冷却时收缩，产生噪音。
What many people don’t realize either in the most basic versions of electric heaters, is that the thermostat doesn’t actually control the temperature of the baseboard heater. The role of the thermostat is to dictate when they turn on and off based on the temperature of the air circulating through them.
Cheaper or older bimetallic thermostats let the heaters cool right down before reactivating, and so starts the vicious circle of metal cooling and heating significantly rather than gently and more often – often called “cycling.” This in turn adds to the potential for noise in baseboard heaters, and can cause them to fail prematurely to do highly repetitive thermal shock.
如果有噪音的脚板加热器是正常的-它们能被修理吗?
If the noises from the electricity and water-heated baseboards are constant and super irritating, then it’s good to know they can probably be fixed - or at the least reduced. Put simply, it may be that they are screwed on too tightly, or too loosely, and the casings (or heat dispersing fins) are of poor quality or distorted. Or, the thermostats are poorly adjusted or simply of basic quality. In all probability – it’s a combination of these factors.
The secret is not giving up! There is a solution for each type of problem with these heaters, however, if you are not an expert, we would suggest that you test the following simple solutions in the order proposed. In our experience they should solve most if not all the annoying tick-tocking, clinking and banging problems coming from pesky baseboard heaters!
停止吵闹的脚板加热器的简单解决方案。
WARNING: Before doing anything related to pulling covers off electric baseboard heaters or thermostats, remember to turn off the circuit breaker用于底板加热器及其控制系统。如果不能立即看出这是哪个断路器，那么我们必须建议，第一步应该是确保家里的电气面板上的标签是正确的。
Also, if at all uncomfortable or inexperienced with electrical work, our top tip is to call a registered professional first, rather than find out why it would have been a good idea later! And –before touching any heaters, it’s also a good idea to ensure they are cool,because the electric ones in particular can get very hot and can cause severe burns.
第一步，哪个脚板加热器最吵?
To identify where the noise is coming from accurately, first make a note of which heaters are the ones making the most noise. In our experience, every home with baseboard heaters has 2 or 3 that make more noise than the rest combined.
If living in a home heated with electric baseboard heaters where family members have been complaining about noises keeping them awake or startling the dog, enlist their help. Once the main culprits are identified, there are some initial checks to do that should be part of regular maintenance for baseboard heating andpreparing a home for winter.
Put an ear down near to the baseboard heaters (but not so near you singe hair or burn skin) and check to see where the noise is coming from. Sometimes it’s obvious, sometimes it isn’t. I’ve seen front cover plates on old style baseboard heaters jump and bang as they heat or cool, and with older electric heaters sometimes it’s the built-in thermostat that makes a loud click or buzzes. It’s certainly worth a try to see roughly what area is causing the noise problem with baseboard heaters before trying to fix it.
Correct positioning of baseboard heaters for quiet operation
Baseboard heaters, or their inlet vents, should sit level and at least three-quarters of an inch above the floor, carpet, or rugto allow the cooler air on the floor to flow under and through the electrical heating element or the fins on a water-heated unit.
如果地毯特别厚，可以考虑把加热器沿墙向上移动，这样可以给下面留出足够的空间，或者把加热器底部周围的地毯修剪一下。如果空气不能流通，它们就不能有效地加热或冷却。
Close proximity to something combustible like a carpet can also cause premature failure, or worst-case scenario in electric ones, a fire. Incorrect or insufficient airflow can also cause them to be noisy because the thermostats won’t be functioning correctly if located in the unit. Once certain that the baseboard heater is correctly positioned on the wall, make certain that the top of them isn’t covered by curtains when closed or by the back of furniture – once again – air circulation is essential!
Cleaning baseboard heaters and setting the fins for quiet running
Next, carefully work out how to remove the front cover from the heater, having already shut off the electricity if needed, and checked that it is cold. Then, looking into the heater element and fins (if there are any), are they dusty, full of fluff, dog or cat hair and cobwebs? This indicates that there has been insufficient airflow or that they’ve been turned off for a while – and although this will burn off when the heaters are used, it smells pretty foul and can provoke allergies. Dust and debris is best dealt with by a gentle brushing off with an appropriate vacuum attachment or with a soft paintbrush in the direction of the vacuum tube. A clean heater is a better functioning heater!
接下来，仔细看看那些加热器鳍;它们是弯曲的还是接触的?他们不应该-小心不要割伤手指尖锐的两端，轻轻地，以一致的方式，使他们远离对方。I generally use a pair of long-nose pliers to avoid the inevitable search for bandaids if I don't.
有一个稳定的气流通过一个踢脚板加热器也是最好的方法来减少黑色条纹，他们有时会导致后面的墙壁。即使是在老房子里，也要仔细检查地板和踢脚板之间的缝隙中是否有从crawlspace进入的漏气处，用填塞物或铝胶带把这些洞堵在加热器下面，让人看不见。
I also tend to push the heating element tube one way firmly but gently and back to make certain it can expand and contract smoothly. If it’s making lots of noise in the process – we may have found the problem!
If the casing itself is dented, discolored or even rusty, (probably caused bycondensation from windows dripping off the windowsill) – then it is possible to buy someclip-on baseboard heater covers online——这样可以把它们打扮得漂漂亮亮的，对小孩子来说也更安全。
Loosening or tightening some screws can stop the noise from a baseboard heater
Noise can be caused by insecure installation of the heating element inside the electric baseboard heater, or poor installation of the heater itselfon a warped or uneven wall or baseboard. To fix this problem, all that may be needed to do is readjust a few screws.
Loosening the screws slightly can allow the metal to expand and retract quietly without snagging up and letting go with a ping. Result! The importance here for quiet operation is as follows – if the screws are too loose, this can cause rattles and buzzing, if they are mid-way between tight and loose, this can cause the sudden pings, bangs and crackling noises as expanding or contracting metal moves with a rush. If very tight, this can cause the case to distort, which will then cause the cover or the heating element to make noises as it moves around in the case. If at first any of these changes make the noise worse, then try something else from the list.
Check that the voltage is correct and the amperage of thermostats
If a 120-volt baseboard heater is connected to a 240-volt power supply, this may be the cause of a humming noise, burning smells or worse still, a fire. I’ve actually seen this once – and many US homes have 240v outlets designed for power tools which an amateur electrician might attempt to connect to.
Some heaters are 240 volt - so be certain what the power supply is running at before ordering or changing any electric baseboard heaters. Likewise, the amperage of electric baseboard heaters must correspond to those of the thermostats. For example, for 2,500 W baseboard heaters a 3,000 W thermostat should be used to be certain of covering the amperage of startup and to give a margin of security.
Electronic thermostats are often quieter than older electro-mechanical ones
Electronic thermostats are more accurate than manual ones, allowing noise reductions, increased comfort and additional cost savings. Programmable electronic thermostats allow the temperature of rooms to be automatically adjusted according to the time of day (lower temperature at night) and the occupancy rate (lower temperature in the middle of the day). The savings for electric heaters can mount up to 10% of heating bills according to studies in Canada (Hydro-Quebec) for an average-sized house.
This is because by keeping the temperature more constant, electronic thermostats maintain a total running time that is lower, and expansion and contraction will be minimized which reduces the noise baseboard heaters might make. Even better -baseboard heaters can even be controlled by smart thermostats like this one.
Be careful though! Several Internet users have told us of compatibility problems between certain baseboards and certain electronic thermostats… this is probably a question of operating frequencies. To avoid returning to the hardware store, or having to returnheating thermostats for baseboard heaters found online，我们强烈建议购买前仔细检查兼容性!
Change the baseboard heaters to stop the noises
If none of the above works, electric baseboard heaters can always be changed or contact a heating technician who can try to determine the cause of the noise(although the cost may end up being comparable). If it’s one or two units, try looking upbetter quality electric baseboard heaters online, with centrally-controlled electronic thermostats.
If multiple baseboard heaters need to be changed, or if in an older home with high energy needs and a diesel powered heating fuel boiler and noisy water heated baseboard heaters, it might be time to carry out an energy audit and have a rethink.
Then look at improving the home insulation first to reduce the heating requirements – byadding insulation to the exterior walls from the outsidefor example – and it might be time to consider installing an air-to-airhigh-efficiency heat pump因为它们在消耗能量和输出热量的情况下运行效率更高。我们还发现，这些高效的电动热泵比踢脚板加热器带来更好的舒适度，因为它们降低了家里的相对湿度水平，并使空气流通，从而降低了房间的温度。
How to fix noisy water-heated baseboard heaters?
Some noisy baseboard heaters are water heated – so we should also mention them specifically尽管它们的噪音相对来说比电子的要小。当水加热的踢脚板发出恼人的声音时，完全有可能是由于热水进入加热器时管道的扩张造成的。为了减少这种噪音，可以在管道和周围的元件之间施加绝缘泡沫条，在固定管道的金属夹上内衬管道胶带，使管道可以无声地滑动。
噪音也可能来自通过系统的锅炉空气，或电磁阀关闭过快，然后在系统中产生压力，迫使散热器阀门打开或关闭过快，并在夜间发出砰的一声。
If the operating pressure in the boiler is not between 12 and 20 PSI, the problem is most likely going to be that. It would be recommended at this stage to contact an experienced heating engineer and check the balance on the emergency credit card!
If the noise from water-heated baseboards sounds more like a hammering, the temperature of the water flowing through the radiators is probably too hot and turning into steam, which also makes it expand. Note, if the circulating water exceeds 220 degrees, a technician should be contacted quickly before the boiler or home heating system is damaged beyond repair.
We hope this guide onhow to fix noisy baseboard heatershas been helpful. Learn more aboutsustainable home comfort, energy efficiencyandhow to reduce the carbon footprint of homeson the following pages and in the EcoHomeGreen Building Guide.
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