High Pitch Noise A General or Airlock Query

High Pitch Noise A General or Airlock

Hi Jeff,

I'm just wondering, can an airlock in the heating system cause a high pitch noise and can an airlock clear on its own ?

I look forward to your reply.

I have not heard of an air lock causing such a noise but wouldn't rule anything out, I have come across faulty thermostatic radiator valves making such noises and heating pumps.

Air locks often clear them selves, if the noise correlated with the use of heating and then went away that may be the culprit, if so it may come back next autumn.

Jeff,

I live in a two story block of flats south west of the country, but the person above me when I quizzed him about a high pitch sound I hear often,

mainly morning and lunch time daily, he tried saying it wasn't his tap, he hears it and he thinks it could be the lady next to me,

its not because she's been away and its still sounded.

Could this high pitch sound be a loose washer/worn valve in a tap or is it more likely to be the pipes causing the noise ? Sometimes the sound judders a bit.

My neighbour opposite has heard it from inside her flat, and her flat's only 2ft away from me and the man above me said his neighbour next door hears it sometimes really loud, another neighbour upstairs hears it too.

When they sent someone to my neighbour before Christmas, she told me it can't be fixed.

I'm wondering if you've any idea what the high pitch sound could be or where its likely to be coming from and can it be fixed ?

There's only four flats on ground floor, and four flats on upper floor.

I look forward to your reply.

Regards,

Hi J.

I'm sure it could be fixed, or the guilty part replaced.

Diagnosis can be difficult because the pipes will conduct sound, also access ,an be an issue if there is a suspect pipe or such embedded in a wall.

Usually these thing are caused by faulty valves or taps, float valves in tanks and toilet cisterns commonly make this kind on noise.

Also taps not always the tap being used but opening one tap could cause noise from another or a valve downstream as the pressure is dropped.

Another example was a diverter on a combination boiler.

I have also fond to be the cause though only once which shows it could be anything that could have a high pitched vibration in some kind of fault condition.

Hope that helps a bit. Maybe try complaining to the Freeholder/building management.

Jeff.

Thank you for your email reply and very helpful information. No, the noise hasn't gone away. Its been sounding again this morning.

I have someone from our repairs department coming out to me next Monday.

I'll mention to them what you just very kindly told me about faulty thermostatic radiator valves and heating pumps.

I did have someone visit me the other week to check my radiators, they are all fine and don't need bleeding.

A neighbour told me in the flat above me, someone had a faulty cistern and it used to make a noise too.

He also said the sound we are hearing now could be coming from somewhere but because the walls are so thin it sounds like its coming from this side of the building and its not.

I take it when you say heating pumps, they're on the boiler. Its a communal boiler, heating system we have here.

Once again thank you for your kind time and assistance with this. I am very much appreciative to you.

Jeff Culkin

Senior Plumbing and Heating Engineer

Culkin Plumbing and Heating

Landlord Gas Safety Certificates, Plumbing, Heating, Gas, Boilers, Appliances, Electrics; Maintenance and Installations

www.culkinplumbingandheating.co.uk

Tel 07904178441

Gas Safe no 305929