need solution for crackling from baseboard heaters


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Old 01-18-12, 02:09 PM
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need solution for crackling from baseboard heaters

When I renovated the 2nd floor of my new home last year I replaced all baseboard enclosures with Slant Fin dummy baseboard covers from Home Depot. After the heating season started I experienced really loud crackling sounds. After getting in touch with Slant Fin I ended up purchasing the plastic inserts that the heating elements are supposed to rest on instead of making direct metal to metal contact with the metal brackets. This made a dramatic improvement but I still have some crackling. The remaining noise is likely due to the fact that the original installation of the copper pipes (30 years ago) did not have perfect 90 degree turns, and is further away from the wall in certain spots. As a result some of the elements are still making metal to metal contact with the back side of the front cover of the baseboard enclosure. Not everywhere, only in certain spots. My question is can I affix some type of material (e.g. some sort of heat resistant tape) to the backside of the front cover so that it eliminates the metal on metal contact?

The only other solution I can think of requires all elbows to be resoldered so they are a perfect 90 degrees, but not without draining and refilling my system.
 
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Old 01-18-12, 03:09 PM
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Try cutting some shims from plastic milk cartons...
 
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Old 01-18-12, 06:29 PM
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pull the pipe into the wall with insulated pipe clamps so it's off that front cover there has to be play with the piping run wondering how do you pinch the front covers up
 
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Old 01-18-12, 07:10 PM
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punctuate much? I think that 'pulling the pipe into the wall' in one place will place undue stress on the pipe in another place. How will clamping the pipe down allow the 'play with the piping' that you say needs to be there? Won't it make it worse by clamping the pipe in position?
 
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Old 01-19-12, 05:20 AM
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Thanks for the ideas.

I really like the plastic shim idea though I think that I would need a lot of milk cartons to do the whole 2nd floor (4 bedrooms, 2 bathroom). Any other suggestions for a heat resistant material that's more readily available in larger quantities? Also, how would you suggest I get it to stay in place. Should I just wedge it in between the fins and the backside of the enclosure cover? Probably not the best idea to use any type of adhesive or tape, which will likely melt and become a gummy mess over time.
 
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Old 01-19-12, 06:13 AM
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what ...if ....he's not a milk drinker...2" plastic channel lenghts from HD/LOWES.... cut them.... into 1" widths ............even U channel .................how's that
 
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Old 01-19-12, 07:58 AM
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sminker,

what specifically do you mean by plastic channel lengths? In what department?
 
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Old 01-19-12, 11:02 AM
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Any other suggestions for a heat resistant material that's more readily available in larger quantities?
Hello,
Sounds like you want to put it behind all the fins along the whole length?
Ouch.
Anyway Kapton tape come to mind.
Check it out:
Kapton Tapes

It's related to teflon.


Peter
 
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Old 01-19-12, 12:49 PM
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Looked around Home Depot today and was only able to find one thing that might work, and its cheap too.

I picked up about a dozen FOR SALE signs at 79 cents each.

I'm thinking about trimming a few inches off each one, just enough so that I can slidin them into narrow channel on the backside of the enclosure cover. The enclosure cover snaps onto brackets and so its those curves that will keep these DIY plastic shims in place.

I was worried about the plastic melting but I've had a piece of one sign sitting on an element for a few hours now and it hasn't melted yet.
 
 

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