Heating expert says hearing four sounds in your home should ring alarm bells
An expert has issued a warning to anyone who can hear certain noises in their home - it could be a sign you are overheating your property and wasting money.
As many households around the UK continue to struggle with rising energy bills, saving money where we can is essential. But, it isn't all that easy when storms are prevailing and temperatures have dropped below zero recently.
iHeat expert Stephen Day said there has been a significant rise in people wondering why their home is "making noises" this winter. Houses can make a lot of noise, especially in seasons with extreme temperatures, like winter. Materials like wood and metal contract and expand with temperature fluctuations, which can make noises that you only notice at night when the house is quiet - but some noises aren't so normal.
The unusual sounds could be a telling sign that you're spending more than you need to on your energy bills. Stephen has revealed the top five noises people hear in their home and what you can do to fix them and subsequently stop wasting money.
If you boiler keeps going on and off
Stephen said: "If you hear your boiler constantly cycling through turning on, heating up, and turning off, and back on again, it could mean it’s struggling to maintain the correct temperature, and is using more energy than necessary.
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"Like being stuck in traffic and only driving a tiny distance at a time, using fuel but not getting very far, constant cycling forces the boiler to work hard in short bursts, consuming energy but not heating your home efficiently."
Stephen explained that low water pressure, to trapped air which causes the system to overheat and shut down as a safety measure could be reasons why your boiler keeps turning on and off. The issue can be prevented by bleeding your radiators to release any trapped air. "Call an engineer to diagnose the fault if that doesn't resolve the issue," Stephen added.
Do you hear cracking and whistling?
A number of people have been experiencing "creaking floorboards" or "house whistling".
Stephen explained that noisy floorboards could be a sign of a draught coming in between the gaps, letting cold wind in, and warmth from your heating out. The expert added that whistling sound can indicate that the draught is coming in through gaps around doors and windows, letterboxes, or down unused chimneys.
The heating expert said: "Draughts like these can mean you use as much as 20% more energy than necessary to keep your home warm, so draught proofing your home is essential. Fill gaps in floorboards, and replace seals around doors and windows to keep the heat in, and use less energy to keep it warm!"
Banging noises
A banging noise coming from the boiler can mean a couple of things, the most common being kettling. Stephen commented: "When limescale and debris builds up in the heat exchanger, it can restrict the flow of water and cause localised boiling. This means the boiler becomes less efficient, using more energy to maintain a consistent temperature."
Another reason for the noises could be a fault with the pump or diverter valve, cause fluctuations in pressure which make the banging noise. "It's best to call in an expert to assess the issue and fix any problems before they get worse," added Stephen.
House humming
People should take action if they hear a constant, low humming coming from their fridge.
Stephen explained: "If you suddenly start to notice it more than usual, it could be a sign that it's working too hard to keep your food cold. The condenser coils in your fridge are responsible for keeping a consistent cool temperature, and some fridges – luxury models, or fridges that are older than 10-15 years - require you to clean them regularly, to keep them free from dust and dirt, in order to work correctly.
"If the coils aren't the issue, check the seals around the doors and make sure you defrost regularly too."
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Radiator hissing
The most common cause of a hiss coming from your radiators is trapped air.
A heat expert explained this happens when air bubbles get trapped as hot water circulates through the system, and as they expand and contact when the temperature rises and falls. This trapped air can prevent the water from circulating properly, meaning your boiler has to work harder and use more energy to heat your home.
Advising how to sort the issue, Stephen advised: "Bleeding your radiator is a very simple and quick process to release the air and get your radiators working as efficiently as possible."
Do you have a heating hack story? Get in touch via [email protected].
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