Baseboard Expansion Noise?

TommyCon

a client for whom I am doing some renovation work has been complaining of a loud banging noise (for 10 years) as the pipes in the ceiling heat up for the basement zone. I have pulled down the ceiling and the pipe in question is set/wedged in a notch in the bottom of each joist. The pipe is very tightly set. This is not my area of expertise. My best guess is that the pipe is rubbing on the joists as it expands. Client claims noise starts out slow and then increases frequency and then slows again(over a period of 30 seconds). The client claims sound is much louder in the cold of winter@ 3 in the morning. Enough to wake you from sleeping. I presume due to the larger temperature swing(greater expansion)

I have widened the notch(1/8") and set the pipe in hangers to hold it away from the wood member. Should I put some plumbers grease on the hangers to ensure it slides?

I guess I am questioning if there is anything else I should do or look into before closing the ceiling back up. I think I may have licked it but... Its getting pretty warm around here so temp swings aren't as great, very tough to analyze if I have solved the problem or not. It would have been better to do this project in the winter or at 3 in the morning to be sure it is eliminated. However the ceiling is open now for other work so that isn't an option.

Any thoughts
thanks for your help

beenthere

Might need to install expansion joints.