why do heating pipes clang?

Answer 1

The technical name for clanging pipe is water hammer. This happens when there is a change in the velocity or volume or water traveling through the pipe work. A good example would be if you have a water tap fully open with say 25 ltr/min flowing through the tap. If you closed the tap rapidly a shock wave would flow back through the water and if the pipe work is not adequately bracketed there would be a loud clang or bang as the pipes move.
There is a couple of way to solve this problem, if there noise is coming from one place in the house only and it is easy to get to the pipes you could try to add additional pipe brackets to the pipe to prevent the pipe moving.
If however the noise comes from all over the pipe work or it is not possible to get access to the pipe work, you will need to get down to your local plumbing supply store and ask from a water hammer remover.
This unit loos like a metal bottle with a single screwed connection at the bottom. On the inside of the unit there is a rubber bladder with compressed gas on one side and water on the other side.
When the shock wave hits the bladder instead of the pipe work moving the rubber bladder will move against the compressed gas and acts like a shock absorber.
Hope this helps.

Answer 2

Common is Thermal Expansion.. expansion and contraction of the copper in your home pretty common. To fix is nt so easy you will need to locate the loose pipe and use plumbers tape or P-tape and strap/secure the pipe you can also use shims to wedge the pipes.

Answer 3

thermal expansion and contraction. Some people put in an expansion pipe or tank that has some air in it to help with the hammering of the pipes.

Answer 4

Pure and simple... it's the expansion and contraction of the metal.

Answer 5

it ain't the pipes, its the air

Answer 6

to drive the homeowners crazy