If you live in an old apartment that still uses steam heating, then a noisy radiator is likely just a fact of life. If you rent, this can be frustrating because the problem isn’t usually considered serious enough to warrant your landlord’s attention. Your radiator could be banging up a storm every night, but because it’s a natural side effect of the old heating system, there’s really nothing that can be done about it. Nevertheless, if you just can’t stand that noise any longer, you might want to consider these possible solutions. If they don’t work, perhaps it’s time to find a new apartment.


Step 1: Try to figure out the source of the noise. It could be that the steam valve is not opening or closing all the way, causing excessive water condensation to build up, or it could be that the radiator is slightly tilted in a way that prevents the water from draining. In these cases, then the sound could be anything from a heavy hissing, to a sloshing, to loud banging, depending on where the problem lies.

Read the rest of this entry »