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aquinoep
12-30-2007, 02:00 PM
Hello all,

I was hoping someone can give me some advice or suggestions as what to do.

It is a brand new house, moved in about a month and a half ago. It is a 2 story house and the furnace is located up in the attic. The attic has very limited space and with all the ductwork and blown insulation all over the place, its very difficult to go from one place to another.

The problem starts when the thermostat from downstairs is turned on (It's a zoned house for heating and cooling). The ticking noise begins within a minute or so after it is started. Sometimes the ticking noise is quite faint and sometimes it's loud enough to hear from the next room. I called the HVAC company who installed the unit and said that this is a normal thing due to contracting and expanding. I told him if it was ductwork running between the walls of the bathroom and the room where the ticking noise seems to be coming from. He told me that it may not be it because the wall is too thin for the ductwork to fit. Although when he touched the wall, it was warm to the touch. He said he doesn't know what's on that wall and explained to me that ductwork that passes from the attic to the downstairs will require ample space for it to pass through and so it could not have been passing through the wall. The wall between the bathroom and the room is about 6 inches thick. He advised me to talk to my builder instead.

I decided to check the attic myself and since I'm a fairly small guy, I managed to get to the other side and noticed what appears to be sheet metal duct running between the bathroom and the room wall. Maybe this explains the heat coming from the wall.

Needless to say, I wasn't happy with the contractor's answer. I've called the builder and they have yet to respond though I'm afraid they might say they can't do anything about it and refer me back to the contractor and get the run around.

Any suggestions as to what I can tell the builder and/or contractor so that they may be able to fix it? Can this even be fixed or would I have to live with this noise for the rest of my stay in this house? I'd hate to think that since it's a brand new house. I appreciate any help or suggestions you could provide.

Thank You!!

skippedover
12-30-2007, 02:40 PM
Hello all,


He told me that it may not be it because the wall is too thin for the ductwork to fit.

This guys answer depends on how the house is ducted. Are the first floor supplies on the floor or the ceiling? If they're on the floor, then you have a main trunk that runs from the attic to the basement, then branches that run from the main trunk (the main could change to a horizontal run in the basement/crawl space beneath the home) to each supply. However, if the first floor supplies are in the ceilings, then I' suspect that there are individual supplies from the attic to each outlet on the first floor. A main trunk can be hidden quite deceivingly within the walls. Careful measurements are the only way to truly find it. I'd suspect you're right and the trunk is within the wall.


Although when he touched the wall, it was warm to the touch. He said he doesn't know what's on that wall and explained to me that ductwork that passes from the attic to the downstairs will require ample space for it to pass through and so it could not have been passing through the wall. The wall between the bathroom and the room is about 6 inches thick.

6-inches allows plenty of space to put a trunk that's got plenty of width. Personanly I'd prefer a bigger space/trunk but builder's don't want to supply them and there's always some company out there that will install anything for a buck. That's why high quality companies don't work for the average builder.


Needless to say, I wasn't happy with the contractor's answer. I've called the builder and they have yet to respond though I'm afraid they might say they can't do anything about it and refer me back to the contractor and get the run around.

This is the classic hot potato. The installers didn't allow enough in the contract with the builder to cover warranty and the builder didn't either so in effect, unless the equipment breaks within the first year, you get what you get and that's that. In our state, everything is covered under the specific codes except the heating & cooling. For that the customer gets thrown right under the bus. Pays your money, takes your chances. It's also the place where the average GC cuts corners like crazy. Cheapest bid, cheapest equipment, lousy installation, great discomfort. Happens every single day and no one seems to want to do anything about it. Good luck. :rolleyes:


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aquinoep
12-31-2007, 02:24 AM
The trunk is within the wall and the source of the ticking noise appears to come from the attic where it goes down through the wall.

I appreciate the help and your input on this. I may be SOL on this one if the builder and installer don't want to help.

gena
03-28-2008, 11:16 PM
So, did they help to resolve your issue or not?

dillon2
03-29-2008, 08:47 AM
You said that this is a zoned system. Is it possible that a zone damper or moter is causing this noise? I have heard some that do make a noise similar to what you described. Its a thought any way.

m-cooling
03-29-2008, 09:36 AM
Thats what came to my mind too dillon.Zone damper motor noise.

gena
03-29-2008, 10:05 AM
But I don’t think so, read this again:
“I decided to check the attic myself and since I'm a fairly small guy, I managed to get to the other side and noticed what appears to be sheet metal duct running between the bathroom and the room wall. Maybe this explains the heat coming from the wall.”

jrbenny
03-29-2008, 10:07 AM
Transfer of the noise through the duct that is touching dry wall.

Could also be expansion. My old house had a joint that liked to expand and contract in heat. I stopped that noise after one night. :D

aquinoep
03-29-2008, 01:33 PM
The builder did fix the issue. The builder calls up the framers and decides to take a look since the HVAC contractors says they can't help me. The framers quickly noticed the problem and said that the main trunk that's running from the attic going through the wall were touching the wood when it expands. So they padded it with insulation and created a wedge inbetween. That was the explanation given to me. The builder said that if the problem persists, they were willing to cut through the drywall as a next step. I was quite surprised the builder was willing to do this for me. Thankfully, it didn't have to go through that. The ticking noise was resolved.

Thanks to everyone for all the suggestions and replies. Much appreciated.

PS. I hope I used the correct terminology as I am unfamiliar with HVAC systems. Just a homeowner seeking for help/advice.