Yes, it is like a "tack tack tack" that repeats (but at irregular intervals).
It's just strange because our old apartment (which is in the same apt. complex with same interior, etc.) had what appears to be this exact same type of system, but I never once heard those noises there.
I asked our neighbor across the hall if he also hears those noises coming from his radiators, and he said he never has (and he's lived there over 20 years!).
It's set to "off" right now (the * sign next to the 1). It was making this noise even back in March, when our heat was on, so I didn't think that messing with the knob would change anything.
Do you think I should put it to #1 and see if anything changes?
I hope to god this noise can be fixed. We just moved in! But I can't bear the thought of having to deal with this obnoxious noise every night and morning.
I'm going to be livid if the landlord doesn't do something to fix it. Anyways, the floors here are so cold in the winter (garden apartment), they really should consider installing floor heating.
Sorry... what exactly do I need to do to all of them? (The nut next to the control valve). And do you think it's cool out enough now?
Oh, shite. I need to go to sleep. Another joyous night of trying to fall asleep to "tack tack tack" and then being woken up again by it at 5:00 in the morning.
Just to add to the complication. I doubt if it is the radiators needing bleeding. As the pipe comes out at the top there should be no need for them to be bled. That may explan why you can't find a bleed valve.
I think that it is much more likely that the pipes are trapped somewhere, such as where they go through a wall or floor. As they heat up and cool down the pipes expand and contract more than the surrounding wall or woodwork. The tapping could be due to this. I have this problem with my flat and may have to lift some of the flooring to ease the places where the pipes are rubbing.
One possible place could be the square panels where the pipes go through the wall. These are probably to cover the larger hole in the wall
Really, I wouldn't do it myself- it is the agencie's/landlord's problem- they can't say there is nothing they can do. If they can't do anything, they need to call a proper heating engineer. If you go fiddling around not knowing what you are doing- they will even accuse you of causing the problem? In the UK, the bleeding nut was on the other side of the radiator to the valve, as shown in the video you posted. Bleeding radiators is indeed simple, I used to do it all the time in the UK. But if you cannot see the bleeding nut... then it could be a different system.
Try the agency again- and if you don't get any joy- go and see the Mietverband and get it sorted. For now, I'd turn all the radiators off- and wrap towels around the offending noise areas if it still makes a sound. Good luck.
Carrie says the tapping noise arrives early morning and evening, so it isn't air in the system. Sometimes these panel radiators make noises when they heat up and cool down. Try turning the radiator valve to OFF, turn the white knob completely clock wise. Allow many hours to cool down. With the radiator cold it might not make any noises.
Push and pull on the radiator, does it move a little bit? That can also be a problem, the radiator sits on a frame screwed to the wall, and as it warms and cools it jumps a tiny bit on the frame, making a noise.
This happened to my flat as well when they changed the heating system. It was so bad i had to move out until i could reach the person responsible. Long story short, a plumber came and said it was normal (riiiiight). It didnt help that the heating had been switched off and the noises had stoped. He said he was going to call the heating guy anyway. No idea if he did or not, but when the heating was on again all noises were gone.
When my husband called the maintenance guy about, he said it was probably due to expanding and contracting and that he'd make an adjustment (this he did somewhere in the basement of our building). The noise stopped for about a week after he made that adjustment, but then the noise came back again. The maint. guy had told my hubby that if the noise came back, there's nothing that can be done about it.
But it doesn't make sense to me that anyone should be expected to put up with that noise on a continuous basis, especially since it's disturbing my sleep. So yeah, I will not hesitate to contact the Mieterverband if the landlord refuses to do more about it.
I wonder what a heating company charges for an hour of work here...
Normally, the radiators are organized in columns through the building. So if bleeding your own is not enough, the radiator in the column on the top floor of the building should be bled.
It's a typical maintenance that should be done every autumn to prepare for winter and the start of heating season.
Sounds like you've got a heizungzwerg. They often get trapped inside the pipes during routine maintenance (they clean the pipes with little brushes) and they aren't half annoyed when they get forgotten by the rest of the crew.
You'll definitely need a professional "zwergfanger" to get rid of it. He'll catch it with a hook on a long piece of wire and immediately drown it in a bucket of buttermilk. On no account try to catch it yourself, as they are vicious little buggers when they finally emerge (well, you would be, wouldn't you?).
The zwergfangers don't usually charge much for their services. Just a couple of pieces of silver or a handful of farthings.