Ceiling/Ductwork Cracking and Popping

TNTBaker · 11-10-2014, 06:24 PM

Anybody else have this? It seems like it's getting worse, but I am sure it has something to do with it getting colder outside. When the heatpump turns off, and it's quiet, there is constant cracking and popping in the ceiling throughout the coach. I am sure it must be the ductwork or something. It sounds like small branches falling on the roof or birds walking around up there (no, I checked, that's not it)

Anybody else have this? I can't imagine there is a fix for it. Kind of a bummer, I must say. It's loud enough to wake me up at night.

johnboytoo · 11-10-2014, 06:27 PM

Probably heating and cooling noises of the surrounding materials...e specially if the duct work came loose...

why we leave 'something' running all night...

We take it OFF auto and have the fan running always or have a tower fan or tower heater or something, just to drown out the extraneous noises

TNTBaker · 11-10-2014, 06:37 PM

Thanks JB2. Yes, we keep the fan running too for the same reason. It also helps equalize the temps throughout the unit just like in summer as you know. So far we are very happy with the heat pumps (still only using one). Maybe after the "newness" wears off things will settle down a little. :-)

atom ant · 11-10-2014, 06:52 PM

Ya, my ductwork does that a lot. Once I figured out what it was it didn't bother me anymore. I get "jumpy" with anything that sounds like it is cracking

.

TNTBaker · 11-10-2014, 06:54 PM

Well, that's a relief. Thanks :-) At first I thought the roofing material was separating from the top... Obviously it got my attention.

**Dave&Ginny** · 11-10-2014, 06:56 PM

Didn't someone report finding tape or something flapping in their duct work?

TNTBaker · 11-10-2014, 06:58 PM

Well, the "Kazoo" noise has returned in our #1 heat pump/AC. But it's NOT in the ductwork because it only does it when the actual UNIT is on, not when the air is on. So that is on our punch list for our next service appt. It's so loud that you really cannot even watch TV when it's running.

atom ant · 11-10-2014, 07:00 PM

hahahaha - that has to be you Theresa! Between "Kazoo" and "Whoop-de-doo" I think you need to write a new Redwood Dictionary! At least a common language for describing issues between the owner and service tech!

TNTBaker · 11-10-2014, 07:01 PM

Yep, you know it AA!! :-) I won't share some of my inappropriate ones...

**Dave&Ginny** · 11-10-2014, 07:11 PM

Have you removed the cover on the roof to see if anything could be hitting the fan?

TNTBaker · 11-10-2014, 07:13 PM

Yes, in fact we had the service department try to fix it. They tried, and it left for a while. They said they had a hard time finding it. I don't think they did, I think they just squirted some sort of caulk all over the place. Frustrating.

TNTBaker · 11-10-2014, 07:15 PM

I'll post a video... stand by.

**Dave&Ginny** · 11-10-2014, 07:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TNTBaker

Yes, in fact we had the service department try to fix it. They tried, and it left for a while. They said they had a hard time finding it. I don't think they did, I think they just squirted some sort of caulk all over the place. Frustrating.

Yes it is frustrating.....That's why sometimes I'd rather do it myself to make sure it's done right and not just a "band aid" job.

Foxfire · 11-10-2014, 07:36 PM

We had a Kazoo, mostly with the rear heat pump. When I listen close it sounded like tape flapping in the duct. I took off the register curb side over the rear TV stuck my hand in there (with everything off of course

) and came out with a big piece of aluminum duct tape. During the fall use of the rig with the heat pump on constantly I found aluminum tape in more than a few registers. There was also a more muffled kazoo at the intake over our dining room table. when I removed the register there is a square plastic intake duct the cutout was whizing, a little tape around the edges and that stopped. Our band of music coming from the ducts has now stopped playing. LOL

**Dave&Ginny** · 11-10-2014, 07:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Foxfire

We had a Kazoo, mostly with the rear heat pump. When I listen close it sounded like tape flapping in the duct. I took off the register curb side over the rear TV stuck my hand in there (with everything off of course

) and came out with a big piece of aluminum duct tape. During the fall use of the rig with the heat pump on constantly I found aluminum tape in more than a few registers. There was also a more muffled kazoo at the intake over our dining room table. when I removed the register there is a square plastic intake duct the cutout was whizing, a little tape around the edges and that stopped. Our band of music coming from the ducts has now stopped playing. LOL

Free entertainment.........go figure

Foxfire · 11-10-2014, 07:44 PM

Another thing to consider, the square plastic duct I saw at the air intake looked like an aluminum foil covered packing material. You know the one we kids like to pop whenever we receive a package with it in there. Could it be the bubbles are popping as the unit temperature changes from hot to cold or vice versa. Just a thought.

subdoc4 · 11-10-2014, 07:46 PM

We also noticed the "popping" last year...like AA we just got use to it too.

TNTBaker · 11-10-2014, 08:07 PM

Here is the video Todd just took of our "Kazoo in the ceiling".
If you listen closely near the end, you can hear the "sticky" when he presses on the ceiling which is the result of what the service guys did to try and fix it (unsuccessfully). We haven't been able to find it our selves. Can't reach it from the vent in the ceiling. The video actually minimizes it, you can't watch TV with it on. It's one of those noises that makes you go crazy.
http://youtu.be/ElzV8Q9l5Y0

Foxfire · 11-10-2014, 08:41 PM

The noise sounds like the plastic intake duct is laying on the ceiling. The only thing I can think of to isolate it would be to put you hand in the intake duct and see it the sound or pitch changes with your hand in there. While your hand is in there see if the duct is moving at all. Do you have even air flow in all the ceiling registers?

TNTBaker · 11-10-2014, 08:46 PM

Thanks Foxfire: here's an important point: It doesn't make the sound when just the air is on. ONLY when the ONE heat pump unit kicks on (it does the same thing when AC is on too) So we know it is within the unit itself, or where the unit attaches to the duct. Does that make sense? That is why we are only using the other heat pump by itself. The other one is TOO NOISY!

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