When To Worry About Noise From Your Water Heater

10/14/2019 (Permalink)

If your water heater is making loud noises, there is no need to panic

Common Noises From Water Heaters

A noisy water heater in your Peoria, AZ, home is not just an annoying inconvenience. It may also be the source of a larger problem. Common heater noises include:

• Tapping or Ticking
  
• Hammering or Knocking
  
• Humming
  
• Screeching or Screaming
  
  

Some of these sounds are indeed harmless. Others, however, could require immediate intervention to prevent the need for emergency restoration services in your home.

Normal Heater Noises

Your heater contains a heat trap that keeps the water flowing in the right direction. The trap may make a ticking or tapping sound. This is nothing to worry about, though it can be irritating at times. If you are sick of the noise, you can replace the trap with a dielectric nipple.
Hammering and knocking occur when the water going through the heater abruptly turns off. This can happen when you flush a toilet or use the dishwasher. While this doesn’t cause any harm to the water heater itself, the knocking could damage your walls. A water hammer arrester can eliminate the noise and protect the walls.
A humming or screeching heater is similarly easy to fix. Humming occurs when the element of the heater vibrates. Just tightening the element should reduce the noise.
Meanwhile, a heater screeches or screams when a valve is not opened all the way. Adjusting the valve in question should correct the issue.

Signs of Problems

A popping or cracking sound, however, may be a sign that sediment is collecting within the heater's tubes. Similarly, rumbling is evidence of the water stirring sediments stuck inside the tank.
Excess sediment buildup within the heater can lead to larger problems. You should thus regularly perform a water heater flush to keep the unit working properly.
You may also want to install a water softener within your pipes. This will reduce the minerals in your water that can create sediment.
If your water heater is making loud noises, there is no need to panic. Some of the sounds are fairly normal. Others can be fixed with some simple maintenance.