3 Causes of Noise in Your Water Heater

10/9/2020 (Permalink)

The options listed here are not the only possible causes of noise in your water heater

3 Causes of Noise in Your Water Heater

When household appliances and equipment begin to emit strange noises, it is often cause for concern. Abnormal sounds can indicate broken parts. However, they can also be caused by factors besides damage. If your water heater in Leisure World, AZ, is producing out of the ordinary sounds, it may be due to any one of many possible causes. Here are three reasons that are potentially responsible for any racket made.

1. Noises Caused by Harmless, Easily Fixed Problems
If noises from your water heater are keeping you up at night or constantly getting on your nerves, they might be due to minor problems with easy solutions. For example, screeches or scream-like noises may be caused by inadequately opened valves; this din can be eliminated by fully opening the valves so that water no longer has to squeeze through tight, narrow openings. Another noise-causing issue that can be fixed with minimal effort is a loose element in an electric heater, which can result in a humming noise. This can be resolved through tightening of the element. Problems like these are harmless and unlikely to cause any damage besides annoyance if left untreated.

2. Noises Caused by Normal, Non-Problems
Then there are perfectly normal noises. These are natural byproducts of the heater running. Examples include:

• Ticking and/or tapping from check valves or heat traps
  
• Knocks from pipes hitting against walls due to expansion and contraction from cooling and heating
  
• Hammering sounds from pipes hitting against walls due to the starting and stopping of water flow
  
  

3. Noises Caused by Sediment
Sediment can cause popping and rumbling. Popping can come from water forcing its way through sediment that has gathered around the heater's element, and rumbling may occur if there is sediment in the tank. Cleaning and a water heater flush by a professional cleanup service may help reduce any clamor caused by sediment in the tank.
The options listed here are not the only possible causes of noise in your water heater. Consulting a professional if you are uncertain what the cause is may be the best move. However, not all noises signify something wrong. There are many possible harmless reasons.