If your water heater is making noise lately, here are some things to check yourself. Your water heater can make different types of noises such as a popping, hammering, ticking, banging, hissing, and or sizzling sounds. There can be many different reasons as to why it is making such strange noises. Whether your water heater is gas or electric, we have some common reasons as to why the noise is occurring and how to stop it for good.
The 5 common reasons a water heater is making noise:
- A ticking water heater usually means the heat trap (which contains a small metal ball) is being moved around from heat expansion. The heat expansion rattles the ball around and creates a strange ticking noise. This noise is common and does not pose a problem. (A heat trap looks like this)
- A hammering sound means there was a sudden increase in the water pressure. This can rattle the pipes and bang them around. The noise coming from or around your water heater does not mean there is a problem and is quite normal. You may want to look into stopping the noise as it can be annoying if it happens on a regular basis. Stopping this particular noise is usually solved by installing brackets to hold the pipes extra tight.
- A rumbling noise coming from the water heater usually means the aluminum anode rod in your water heater is corroding. The aluminum corrodes and then clogs the heater drain which results in a low rumbling noise. The way to fix this issue is to drain and completely flush out the water tank. It may be a good idea to use a lime removing solution to clean off any lime deposit build up that may be present. (See the videos below for how to properly drain and flush your gas or electric water heater)
- A popping noise from inside the water heater means that cooler water is trapped under lime deposits and when heated it is quickly pulled out and creates a popping sound. This is a minor issue and draining and flushing the water tank will take care of this problem. (See the video below for how to properly drain and flush your gas or electric water heater)
- A sizzling sound from your water heater (gas not electric) means that as the hot air is vented, water vapor will condense on the upper exterior area and drip down onto the outside of the hot water heater. When a drop of water hits the hot exterior, it makes a sizzling noise/sound. You can purchase insulating tubes that wrap around the pipes or a complete water heater insulation blanket to stop this noise from happening.
ELECTRIC WATER HEATER PARTS IDENTIFICATION AND LOCATION
GAS WATER HEATER PARTS IDENTIFICATION AND LOCATION
How to drain and flush a GAS hot water heater
How to drain and flush an ELECTRIC hot water heater
Once you have your water heater working properly, here is what temperature your water heater should be set at for maximum efficiency.
Have other reasons a water heater could be making noises? Please leave a comment below.
We have installed a new electric heater and there is a loud noise about from 10pm in the evening every now and then for quite a while and sometimes during the day too.
The old heater did the same thing.
Just wanting to know what could be the problem as there are no sediments cause it’s a brand new heater.
Please advise.
I have a gas water heater making a loud pulsing humming noise, especially at night. The noise decreases when the water temperature is turned way down, so the water is only warm.
Any idea what can cause this? It’s quite loud.