Why Is My Water Heater Banging noise?

Water heaters are a major part of your home, responsible for heating up your water so you can take a shower, use the dishwasher, or fill your laundry machine. If you’re hearing odd noises from your water heater, it may be time to get it looked at.

Popping, crackling, and rattling noises can be caused by sediment build-up. Annual flushing and draining can help eliminate this issue.

Crackling

When it’s working well, your water heater doesn’t make a lot of noise. But sometimes, it starts to make a few squeals and crackles that don’t seem quite right.

If you hear those sounds coming from your water heater making noise, it could be a sign that something is blocking the heating element. This problem is most common in electric water heaters.

But this problem is less common with gas or oil-powered models.

The most common cause for this is a buildup of mineral deposits and sediment that has accumulated at the bottom of the tank.

Sediment is made up of tiny mineral particles that settle out of the water supply into your tank. It’s especially common in homes where the water is naturally hard and full of minerals.

These tiny minerals can make a popping or knocking noise as the water gets heated in your water heater. This is because steam bubbles get trapped under the sediment and rattle around.

Hissing

When your water heater makes noise, it could be a sign of an underlying issue that you need to address. This is a serious problem, so you need to determine the source of the noise and then find out how to fix it as quickly as possible to avoid further damage.

One of the most common causes of a noisy water heater is condensation. Condensation forms after a lot of hot water are used in one go, such as during a shower or dishwasher.

This causes a hissing sound as the water hits hot parts of your tank. The hissing sound is often louder the more moisture you have in your tank.

Another cause of hissing sounds is sediment buildup in your tank. This happens when dissolved minerals in your water settle on the bottom of your tank and can be a big problem in areas with hard water.

As this mineral layer builds, it traps the water bubbles under it, which can then start boiling and produce steam at the bottom of your tank. This will also cause a hissing or rumbling sound.

Sizzling

The Perfect Magazine purpose of your water heater is to heat up and provide hot water when you need it, such as during a shower or while you’re doing laundry. A water heater that is operating properly will not make any noise – when it does, it’s time to call in a professional plumber for repairs or replacement.

One cause of sizzling sounds in water heaters is a problem with water flow into the tank. This could be a result of poor water pressure from your pipes or a malfunctioning temperature and pressure relief valve.

Another common cause is a buildup of mineral sediment or lime deposits on the bottom of the water heater’s storage tank. As this material gets trapped, it clogs areas of the tank, causing water bubbles to boil, turn to steam and produce a sizzling sound.

The sizzling noise can also be caused by condensation within the water heater’s tank and dripping on the burner. This is a normal occurrence for gas heaters, but when it becomes an issue, you’ll need to have a professional take a look at the system.

Ticking

If you have an electric water heater, a humming noise can come from the heating element. It is generally placed vertically in the tank and can vibrate slightly when water flows around it.

If this happens, it is usually nothing to worry about. But if you notice the noises more often than they used to, it may be time for some maintenance.

Many water heaters have heat traps or check valves that are built into the nipples where your plumbing connects to the heater. These features make the heater more efficient by preventing wasted energy.

When these parts are worn down, they can cause ticking sounds that are due to pressure fluctuations within the pipes. It’s a normal occurrence, though, and switching out these parts for non-heat trap nipples can eliminate the problem.

Loose pipe straps are another potential cause of ticking, but these can be fixed by tightening or replacing them. Also, changing the temperature of your heater a few degrees can reduce the pressure and eliminate this sound.