4 Sounds That Could Spell Disaster for Your Water Heater

Water heaters are one of the most heavily used appliances in modern homes. Your family relies on the hot water from your water heater to take comfortable showers, wash dishes, and launder clothing.

You can easily overlook water heater problems because these appliances are usually tucked away and out of sight. So, you must make it a point to maintain your water heater in order to help the appliance function properly.

One way that you can preserve the integrity of your water heater is by learning to speak its language. Listen for these four sounds that could spell disaster for your water heater so that you can invest in timely repairs.

1. Humming

One troubling sound that might come from a water heater in distress is humming. Humming is usually from vibrating parts within your water heater.

Individual components that make up your water heater can begin to come loose over time. If you do not address these loose components, your water heater could sustain serious damage.

An experienced plumber will be able to safely tighten all components to eliminate any humming sounds that may come from your water heater.

2. Knocking or Hammering

Another disturbing sound that you might hear coming from your water heater is a knocking noise. Some people describe this knocking sound as being similar to the sound of a hammer striking a piece of metal.

Knocking or hammering is usually the result of high water pressure within your home's water system.

Water comes crashing into your water heater's shutoff valves very quickly when you have high water pressure. This surge of water generates a shockwave, which produces the audible knocking or hammering that you hear.

You must contact an experienced plumber to address knocking or hammering sounds in your water heater. Failure to address these sounds could lead to valve damage, leaks, or ruptured pipes over time.

3. Screaming

A screaming water heater can be very disturbing. Despite the dreadful tone of a screaming water heater, this problem is relatively easy to fix. Screaming or screeching sounds typically originate within the check valves in a water heater's water lines.

The check valves help ensure that water flows in the right direction. Some check valves can begin to fail as your water heater ages.

Failing valves do not open as fully as they should, causing the water running through them to squeeze through a smaller opening. This generates a lot of pressure, which can produce an audible noise reminiscent of a scream.

Only trust an experienced plumber to inspect your water heater's check valves for damage if you start to hear screaming and screeching coming from the appliance.

4. Popping

Popping sounds coming from your water heater are an indication that you need to flush the appliance. Your water supply contains trace minerals that can settle on the bottom of a water heater's tank over time. As these minerals accumulate, they begin to harden.

The heating element on the bottom of your water heater cannot function efficiently when it is blocked by sediment. The water that exists between the heating element and the accumulated sediment layer will become superheated and start to boil.

Popping sounds are the result of this boiling water attempting to escape through the sediment layer.

A plumber will be able to flush out accumulated sediment to eliminate popping noises and restore the energy efficiency of your home's water heater.

Your water heater is able to communicate with you when trouble is on the horizon. Contact Daytona Plumbing for help decoding the sounds from your water heater. We look forward to helping you!