Water Heater Popping Sound Dangerous

While anything audible coming from your unit is a cause for concern you should know that this sound often indicates a sediment buildup in your tank something you ll want to take care of sooner rather than later.

Water heater popping sound dangerous. It is not dangerous but may be annoying at times. Turn off the water supply at the cold water. String the hose to a floor drain. One of the most common sounds a water heater can make is popping.

If the sediments are not removed the whole heater will be damaged. You might be asking yourself do sediments affect electric heaters. One of the last sounds you want to hear when you re in the garage or laundry room is your water heater making a popping noise. When a water heater starts to make a popping noise it means a shell of sediments is covering the burner at the bottom of the tank and the burner is heating water while it s under a shell of sediments.

Basically the popping noise is water is boiling underneath the sediment. Water heaters may have a heat trap or check type valve where the water enters or exits the. As the water heater heats the water steam bubbles can develop underneath the sediment and explode. When these deposits heat up steam builds up in them and then the popping sound occurs.

How to fix a popping noise on water heaters. Over a number of year s sediment scale mineral and lime deposits gather on the bottom area of the water heater tank. Turn the control knob to pilot on a gas water heater or to off on an electric water heater. Connect a garden hose to the drain fitting near the bottom of the tank.

This is especially problematic in areas that have hard water. Ticking or tapping sounds. That gas burner starts heating water trapped underneath the sediment causing it to percolate like coffee and creating the noise as a result. When that happens it s usually an indication that your water heater has an excess of mineral deposits and sediment at the bottom.

You see sediment drops to the bottom of the tank where the gas burner is for gas water heaters. Although flushing the water heater is the solution to this problem it may not be the best answer. The popping sound you hear may actually be the steam bubbles exploding.