Do you hear a noise from your water heater is your water heater knocking? As a master plumber, I will tell you how to fix the water heater knocking noise in 5 min
The simple fix is to flush out your hot water tank. 99% of the time a water heater knocking or making noise is due to Scaling Or Sediment deposits that come from hard water. The popping noise is steam bubbles escaping the sediment. It’s just like how boiling water in a covered pot on the stove starts pushing up the pot’s top.
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Water Heater Knocking 5 Min Easy Fix To Save Money
Put on some heavy-duty gloves so you don’t burn yourself. Turn off the water heater. If you have a gas water heater, turn the temperature setting to “Pilot.” If you have an electric water heater, turn off the water heater at the circuit breaker.
Turn the cold water shut off valve to prevent more cold water from entering the water heater. Let the water heater to cool down for about 30 minutes. Please don’t get impatient since you could burn yourself if you try to flush the tank while the water is still hot.
Connect a garden hose to the drain valve located at the bottom of the water heater tank. Hot Water Drain Valve Place the other end of the hose at a place where the sediment and water can safely drain to, like a basement drain. Open a hot water faucet in a sink or tub to prevent a vacuum from forming in the lines.
Open the water heater’s drain valve by turning a small slot on the valve. Pull the tab out on the pressure relief valve.
Let the water drain out completely. Note: You may not see any sediment come out at this point. That’s normal/ Continue to the next step.
Turn the cold water valve on to flush out any remaining sediment. Once the water starts running clear, close the drain valve and allow the cold water to fill the tank. Turn the water heater’s heating element back on. You should flush your water heater like this once a year.
What Is Sediment Where Does It Come From
Sediment is just loose minerals that settle to the bottom of the water heater. So where does the sediment come from? From the water itself! In some states water is full of minerals, making our water “hard” (as opposed to “soft” and mineral-less).
It’s not bad for the water to have minerals, though. Your body needs them. But your water heater does not. Once sediment gets into the water heater, it settles to the bottom of the tank, causing your water heater to work inefficiently—and can cause damage to the tank if it overheats.
Why sediment buildup causes the popping noise
The popping noise is steam bubbles escaping the sediment. It’s just like how boiling water in a covered pot on the stove starts pushing up the pot’s top. Your water heater’s heating element is at the bottom of the tank, right where the sediment has settled and mixed with water.
Some of the water under the sediment starts boiling and tries to escape the sediment layer, making the popping noise as a result. The problem with this: your water heater is struggling to heat the water properly, meaning it runs longer. Your water heater’s tank can even overheat, deteriorating the tank’s protective inner lining as a result.
How These Deposits Can Permanently Damage Your Hot Water Heater and The Water Damage It Can Cause
As these deposits rumble around the lining of your hot water tank, it corrodes the lining. Just like plaque will do to your teeth. Because of this your hot water heater can start leaking. So Once this starts it will get even worse to the point of even bursting. This will cause hundreds or even thousands of dollars in water damage.
Precautions You Can Take To Prevent Water Heater Damage
Install a Water Filtration System:
This is the more costly method of dealing with hard water problems. It is a vessel that the water goes through that softens the water. It does this using salt which traps the mineral deposits that can harm your water heater liner. You can call a reputable plumber like Alfa Plumbing Baytown TX for an installation quote.
Need A New Water Heater Installed
If you need a new water heater installed call me at Alfa Plumbing Services Baytown TX. I am a master plumber of over 18 years of serving my community. I offer affordable services dependably with my personal guarantee. Perhaps you might want to discuss a tankless water heater option.
Tankless Water heaters don’t waist energy by only producing hot water on demand. If you are interested we can talk about that when I come to give you a free quote on a new water heater system. Water heater knocking noise be gone.