Granite Bay may have 265 sunny days per year, but evenings and days when the weather is bad, especially in winter, can be downright cold. This is why having a fully functioning water heater in your home is essential. It is also crucial for a homeowner like you to understand how your water heater works and what issues you can encounter with it. For instance, you need to know what the noises it creates mean.
Noises in delicate equipment like water heater are not a good sign, but until you accurately identify its source, you may not be able to perform the right repair. Of course, you can always call in plumbing experts to fix the problem but they may not always be available, and the issue can get a lot worse if you don’t act quickly. Here are some common types of noise your water heater can produce and what they most likely mean.
Clicking
It’s normal for most water heaters, especially the modern units, to produce clicking sounds, as they have certain parts that tend to slide and snap. This clicking sound is usually produced during the ignition phase of water heaters that use electron ignition, which is found in most modern equipment. If you hear clicking sounds occurring during other phases or in other parts of the water heater, it could mean a problem. Ring up plumbers from Granite Bay to troubleshoot it.
Banging or Booming
If you haven’t maintained your water heater for a while, chances are scale or lime has already developed at the bottom of the tank. Scale is produced when the particulates in hard water settle and bind. Over time, it can thicken and harden and get tossed around inside the tank when the water is boiling. That’s what makes the banging and booming sound. A professional plumber can safely de-scale your water heater to eliminate the strange noises.
The banging or booming sound may also be the result of water hammer, a loud noise caused by bringing fast moving water to a halt when you shut off a pipe. If this is the case, then your water heater requires repair immediately, as water hammer can cause serious damage on the pipes.
Humming
Have you ever experienced hearing a long humming sound every time your water heater is in full throttle? The vibration caused by the fast streaming water along the long heating element. If the humming does not come from this part of the equipment, then it’s very likely that the issue can be somewhere else. Hiring a plumbing technician to check it out is the best course of action.
To ensure that your water is working properly and not producing any bothersome noise, contact a plumbing expert immediately. It may cost you a few bucks but it will guarantee the safety of your family from an exploding water heater. Furthermore, it will also guarantee that your unit will not require repair any time soon.
Sources:
Guide to Hot Water Heater Tank Lime & Scale Prevention, InspectaPedia.com
How to Prevent Scale Buildup in a Hot Water Heater Heating Element, SFGate.com
How To Fix Pipes, HowStuffWorks.com
