During the course of your life, you’ve certainly noticed that when a problem occurs with a mechanical system, it often causes new and strange noises. This is true of your things as complex as your car or as simple as your kitchen mixer. And it’s especially unsettling when you don’t usually notice any noise from the appliance at all, and suddenly you hear a lot!
Your water heater is also quite likely to make sounds when something goes wrong. And since you probably only think about your water heater when you’re waiting for the water to heat up so you can take a shower, this racket can be very alarming! So what is causing your water heater to make an awful noise? Don’t worry, it’s actually pretty simple, and can be easily sorted out. We’ll explain.
Not Just H2O
Perhaps you can imagine a diagram of a water molecule from a science class you once took. It’s one larger oxygen molecule, with two smaller hydrogen molecules attached, rather like the ears on a certain theme-park mascot. And that’s all that water is, right? Well, in its purest form, like distilled water, yes. But water can contain a lot more.
You see, water is an excellent solvent. That means it dissolves things very well. This is why it’s excellent for washing your clothes, dishes, or body: it can dissolve dirt and mess and carry it away. And the water that comes through your water pipes has been on a long journey to get to your home. It’s had plenty of opportunity to dissolve things and carry them along with it!
Minerals and Sediment
As water flows through the ground, it ends up carrying a lot of dissolved minerals and larger particles of sediment. It’s still carrying them when it enters your house through your main water line. And then the water reaches your water heater’s tank, and for a little while, all is still and calm. What happens to the extra stuff in the water?
The minerals will deposit along the inside of the tank in thin layers called mineral scaling. This is the same process that creates stalactites as water drips through caves! The sediment, being in larger pieces, will settle to the bottom of the tank, like silt at the bottom of a pond. As the years go by, a lot of mineral scaling and settled sediment can build up.
Burbling Noises
The most common sound for a water heater to make has to do with these particles. It can sound like a gigantic tea kettle is boiling furiously, and you might be afraid your water heater has gotten much too hot or is going to explode. Don’t worry, it’s simply that water gets trapped under these layers and makes a burbling noise as it passes through them.
Because this issue can lead to problems like uneven water temperature and pressure, not to mention clogged water pipes and fixtures, it does need to be addressed. Schedule water heater repair in Levelland, TX, and your plumber can flush the system of all the minerals and sediment. And then, routine annual water heater maintenance can prevent this issue from happening again!
JD’s Prompt Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning serves the Lubbock area. Contact us for all your water heater needs.