When it comes to living in a home, there are a wide variety of noises you will hear throughout the day. Many of these noises can be attributed to what you are doing, from chores to music and forms of entertainment, or people talking and moving about. These are all normal. However, one of the sets of noises you should be cautious about is noises that are related to your water systems or coming from your pipes and heaters. Here are 4 of the more common causes that come from a noisy water heater and how to address them.

Unsecured Pipes

As water runs through your pipes, that alone can make a significant amount of noise. You may not notice this throughout the day when you are busy going about your business and taking care of other responsibilities. Your home during the day will have a lot of noises that you don’t notice. However, at night, these noises will be more prevalent. Water running through pipes, especially at higher pressures can shake and move your pipes, causing them to bounce around, hitting walls, or simply shaking your plumbing systems. The best way to address this is to safely secure your pipes to prevent them from moving. Additionally, you can also reduce the water pressure so that even unsecured pipes won’t move so much. If the noises are relatively loud, consider both solutions for a combined result.

Sediment Buildup

If you are hearing a cracking or popping noise, one of the troubles that can cause this noise would be due to sediment buildup. How this occurs is by affecting your heating element. The calcium and magnesium sediments start to build upon your heating source and element, and when your heater is shut off, water gets trapped beneath these built-up elements. When your heating element turns back on, the water underneath heats back up as well, causing it to boil and forcing the condensation through the sediments that have formed that layer. If you have water heaters which gurgle, consider that this might be the cause of your noise issues. Additionally, if enough sediment has built up, the boiling of the water would shift and move the sediments around your heater or boiler, causing rumbling noises as well. Consider changing your heating elements or flushing your systems in order to help solve this problem.

Leaks In Your Tanks And Pipes

If the sound you hear is closer to a sizzling noise, this could be a sign of a leaky tank or any sort of leak in general. Having a leak in your water tank could be the cause as water from a tank might drip onto your heating elements, causing it to evaporate and make a sound as it does. A leak that is located anywhere in your plumbing system and pipes might make noises behind walls and fixtures as the physical noise of a drip might be caused by these leaks. Regardless of where your leak is found, you want to address this quickly and seek out the necessary repairs to be done. If the solution cannot be resolved with a repair, a replacement of parts or components like your heater itself might be the solution for your water heater noise.

Water Pressure Changes

Even without the presence of a leak, some noises like drips that could be caused by leaks can also come from other sources. A dripping sound could be associated as well with condensation buildup if your pipes are not properly opened or closed. This causes water to be restricted, and your pipes to be a potential risk for condensation to build up, which would lead to drips. Additionally, restricted pipes and fluctuating water pressure can cause an issue of noises coming from the pipes themselves as water transfers through them but leads to a hissing or sizzling sound. When it comes to dealing with the pressure of your water and the piping systems, it is best to call a professional plumber to analyze the situation and properly address the problem.

If you are hearing noises from your water heater, understand that the majority of those noises are perfectly normal, as they are associated with the typical functioning and heating processes. However, if certain noises seem out of the regular and you have not heard them frequently before, it is worth investigating the source of the noise. There are ways to address the issues, and of course, if anything seems too complicated or you are unsure of how to proceed, contacting a professional is advisable.