Water Heater Exhaust Pipe Making Noise

A water hammer occurs when a faucet or valve is shut off suddenly.

Water heater exhaust pipe making noise.

Does your water heater make a knocking rumbling noise that could wake the dead. The noise is steam bubbles escaping the sediment that has built up at the bottom of the water heater tank. If so your water heater tank has most likely collected a thick layer of sediment minerals like calcium and lime. Usually banging noises in the pipes come from a problem with water pressure or water flow.

If your water heater is making noise like water is running you probably have a leak or a broken pipe. Metal pipes can make similar noises in situations where the water is heated beyond about 125 degrees. Check your air chamber. At this point you ve likely determined that the noise is not vibrations from the.

I ve seen situations where. Water flowing around the element can cause vibrations in this situation creating a humming noise. Extending the exhaust pipe down. Alternatively if the water pressure is higher than what the pipes are used to the same shrill sound can occur.

Tighten the element slightly to correct the problem. Drain the water heater tank and flush out the sediment. You can either flush it yourself or call a professional atlanta area plumber. Or you can try to run down the leak yourself by checking the following.

Your water heater s heating element is at the bottom of the tank right where the sediment has settled and mixed with water. Although keep in mind that it is normal to hear water entering the tank when hot water is being drawn. Methods for reducing noise from a power vent water heater limiting vibration. Besides being alarming water hammer can potentially damage joints and connections in the water pipe itself.

A key thing to do to minimize noise transmission is to not rigidly mount the exhaust vent pipe to floor joists or wall studs. Heavy water pressure coupled with a small opening can result in intense vibrations and consequently high pitched noises. The element in an electric water heater is commonly placed vertical in relation to the tank. If the running water noise continues once the tank is filled you may want to call a professional plumber to investigate the situation for you.

There are two primary methods of addressing this issue. Two of the most common causes are water hammers and trapped air bubbles. My installation is such that the exhaust pipe goes directly from the water heater to the block foundation wall and out with no need for any pipe hangers. Thankfully this situation can easily be fixed by lowering or moderating the water pressure.