If you hear your water heater making strange sounds, it may signal a problem. Suddenly, you notice your water heater sounds like a tea kettle. What’s happening? Is a water heater that sounds like a tea kettle dangerous?
Your water heater may not immediately fail after it starts to make sounds similar to a tea kettle, but such an unusual noise is still a cause for concern.
Hearing whistling coming from a water heater, also known as kettling, is no accident. It’s definitely due to a problem with your home’s water heater unit. A specific problem that is easy to avoid generally causes a whistling water heater.
But, why does a water heater sounds like a tea kettle?
The build-up of sediment causes the tea kettle noise coming from your water heater. It is the sediment inside your water heater that creates problems, resulting in the tea kettle noise.
While a little dirt doesn’t seem to hurt things, that sedimentary layer can cause noises, hinder heating, and lead to an early replacement. If your water heater sounds like a tea kettle, don’t ignore it.
What causes the whistling in the water heater?
Sediment causes the whistling in the water heater. As sediment builds up over the years in your water heater unit, water can get trapped in pockets.
Once the trapped water heats up, it will turn to steam. The steam escapes through the sediment layer. That’s how your water heater creates the high-pitched whistle noise. If you have a tea kettle with a built-in whistle, you have experienced the same process before.
A water heater should never sound like a tea kettle. If you notice your water heater making strange sounds, you should contact a technician to get your system checked.
Most importantly, you shouldn’t ignore odd sounds coming from your water heater. It’s a critical appliance, and if it fails, you might have to go without hot water for a few days. So, if you hear whistling from the water heater, you should investigate.
Why does my water heater sound like it’s boiling?
Your water heater sounds like it’s boiling because of the lime and calcium build-up inside. It’s the sediment that builds up over time (usually in years) that results in a boiling sound.
Water is trapped under the lime and calcium sediment. Then, as the water heats up, the bubbling sound is created as the water forces its way above the sediment.
The forceful movement of hot water creates a boiling, bubbling and even rumbling noise. It sounds like a loud coffee maker.
It’s one thing that the noise is annoying, but it can be dangerous too. Your water heater unit could burst open, damaging your property or anyone nearby.
How do I stop my water heater from humming?
A humming water heater is more than just annoying. The humming noise can indicate failing components or maintenance issues within the unit.
Vibrations inside the hot water unit generally cause humming sounds. The good news is that there is a simple fix if caught soon enough.
One of the possible solutions is to inspect your water heater unit while it’s off. Once inspected, you can tighten the necessary water heater components to stop the vibrations.
Always use extreme caution when working on water heaters. The water inside is hot and can be dangerous.
What other noises coming from my water heater should I check for?
You should pay attention to all the strange sounds coming from your water heater. Whistling isn’t the only unusual sound you may hear coming from your water heater unit. You should also take note when you hear any of the following odd sounds your water heater makes:
- Bubbling or rumbling: The sound of hot water pushing through layers of sediment.
- Screeching: A malfunctioning relief valve in your water heater may cause a screeching sound.
- Crackling and popping: Hot water working its way thru a layer of sediment creates popping and crackling noises.
These sounds are unusual. If your water heater unit is in good order, you shouldn’t hear any bubbling, rumbling, screeching, crackling, or popping. And if you do hear off noises, you should contact a water heater repair company.
What are the possible causes for a humming water heater unit?
Several issues can cause a humming water heater. To determine what causes the humming noise, you need to have your water heater unit inspected by a professional.
But, if you are motivated to get to the bottom of the issue, you try to inspect your water heater. You can check a few things to diagnose your water heater, but it’s always best to call a professional.
Does the gas line result in a humming water heater?
If the gas line is connected to the water heater, it could result in a humming water heater. If it is the wrong size, bent, or blocked, it might be the source of your water heater humming. Make sure it’s properly fitted to get rid of the humming noise.
Does the flex connector result in a humming water heater?
The flex line or flex connector can generate a humming sound. When your water heater is in heating mode, there is a temporary pressure drop, and if the flex line or flex connector isn’t correctly fitted, it can cause an annoying humming sound.
Does insufficient clearance result in a humming water heater?
If the water heater doesn’t have enough space on all sides, it could result in a humming water heater. Ensure that no outside objects are touching the unit and ample clearance.
Does the burner plate or burner assembly cause the humming sound?
Replacing the burner plate or burner assembly can eliminate the humming noise. Often, the culprit is a poorly fitted or a malformed burner plate.
Does the element result in a humming water heater?
In electric water heaters, the element could make your water heater hum. Fortunately, there is an easy fix for this problem. You need to tighten the element to eliminate the humming sound.
Does a partially-closed valve make a humming sound?
If your water heater makes a humming sound, check the shut-off valve. A partially closed shut-off valve can result in whistling or humming.
This occurs while the water heater is on since the partially closed valve restricts the water flow.
To fix this problem, open the partially-closed valve fully, and enjoy the pure bliss of a hum-free water heater unit.
What to do about a noisy water heater?
You shouldn’t ignore a noisy water heater. A strange sound from the water heater is a sign of a problem.
If you ignore the tea kettle sound, it will become a bigger, more expensive problem. What’s worse, the problem won’t fix itself.
Water heater maintenance is also important for avoiding off noises. If you maintain your water heater, you can prevent the sedimentary build-up that will cause most of these strange sounds.
In many cases, the repair isn’t necessary. Flushing out your water heater may be enough to get rid of the tea kettle sound. But, if that doesn’t get rid of the noise, you possibly need to have it repaired.
How to flush a water heater that sounds like a tea kettle?
If your water heater sounds like a tea kettle, flushing it may resolve the problem. But, how do you flush a water heater?
Here is how to flush a water heater:
Turn off the water heater’s thermostat. It’s usually located on the bottom of gas water heaters. You can turn off the breaker to the water heater on an electric water heater unit. Read the manufacturer’s instructions or user manual if you can’t find the thermostat.
On gas water heaters, shut off the gas valve.
Shut off the cold water valve located near the top of your water heater. Look for a blue valve indicating cold water.
Run the hot water in your kitchen faucet to ensure no water pressure is left in the pipes.
On the water heater, attach a garden hose to the spigot. Before draining the water, make sure the other end of the garden hose is outside.
Next, turn on the cold water valve to look at the water as it drains. Make sure that the water looks clear before you stop draining the water heater. Clear water means the sediment has drained from the tank.
If you allow the water to drain for a few minutes, you might have solved your tea kettle sounding water heater unit.
But, before you are done, you need to turn off the spigot. Then, unscrew the garden hose. The next step is to turn the gas valve back on and the thermostat (or if you have an electric water heater, flip the circuit breaker back on).
You can run the hot water, and hopefully, the bubbling sound is gone too.
Conclusion: Why does my water heater sound like a tea kettle?
Whistling or kettling is a real problem with water heaters. The tea kettle-like sound is caused by sediment inside the water heater—the lime and calcium sediment builds up over time inside the water heater, causing tea kettle noises.
So, why does my water heater sound like a tea kettle?
It’s the sediment. Sediment traps water. And during the heating process, the steaming water forces its way up from under the sediment. It is this movement of water that creates the tea kettle-like sound. The high-pitched whistle is similar to the sound a tea kettle makes.
The good news is that you can eliminate the tea kettle whistle if you flush your water heater. Flushing the water heater will eliminate the sediment and most likely eliminate the whistle sound.
