Quote:
Originally Posted by mtdjed
I have a 50-gallon water heater that is 19 years old. As a previous post mentioned, the heating burner is on the bottom, and any build up inside can affect the heating process. After about 10 years, I started hearing a rumbling noise soon after the burner turned on.
I decided to drain the tank and, in the process, replace the drain valve. The previous valve did not allow for quick drainage. Replaced it with a brass Ball Valve.
What I found in draining was a layer of a milky white slurry at the bottom most portion of the tank. That was what was causing the rumbling sound. This slurry almost looked like a thin oat mill and was likely a calcium slurry.
In any event, the water heater worked without the rumbling after that.
While a previous poster stated you wouldn't have an operational problem with an electric water heater, I would suggest that same slurry would be in the tank. I can recall having an electric water heating elements in the past that had two heating elements, one at the bottom and one much higher. The bottom one failed. I would presume that electric water heaters accumulate a similar slurry. Even though that slurry accumulates in the bottom, it likely gets agitated and floats about and finds its way to your spigot.
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The sediment/precipitate settles because it is heavier than water, a bit like sand, it doesn’t generally swirl around. The flame from a gas burner heats the water at the bottom amid the sediment faster than the water above the sediment and can make it boil faster and “burp,” giving that popcorn sound. Putting a short hose on the drain valve and letting it run out to your driveway or wherever MAY get rid of this precipitate. As with washing away sand with a stream of water, it can take quite a blast of water to get it out. So often the sediment doesn’t all come out. It works quite well if you flush it yearly, but less well if you don’t.
“Sediment, a combination of minerals, rust, and other particles, accumulates at the bottom of water heaters. This buildup occurs because water, especially "hard water" containing calcium and magnesium, carries these substances in solution. When water is heated, these minerals precipitate out and settle at the bottom of the tank.
Here's a more detailed explanation:
Hard water:
Water with high mineral content, particularly calcium and magnesium, is known as hard water.
Heating Process:
When water is heated, the solubility of these minerals decreases, causing them to separate from the water and settle as solids.
Settling:
These heavier particles, including rust, sand, and other debris, sink to the bottom of the tank over time.
Sediment Accumulation:
This process repeats with each use of the water heater, leading to a gradual buildup of sediment at the bottom of the tank.
Consequences:
Sediment buildup can reduce the heater's efficiency, potentially leading to higher energy bills, decreased hot water supply, and even damage to the heater.”