http://www.dslreports.com/forum/Gas-hot-water-heater-making-a-strange-noise-help-20889447 en Sat, 11 Feb 2012 14:58:16 EDT Sat, 11 Feb 2012 14:58:16 EDT http://www.dslreports.com/forum/Re-Gas-hot-water-heater-making-a-strange-noise-help-20893675 said by clevere1:

But the rod would sound like a plastic bag being kicked?Not sure to be honest. The noise I have heard was similar to the crackling/popping sounds that a gas water heater makes when there is too much sediment buildup, except that it happened even when the heater was not active.
I was looking for an article that I read in the past that discussed noise from the anode and even showed pictures of one where the reaction with the water had been so violent that the surface was covered with blisters (if I remember correctly these were the stronger magnesium anodes).
I found some articles that discussed situations where the anode dissolved rapidly (less than 90 days instead of years) but no descriptions of any noise made. Other articles suggested that even in situations where the anode is dissolving too quickly the noise is not from the anode itself, but from aluminium hydroxide buildup at the bottom of the water header (this applies only to aluminium anodes).

The Rheem FAQ has an article on different anode types and situations in which they might be "excessively active". It also describes the condensation process really well that this discussion seems to have determined is the real cause of your water heater noise.
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I’m betting the garbage bag was the burner coming on which allow a small amount of gas to pool just before the pilot light fires off the burner. This pool of gas makes what I call a slight woof which may be what you heard followed by the dripping water sound and then the normal clunks and bumps you get from a tank based gas fired heater.

Wayne
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If you cannot fix it with a buttset and some beanies you ain't a technician.
]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/Re-Gas-hot-water-heater-making-a-strange-noise-help-20892079 Sun, 03 Aug 2008 08:02:12 EDT http://www.dslreports.com/forum/Re-Gas-hot-water-heater-making-a-strange-noise-help-20891519 http://www.dslreports.com/forum/Re-Gas-hot-water-heater-making-a-strange-noise-help-20891519 Sun, 03 Aug 2008 00:16:00 EDT http://www.dslreports.com/forum/Re-Gas-hot-water-heater-making-a-strange-noise-help-20891285
I looked at the burner when it did it, and I'm not sure I am going to describe this right. So I looked at the flame when it was happening. It almost looked like the flame was flaring up just a tad. I'd hear the noise, and the flame would get a little darker, and then a little brighter.

I have not heard it since. Yes, my wife just filled a soak tube full of water, so I'm sure the water heater got a burst of hot water.

I'm not overly concerned, I have a home warranty on it, but I like to keep things running, and not let them break down. Is there anything I can check? I looked at the bottom of the water heater (hence, being able to see the flame) with the door on, that's what I saw when I saw it.
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Where's th' DAFFY DUCK EXHIBIT??]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/Re-Gas-hot-water-heater-making-a-strange-noise-help-20891285 Sat, 02 Aug 2008 23:13:45 EDT http://www.dslreports.com/forum/Re-Gas-hot-water-heater-making-a-strange-noise-help-20890973 said by clevere1:

But the rod would sound like a plastic bag being kicked?
I have never heard of the sacrificial anode being the cause of noise. I am not saying it can't-but it is the first time I have ever heard that reasoning.

Does it sound like a pot spilling over onto the burner? If so, water is probably dripping down onto the burner. If you had a high turnover (filling the tank with lots of cold water), it is going to sweat as it recovers, and hence drip water down.

With the gas water heaters I have had, when they are recovering from a large fill of cold water, a few hisses and spits were normal. And, no, the tanks were not leaking.

From your other posts, I think you have your WH in your garage. If you filled a glass of water cold from the tap, and put it in the garage, would it sweat? Probably.
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512Ke, LC, Classic, Qudra 605, Centris 610 AV,Performa 6112, PM 6500, Cube, iMac G4 17", iMac 24", PB 5300, PB 3400, PB G4, and a few PCs]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/Re-Gas-hot-water-heater-making-a-strange-noise-help-20890973 Sat, 02 Aug 2008 21:39:12 EDT http://www.dslreports.com/forum/Re-Gas-hot-water-heater-making-a-strange-noise-help-20890930
The neighbors seem to agree? Although they will not get close enough to verify my conclusions. :)
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Prevent Malware]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/Re-Gas-hot-water-heater-making-a-strange-noise-help-20890930 Sat, 02 Aug 2008 21:27:49 EDT http://www.dslreports.com/forum/Re-Gas-hot-water-heater-making-a-strange-noise-help-20890893 http://www.dslreports.com/forum/Re-Gas-hot-water-heater-making-a-strange-noise-help-20890893 Sat, 02 Aug 2008 21:19:39 EDT http://www.dslreports.com/forum/Re-Gas-hot-water-heater-making-a-strange-noise-help-20890828 --
Where's th' DAFFY DUCK EXHIBIT??]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/Re-Gas-hot-water-heater-making-a-strange-noise-help-20890828 Sat, 02 Aug 2008 20:59:55 EDT http://www.dslreports.com/forum/Re-Gas-hot-water-heater-making-a-strange-noise-help-20890555 http://www.dslreports.com/forum/Re-Gas-hot-water-heater-making-a-strange-noise-help-20890555 Sat, 02 Aug 2008 19:35:48 EDT http://www.dslreports.com/forum/Re-Gas-hot-water-heater-making-a-strange-noise-help-20890509 »www.popularmechanics.com/home_jo···452.html
»www.popularmechanics.com/home_jo···690.html

A: Don't give up so easily — this problem is simple to fix. Sediment has built up at the bottom of your tank. When it is heated by the gas burner below, moisture in the gunk flashes into steam that bursts into the water. That's causing the rumbling. Flushing the heater should remove the deposits and quiet things down]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/Re-Gas-hot-water-heater-making-a-strange-noise-help-20890509 Sat, 02 Aug 2008 19:21:44 EDT http://www.dslreports.com/forum/Re-Gas-hot-water-heater-making-a-strange-noise-help-20889864
»www.waterheaterrescue.com/pages/···des.html
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Prevent Malware]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/Re-Gas-hot-water-heater-making-a-strange-noise-help-20889864 Sat, 02 Aug 2008 16:38:01 EDT http://www.dslreports.com/forum/Re-Gas-hot-water-heater-making-a-strange-noise-help-20889717 said by leibold:

This is the sound of your sacrificial anode at work protecting your steel tank.
I have never heard it on mine (where the anode is probably used up since it is an older water heater and the anode has not been replaced), but I have heard it in other homes and it can be very loud.
Temperature and water quality as well as the material of the anode all have an impact on how violent the reaction is.
What's the anode? And is that good or bad?]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/Re-Gas-hot-water-heater-making-a-strange-noise-help-20889717 Sat, 02 Aug 2008 16:03:13 EDT http://www.dslreports.com/forum/Re-Gas-hot-water-heater-making-a-strange-noise-help-20889715 said by dolphins:

I'm assuming the plastic bag is deflated when kicked? Otherwise we're looking at a completely different animal. ;)
LOL, yes]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/Re-Gas-hot-water-heater-making-a-strange-noise-help-20889715 Sat, 02 Aug 2008 16:02:45 EDT http://www.dslreports.com/forum/Re-Gas-hot-water-heater-making-a-strange-noise-help-20889512 --
Prevent Malware]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/Re-Gas-hot-water-heater-making-a-strange-noise-help-20889512 Sat, 02 Aug 2008 15:19:31 EDT http://www.dslreports.com/forum/Re-Gas-hot-water-heater-making-a-strange-noise-help-20889480 I have never heard it on mine (where the anode is probably used up since it is an older water heater and the anode has not been replaced), but I have heard it in other homes and it can be very loud.
Temperature and water quality as well as the material of the anode all have an impact on how violent the reaction is.
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I have a gas hot water heater. It's been working fine. I went out into the garage today, and I heard what sounded like someone kicking a plastic bag, or water dripping onto something hot... So I look around to make sure no mouse is in the garage, and I hear the sound coming from the water heater.

I looked into where the flame is (under the tank). I can see no water leaking from the tank either inside, or outside....

The flame seems to be ok. Any ideas?
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Where's th' DAFFY DUCK EXHIBIT??]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/Gas-hot-water-heater-making-a-strange-noise-help-20889447 Sat, 02 Aug 2008 15:00:34 EDT