I've been in the current house 9 years, and I've drained the water heater once during that time. We've recently starting hearing an intermittent, loud popping when we use the hot water at the faucet closest to the water heater. Additionally, the water flow is initially really slow, then gets back up to full force after 10 seconds or so.
I was thinking mineral deposits in the water heater, so I drained it again. I did it properly, water was extremely warm, so it definitely came out of the tank, but it just looked like plain ole clear water. Anything I'm missing? I've already checked that the water main is open fully
Gas or electric? If electric, when you drain it, pull the elements out and shine a flashlight in there.
I have thought about draining the tank then filling it up with CLR, letting it sit a while, then flushing it out again.
old_
HalfDork
2/26/17 7:51 p.m.
do you have a water softener? when the resin goes bad it can cause water pressure issues
I need to replace mine. The one that came with this house has the dreaded plastic Drip tube that is leaving little bits of plastic in all the faucets. I have to take them apart every month or so to remove them so they stop dripping
Gas heater, no water softener. I'm thinking it's time to call a pro and have them actually flush it. Just dreading the "hurrr durrr you need to completely replace the water heater for $billion dollars" line
Have you ever pulled out the anode rod? Mine was depleted after 5 years.
After I drained mine, I removed the drain valve completely and used a big loop of stiff wire to pull crap out of the bottom of the tank. Then took out the anode rod and sprayed water into the empty tank through the hole to help rinse more crud out. The amout of crap my 5 year old tank contained was scary. I have a softener and 2 filters.
The only reason the drain your water heater would be to remove sediment deposits on the bottom, and that is only necessary if you have a well. Draining and refilling your water heater isn't going to help the low flow issue you have. If there was an issue at the heater it would be constant. Water heaters pop as they heat up. Its called thermal expansion. Your low flow is most likely at the faucet itself. Do you have city water or well water? If you have city water, do you have a booster pump kicking on? That popping sound at the faucet may be an air pocket that forms. A suction well pump will draw in tiny amounts of air if there is a leak on the suction side. Any work or low pressure on city water supply can add air. The strangest way to get air in is if the water moves fast past a jagged mineral deposit. It will form a low pressure area and allow some of the liquid water to turn into air bubbles just like a prop on a boat engine will. Just an FYI, residential standard chimney vent water heaters only go up to 50 gallons now because of federal mandated minimum efficiency ratings. If you have a larger one, and you need a larger one, your replacement costs just got a whole lot more expensive than you think. The cheapest way to have a water heater replaced is to go pick up a similar one. Have it unboxed and sitting near the old one. Have the old one drains and ready to be swapped out. Plumber comes in and bing bang boom you have a new water heater in less then an hour. When you are calling around, make you you tell the plumbers exactly what you need them to do so they don't shoot you a price that involves all the grunt work as well.
In reply to tr8todd:
We're on city water. The low flow issue is at every faucet, including the newly replaced kitchen one. Popping is from the water heater, and it's only recently started, despite the house and the water heater both being 9 years old
Check your flow at an unregulated faucet like the tub spout or an outside faucet. Check the aerators on the faucets. The new kitchen faucets have terrible flow. They come with small supply lines that just don't flow enough water. Takes me 30 seconds just to fill a coffee pot. Everything is going to low flow so as to save water. Its being forced on us. The problem is the flow restrictors have such small openings that they trap sediment and further decrease flow. 9 years is about right for a water heater. Your on borrowed time if its gas or a 6 year electric. If its a 12 year electric, you should have a little more time. All depends on water quality and how much water you use. I have a bunch of customers in a condo development. They all share a common well. 3 years is absolute max on the water heaters in there. Most don't make it a full 2 years.
