TURTLE wrote:

"Speedy Jim" wrote in message
...

Andrew Taylor wrote:

Out gas fired hot water heater has started making loud popping noises when
the flame is on. It still seems to work fine otherwise. Does anyone have
experience with this. Is it anything to be concerned about? Thanks

It's just bubbles of hot water "exploding" into steam on the
bottom of the heater shell where the flame hits.
Occurs on heaters which have not been periodically drained/flushed
to prevent mineral buildup.

http://groups.google.com/
Do an Advanced search on this ng for " draining water heater" or
similar. Been discussed ad nauseum.

On an old heater, the minerals are solidified and won't drain out though.

Jim


This is Turtle.

Jim , I'm not a Hot Water fellow but when you say scale building up on the
inside of the tank and then when heating up and makes the popping sound the
sound is the water flashing to steam . Is this water flashing to steam inside
the tank or on the outside of the tank where the flames hit the tank burner area
?

TURTLE


Inside.

See:
http://www.handymanjim.com/f.htm

Jim