Hot Water Tank Sounds Like A Kettle? – Reasons & Fix!

If your hot water tank sounds like a kettle, the first step is to turn off the gas, electricity, and water in that tank to minimize the likelihood that something serious has happened, like a gas leak.

Gas-powered water heaters produce a sizzling sound during use for many reasons.

One is when condensation builds up on the surface, which can indicate that there is a leak in your gas-powered water heater.

Avoid the embarrassment of a dripping water heater and hire a plumber to fix it.

If a hissing, sizzling, and crackling sound is coming from your water heater’s tank, it may also be time to drain the sediment. Cleaning out the tank will lessen your electricity costs as well as increase efficiency. 

How Kettling Happens

Some problems that might arise when you have hot water tanks include gas leaks, flooding, and damage to your home’s waterproofing.

It is often difficult to tell when your water heater tank has sediment buildup inside it.

This is because your hot water tank can make strange rustling sounds and produce hard-to-see bubbles on the surface.

That’s where the word “kettling” comes from; when the water heater sounds like a tea kettle with rustling sounds that often resemble that of boiling water in a kettle.

Kettling can cause a lot of stress on your water tank. If the stress of expansion isn’t relieved, sooner or later, leaks will occur, and the boiler will eventually break.

Note: Regardless of the issue, experts recommend that you avoid working on your tank unless you know what you're doing.

 Normal and Abnormal Water Tank Noises

If your boiler is in a public space, such as the kitchen or a utility room, you’ll quickly get used to its noise.

Sometimes it can be difficult to identify noises coming from your boilers, and some of these noises aren’t those abnormal, abnormal sounds you think they are.

However, if it’s hidden from views, such as in a garage or outside, it might take longer to notice that something needs repair.

It is always worth checking up on your boiler every now and then to familiarize yourself with its normal operations.

You should know certain sounds, such as loud irregularity or strange mechanical sounds, indicate a possible problem that needs immediate attention.

Note: When there is a sudden noise from your water heater, it's difficult to pinpoint or fix the problem. It's important for you to know about these noises so that you can better help your appliance.

Excess Heat

Some water tanks’ efficiency fade over time and can’t take excess heat hence the kettling sound.

One common way to handle a boiler that can’t take extra heat is to remove the heat exchanger and get it cleaned or replaced if necessary.

However, this strategy only works in certain cases and typically only after a significant buildup.

If your boiler is acting up often, it may be time to replace the unit.

Most modern boilers are equipped with a heat-sensing system that shuts down the boiler if the temperature reaches an unsafe level.

Hard Water Mineral Content

When you hear a sound that sounds like a kettle is boiling, it could be a sign of water heater problems.

The cause of this issue is typically traced back to hard water. Hard water is water with an unusually high mineral content, which forms on the walls of your boiler’s heat exchanger.

More minerals in the water can lead to gradual blockages. Eventually, evaporating steam puts too much pressure on the pipes.

You can hear the pipes rumble and make noises like what you’re hearing now.

Descaling Product

If you live in an area with hard water, it’s possible that your system is using the same type of water.

This can cause limescale on the inside of the pipes, limits the flow speed, and increases turbulence.

A good solution to this problem is to use an automatic descaling product, but the good idea is to flush and drain the whole system.

There are times when the tank’s water boils and forms limescale and sediment buildup, which can cause poor performance in your aquarium.

Note: Make sure you clean your system with chemicals that will eliminate the buildup of sludge. 

Replace the old pipes you’ve been using to prevent quality issues with your central heating system.

Leaking Pipes

Another common reason your water heater makes boiling noise is an old leaking pipe system or inefficient valves.

If you hear a sound coming from a pressure relief valve, inlet valve, or outlet valve, it may be coming from any of the leaking lines.

Faulty Valves

Have your valves open, and check for kinks or deformations on the pipes to stop this noise. You might need to call a plumber if more goes wrong.

Loose pipe straps can also make noise, but it’s helpful to tighten them or replace them in order to reduce and eliminate the ticking or hissing sound.

You might also need to lower your heat a few degrees before bedtime to decrease the noise of pipes that expand when heated.

Sedimentation

A few sources of water tank noise can be attributed to sediment collected in the water heater.

If a lot of sediment is collected, it will stop some of the hot water from reaching your home. Eventually, this will lead to an audible tea kettle sound from the tap water.

However, this sound doesn’t always indicate that there is a problem.

The noise of superheating water can be caused by the centrifugal force which occurs during the healing process.

Replace Tank

Nevertheless, with the growth of sediment, water heater performance may reduce, or the system may need to be replaced sooner.

Even if hard water is not created, sediment can still cause damage over time.

To preserve the optimal functioning of your water heater, you are recommended to drain the tank to remove any sediment that builds up on a regular basis.

Sediment can spoil water circulated by an efficient system and corrode the interior lining.

Note: Because the steam from boiling water is riled up, it whirls around. This can also cause dirt to collect at the exchanger.

Imbalance in Your Tank Components

The components at the top of a boiler tank must be designed to balance heat transfer to prevent buildup and restriction of hot water flow.

However, there may be imbalances in your water tank or boiler due to design problems or damage over time.

This can make the hot water tank sounds like a kettle, and that’s never a good sign when it comes to appliances.

The solution is simply to rebalance the tank for it to function optimally with no issues.

Rare Causes of Kettling Sound

Other problems might be causing the noise.

It could be due to improperly installed boilers or size incorrectly or a faulty boiler thermostat. They are often difficult tasks for boilers to get through.

A regularly serviced tank is safer because it contains safety mechanisms and features that control the likelihood of an event becoming dangerous.

Combination tanks typically set at a higher volume have pressure relief valves to combat pressures and other associated issues.

Fixing Kettling in Complex Tanks

Modern water tanks and boilers are extremely complex and automated.

Some even have computerized control systems that you may be unable to fix on your own. Never rule out the option of seeking professional help. 

 A trained expert should know the cause of a boiler kettling and efficiently fix it, ensuring that the boiler operates effectively.

To do this, there are three things you can do:

• Identify what is causing your kettle issue to stop and when it shouldn’t be
• Clean out any sediment that has accumulated inside the boiler
• Replace the valve on your boiler.

Unfortunately, water tank systems don't last forever and need careful maintenance to prevent potential damage. And sometimes, you may need to replace it with a new tank system.

Final Thought

Not all noises from a water tank are normal.

The hot water tank sounds like a kettle when there are problems; hence you should quickly find a solution before the problems worsen.

The heating system is composed of a boiler that can hoist the water from the boiler’s tank and send it to radiators for heating or even your hot water cylinder.

This whistle is meant to alert you if there’s something wrong with your system.