Vampire Water Heaters

Be careful this Halloween season because you might have a scary old beast lurking in your household and not even be aware of it. Read closely and be on the lookout for these signs:

• Is your energy bill slowly creepy higher?
• Do you hear loud scary bangs in your home?
• Do you sometimes have lukewarm showers?

Then your lovable household water heater might have turned into a Vampire Water Heater!

Do not be afraid because the professionals at Water Heaters Only, Inc are here to explain and help!

What Causes A Vampire Water Heater?

This tends to happen to mostly older water heaters as this transformation can happen over a very long period of time. The cause of a Vampire Water Heater is typically when the sediment in the water starts to slowly build up calcium deposits along the base of the inner tank as water travels through the storage tank. When this happens, your water heater has to work twice as hard to heat water for your use. This is because first, it has to heat up that built-up sediment before it can heat up the water.

This sediment build up can go unnoticed for a while but what may not go unnoticed is the loud popping noise that will come from your water heater while it is in operation. This is due to the sediment in the bottom of your tank actually trapping water under or inside the sediment in the water heater. When this happens, the rapidly-heating water starts to crack and pop through the sediment making extremely loud popping noises. There is not much that can be done to stop this from happening to old water heaters, though flushing your water heater annually can help.

Can An Electric Water Heater Be A Vampire Too?

Yes! If you happen to have an electric water heater, the sediment can build up on the heating elements inside the tank.

When you begin to hear this popping sound, it is a good indication that it may be time to get your water heater replaced. If you let this vampire stay in your home, you will start to notice as the vampire water heater is operating that it has to run longer, thus turning it into an energy sucker.

If your water heater takes longer to heat, it can drive up your energy bill!

If you are interested in reading more on this topic / issue about common water heater problems, we have provided a few links to trustworthy sources explaining the topics discussed in further detail. 

Also, you can also read a very educational piece provided by National Geographic on how sediment works. Lastly here’s a link on how to flush sediment out of your water heater provided by Bradford White (one of our preferred brands of water heaters).

This vampire water heater’s operation will be adding to your energy bill daily, so take our advice and don’t let this money sucker into your home! Call Water Heaters Only, Inc  to talk to a specialist about a water heater replacement today! Phones are answered 24/7/365, call 1-866-946-7842.