Gas Hot water Heater Sizzle Question – Thanks in Advance

[MasterPlumbers]

This morning after taking a shower I noticed an odd noise coming from our hot water heater. It sounded like a sizzling noise that would happen every 5 seconds or so. I walked over to the heater in the garage and noticed that each time the sizzling would happen, the flame that I could see under the tank would grow very bright, and then go very dim, then the process would repeat. Eventually the sizzling and the bright flame grew further and further apart until it finally stopped. Is this normal? I’ve never heard it before. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

[CincinnatiPlumbing]

What it is is condensation forming inside the vent then dripping down onto the center of the burner. It isnt anything to worry about.

[Selgas]

Yep sure sounds exactly as CincinnatiPlumbing has said condensation – not a problem at all – worse in winter and hardly there at all during warmer summer months.
Simply put when you apply a flame to cold steel it will cause the surface of the steel to “sweat” until it heats up to above the temperature deemed to be that of dew point – thereafter the “sweat” is vaporised within the flame itself and does not drip off the steel.

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Selgas Services Ltd
Craftsman Gasfitters, Plumbers, Electrical Service Technicians

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