Water Heater Noise

[jamjrks]

Hello everyone,

We have a nuisance noise from our water heater whenever we are using hot water. It's a whining, humming, vibration noise. Hot water flow is good and the water heater is producing adequate hot water. Our water heater is a Suburban SW12DEL. I have isolated the source of the noise to the hot water outlet on the rear of the water heater and have even tried using my air pump to blow air into the hot water outlet to hopefully blow out any mineral debris that may be clogging the outflow opening. In the course of my trouble shooting, I have discovered that there is a male brass coupling connecting the hot water line to the water heater that appears to be some sort of check valve, but I have not been able to unscrew this fitting from the water heater.

Anyone out there who has experience this sort of nuisance and have suggestions to correct it? Suburban support says the fitting is a Keystone add on and not a Suburban part. Will appreciate your feedback. Thanks

[jamjrks]

Thanks for all the feedback on my post. And now a final followup. I replaced the check valve on the water heater hot water outlet. Problem solved. I examined the old check valve and discovered two problems. First, the o-ring on the plastic plunger had come off, and second, there was a small piece of black plastic debris (like a piece of a plastic bag) that was caught in the spring. New check valve cost me $14, but now it's a quiet water flow from the water heater. Thanks again.

[rjdlooking]

Had the same problem with my hot water heater took out the ck valve and replaced it with new one. It did the samething so I took out the new one and punched out the guts and reinstalled noise is now gone.

[Whiskey_River]

I have the same noise. I changed out the check valve. It is a cheap valve with a plastic plunger & spring. New one cost 6 bucks at CW.
The one I removed looked ok. But I replaced it. Same noise.
I now replaced it with a manual valve to hand shut off the water to do the winterization. The noise is still there although not as bad.
I have flushed the tank several times through the plug / anode hole by sticking a hose in, and flushed the tank running water through the back with the plug / anode hole open.
The tank is in an 09 fiver and the noise was not there for a couple / 3 years, then it just started. I took out the existing check valve with a break bar and 1 1/8 or 1 1/16 deep socket. Can't remember what size socket for sure. It was hard to get to and I had to remove some of the duct work for the furnace to get to it. Then hold the tank down with one hand and the break bar in the other. It will come out but is in there tight.
I used the brass check valve as a small nipple to connect up my manual
valve. I just broke out the inside plastic plunger & spring. The inside of the brass fitting is somewhat of a reducer to get the plunger to work. My thought now is maybe by using it as a nipple with the reducer effect it is changing the water flow somewhat and making the noise. As I said before, its hard to get at and I have some what learned to live with the noise. Good luck with what ever you decide.

[larry_barnhart]

we did not have a check valve for years so I installed one and it makes the noise as you described. I am very disappointed.

chevman

[Old-Biscuit]

netjam wrote:
In my 5er I've had the humming for over 4 years. Same 12 gal suburban. It bothered me for the first year but now I don't even notice it. Some neighbors comment about it but it doesn't bother me.

Just turn radio volume up.......like a noise in vehicle.

Don't fix it....ignore it or drown it out.

Works for some I guess.

[netjam]

In my 5er I've had the humming for over 4 years. Same 12 gal suburban. It bothered me for the first year but now I don't even notice it. Some neighbors comment about it but it doesn't bother me.

[Old-Biscuit]

Yes it is a check valve.......installed by Keystone instead of a hot water shut off valve (quicker/easier/cheaper to do during assemble)

The humming is caused by debris/scaling and the cheap plastic internals (Plunger/spring/o-ring).

Can not blow back thru it because is closes that way...used tp prevent backflow into WH tanl when it is bypassed.

When they start humming they are going to fail

Brass screwed into steel and now it is difficult to remove.

Try to tighten a little bit then unscrew.
Saturate with Liquid Wrench while tapping on it and then try to unscrew
Remove internals -----install shut off valve