Archived from the Tools In Action forum (Around The House). This thread is read-only.
I just had a new water heater installed a few weeks ago and a little while ago I was in the basement and I heard it sizzling. I opened the cover to look in the viewing window and saw water droplets occasionally bouncing off the lit burner sizzling. I know water gets into gas lines etc. and it doesn’t look like there is a leak form the tank but I’ve never had a water heater sizzle on me, or least never was around one when it did. Something normal or something to worry about?
Could be condensation…..do you notice any drips when the burners are off and does it go away after several minutes. Sometimes if your running out of hot water and the tank is refilling with cold this can happen. Keep an eye out and or call the one that installed it.
I think you might be right about the condensation. The water was running with someone taking a shower at the time so it was full burn with full fill going on concurrently. I checked it while it was dormant and no water, dry as a bone in the burner chamber. I never knew condensation would do that in a water heater, thanks.
yup sounds like that is what is happening, if your using the water faster than it can heat it condensation can occur…..
I’m thinking condensation as well, when we used to install new wh years ago we always told the customer it was normal to see some water under the heater for a little while, normally its the flue gas condensing for a little bit on a cold start. If the tank itself is leaking it would normally be a constant leak