I assume it is a gas water heater. If it is a big whooooosh, it is simply the flame being lit by the pilot light. If it sounds like something other than that, I suggest getting it checked.
Well, it was on the highest setting... and it made a boom. Like a grenade. Now it's on the lowest setting next to the "vacation" setting. It was still kind of loud, but I guess more of a whooosh.
Are we talking atom-bomb type boom or just a tomcat firecracker type of boom? Either way I suspect your house shall become a giant mushroom cloud soon. Good Luck!
It's just a big boom. I don't know how to explain it. It's a loud bang-boom! Like if you just sit and stare at it, it'd catch off guard and go BOOM! And then it'd shake you, cause you didn't expect it to be so loud. When I first saw it bang loud, I could see like a gulf of flame at the top of it going through a metal tube(vent at the top), and then some little gulf of flame coming out the bottom guard thing. Anyone heard of draining out a gallon of water out the water heater every month? This is suppose to help something, anyone know?
from your desription, sound slike too much gas is being released prior to it firing up. release valve allow too much to go in, pilot light applied to it causing a kinda mini-explosion. granted, I dont have gas appliances, so Im basically going off of theoretical knowledge and logic when I take a stab at this. regardless, get it checked by a serviceman....something I know for a fact is that badly tuned or faulty gas lines/regulators/valves can cause excessive toxic gases to buildup.
Well... just recently I had the gas turned back on because the bill was being sent somewhere else, so it had been cut off. Before I don't remember it doing this, it just started doing this when I got the gas turned back on. So I don't know... turning it down may have worked alittle, but I don't know if they'll be enough hot water everyday(for showers and stuff) since it's turned down now.
So can Taco Bell. HEEYYOOOO!!!! Seriously, you should have someone come out and look at it. Having a water heater go 'BOOM' is probably not a good thing. Now, what is this "vacation" setting on your water heater? Do they all have this? Does it save money if you're never at home?
It's the lowest setting, I don't know... I guess it saves gas and money. I think my water heater is old school, so I don't know if the new ones have this.
