Help diagnose Bradford White water heater making high-pitch noise

[Jameszm]

Hi experts,

My (20 year old?) bradford white water heater is making a high-pitch noise. I managed to record a video of it .

This is the first time this happens in my 5 years living in this house.

I believe the noise started well after the shower started. But it lasted for ~10 minutes after shower ended.

Could someone help to shed some light on this?
Thanks a lot in advance!

 

[Twowaxhack]

I’ve never had one do that.

I would be suspecting the gas control or burner assembly. The flue has a baffle as well. Of course I’d check the gas pressure while I was there.

I don’t think that heater is that old, you could find out by the serial number or they may be a date on the info plate.

 

[TomFOhio]

Put your ear down on the gas valve the next time it does it and see if the noise is coming from there. Save your video as maybe
you can send it to Bradford White. We installed a lot of BW's and I never heard that kind of a problem either.

 

[Jameszm]

Thank you both!
I'm definitely keeping an eye for recurrence and in the mean time I've trying to reach customer support of BW as well.

 

[FishScreener]

Most probably the gas valve. If you have a long screwdriver you can pretend it is a stethoscope and put one end against your ear and touch the tip to potential sources of the noise.

The old style Craftsman screwdrivers with the round end on the handle work great, and aren’t uncomfortable. I have an old #2 Phillips with a buggered tip that I keep just for the purpose.

 

[SHEPLMBR]

Is the gas supply valve open all the way?

 

[arctic bill]

it looks like there is no drip pocket, could some debris have gotten trapped. also i doubt if a real plumber installed this as he used a galvanized nipple .

 

[Twowaxhack]

I think it’s the burner. There’s reports of crap like this happening but maybe not that particular brand or model.

 

[arctic bill]

white Teflon on natural gas piping a big no no, Use the yellow stuff.

 

[Plumbstar]

What is wrong with using a galvanized pipe & fitting for natural gas?

 

[BlueSkyHigh]

white Teflon on natural gas piping a big no no, Use the yellow stuff.

Other than thickness, is there a difference in the PTFE itself? I've also heard of red PTFE as well.

 

[Riickk]

What is wrong with using a galvanized pipe & fitting for natural gas?

The zinc coating (galvanized = zinc) can flake off. Foreign objects in gas pipes are never a good idea.

 

[Twowaxhack]

What is wrong with using a galvanized pipe & fitting for natural gas?

Nothing if you live in my service area