Rumbling water heater.

I have a water heater that was creating a rumbling sound for sometime. I drained the water heater recently. The rumbling is still there but not as loud. The heater is 4 years old. I think the noise is now being caused by lime deposits. Is this an indication of a severe problem and I should purchase a new heater or should I just "live" with the rumbling sound.

 

I assume it is a gas water heater???

 

Yes, it is a gas water heater.

 

It's a common issue with gas heaters. Shiny new ones are less prone but as sediment builds up on the bottom the rumbling begins. It doesn't mean the heater is done for but if it's been doing it for a long time you might just have to live with it. You can try flushing it several times but usually you can't get all the sediment out.

The very bottom of a gas heater gets really hot. In a new heater the water can circulate freely to distribute the heat. The circulating water doesn't boil. When sediment builds up the water right at the bottom is trapped by the sediment above until it boils in small, localized areas. The rumble you hear is the bubble escaping and rising up in the tank. It's mostly harmless. Regular, somewhat frequent flushing from when the heater is new can delay the onset of the rumbles but many heaters still get it eventually.

 

Thank you for your help on the water heater issue.

 

If it's that bad that quick it's time to get the water tested to see what's needed to treat the incoming water before it even get there.
Those deposits are effecting your whole system and can cause premature failure of all the fixtures and plumbing.