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What causes my electric water heater to make noises constantly?

My water heater is about 30 year-old and has been making noises non-stop. It is the similar noise that you would hear when the heater is working — but it is louder. The outside water meter is also constantly running slowly even though no water has been obviously used through faucets, toilets, etc.

When a water heater is that old it has built up a mineral deposit in the water storage tank section, and usually the deposits build up first, and the most, on the hottest heated surfaces. In your case it would be near and on the tube that the electric heater element is in.

With sediment and mineral deposits like that, the heat transfer surfaces are uneven and some spots over heat and some don’t but it causes flash spots of steam usually under the minerals deposits which causes your noise. You have been very blessed to get 30 years out of your heater. I wouldn’t be surprised if your T&P safety relief valve (Temperature and pressure) is weeping to the outside somewhere through a pipe from the T&P.

You have a leak in your water system. It could be the heater or the T and P or somewhere else like the bath ot toilet. To eliminate the possibility of the heater. Turn of the Valve entering the heater and check to see if your meter is still turning. Be sure to re-open the valve when you finish.
I usually start at the building cut off just after the meter to make sure it is not between the meter and the house. Then use common since to find the leak one possibility at a time.
I think you would benefit from a new water heater which will use less energy since it will not be coated inside with insulating crud and minerals, and also a newer style that has better ratings anyway.
Good luck my friend.

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