water heater furnace rumbling/vibrating noise.. what is wrong.. please help

Tell them to call the gas company for advice. Or call & ask a plumber what's going on. (If it is a leak, the damn gas co will pull the meter right then; just call a plumber yourself at the git-go and save some time)

Someone please help, I don't know what this means...

I have a relative asking me and I don't know what to tell them


Their water heater is making a low rumbling groaning noise when they turn the thermostat to make the heat kick in.. it starts up and makes this noise but it stops as soon as they turn the thermostat back.

Any ideas?

I don't understand what you guys are saying!!!!

I am young and don't know anything about this, seriously. I'm sorry. I am really worried.....


Should we just keep the heat off?


We are in the blizzard, travel bans, no one can come to look at this or fix it.

I don't understand what you guys are saying!!!!

I am young and don't know anything about this, seriously. I'm sorry. I am really worried.....


Should we just keep the heat off?


We are in the blizzard, travel bans, no one can come to look at this or fix it.



It sounds like an oil fired burner but that's just a guess.

Have them go outside and look at the top of the chimney to see what the smoke looks like comming out.

If it's black and billowy, chances are the burner just needs a tune-up, which includes a new oil nozzle, new set of electrodes, oil filter, and a cleaning of all soot inside the combustion chamber/heat exchanger.

Okay answers:
it is OIL HEATER

They aren't turning the heat on because they are afraid
So I can't look at the smoke from the chimney.

They might have the neighbor clear the snow from the chimney to see if this helps. Is that even what the problem is here???






I don't understand what you guys are saying!!!!

I am young and don't know anything about this, seriously. I'm sorry. I am really worried.....


Should we just keep the heat off?


We are in the blizzard, travel bans, no one can come to look at this or fix it.



It sounds like an oil fired burner but that's just a guess.

Have them go outside and look at the top of the chimney to see what the smoke looks like comming out.

If it's black and billowy, chances are the burner just needs a tune-up, which includes a new oil nozzle, new set of electrodes, oil filter, and a cleaning of all soot inside the combustion chamber/heat exchanger.

Okay thank you both for this info, I will relay it to them


I will update you guys


This better not explode or some shit...

Okay thank you both for this info, I will relay it to them


I will update you guys


This better not explode or some shit...



Oil can't explode like natty gas can. :)

I think they should be okay to run as long as combustion fumes are not back drafting into the house.

Hopefully they have a carbon monoxide monitor close by.

Tell them to get it tuned up ASAP.

Okay thank you both for this info, I will relay it to them


I will update you guys


This better not explode or some shit...



Oil can't explode like natty gas can. :)

I think they should be okay to run as long as combustion fumes are not back drafting into the house.

Hopefully they have a carbon monoxide monitor close by.

Tell them to get it tuned up ASAP.

They don't have a carbon monoxide monitor....
:( I'm so worried

What can I do to make sure there is not backdraft fumes?

I don't understand what you guys are saying!!!!

I am young and don't know anything about this, seriously. I'm sorry. I am really worried.....


Should we just keep the heat off?


We are in the blizzard, travel bans, no one can come to look at this or fix it.

Okay thank you both for this info, I will relay it to them


I will update you guys


This better not explode or some shit...



Oil can't explode like natty gas can. :)

I think they should be okay to run as long as combustion fumes are not back drafting into the house.

Hopefully they have a carbon monoxide monitor close by.

Tell them to get it tuned up ASAP.

They don't have a carbon monoxide monitor....
:( I'm so worried

What can I do to make sure there is not backdraft fumes?



If they can, have them go down to the store and buy one.

Usually oil is obvious when it backs into the house, very smoky.

But just to be safe I'd get one right away before running it.

I don't understand what you guys are saying!!!!

I am young and don't know anything about this, seriously. I'm sorry. I am really worried.....


Should we just keep the heat off?


We are in the blizzard, travel bans, no one can come to look at this or fix it.



How bout some info instead of frantically waving your hands--- is it a water heater or furnace? You said the thermostat so its not a water heater right??

Gas or oil for fuel?


Heres a hint---your chimney is plugged up---go outside and check---dont run the thing till its cleared...you will kill yourself. It will back up into the basement instead of going up the chimney. Trust me, I'm an oil burner tech..a rumble is almost always caused by inadequate draft...or a partially plugged oil burner nozzle. The rumble is a pressure fluctuation in the combustion chamber area.


If you dont know what your doing, call the gas/oil supplier for help.

Give me more info and I will try to help.

Someone please help, I don't know what this means...

I have a relative asking me and I don't know what to tell them


Their water heater is making a low rumbling groaning noise when they turn the thermostat to make the heat kick in.. it starts up and makes this noise but it stops as soon as they turn the thermostat back.

Any ideas?

I don't understand what you guys are saying!!!!

I am young and don't know anything about this, seriously. I'm sorry. I am really worried.....


Should we just keep the heat off?


We are in the blizzard, travel bans, no one can come to look at this or fix it.



How bout some info instead of frantically waving your hands--- is it a water heater or furnace? You said the thermostat so its not a water heater right??

Gas or oil for fuel?


Heres a hint---your chimney is plugged up---go outside and check---dont run the thing till its cleared...you will kill yourself. It will back up into the basement instead of going up the chimney. Trust me, I'm an oil burner tech..a rumble is almost always caused by inadequate draft...or a partially plugged oil burner nozzle. The rumble is a pressure fluctuation in the combustion chamber area.


If you dont know what your doing, call the gas/oil supplier for help.

Give me more info and I will try to help.

Thank you very much
as I did answer eariler it is OIL and we have a neighbor coming up to clear the chimeny. he will be here soon, he was to walk a distance

They ran it for 10 minutes or so while it was rumbling.. does this mean there are fumes in the house.. Should we air it out

dont listen to these people...its scale buildup within
the tank....its probably old and has not been flushed.
it may or may not be able to be flushed now but you should
probably call a plumber.