Bulging and Gurgling Hot Water Tank

[celeryboy2021]

The hot water tank has been gurgling every few hours. When I checked on it I noticed that the vertical seam is bulging and you can see some spray foam insulation out of the top seam. I have no idea if the bulging has been there for a while or new. There are no leaks or rust anywhere that I can see.

I called the owner of the condo and he's going to have someone look at it. Hopefully soon but I'm not holding my breath.

Is this dangerous and can it leak or even worse, blow?

I shut off the breaker to be safe.

Thanks for taking the time to respond!

 

[CT18]

It looks like the T&P valve is there. Where is it piped to. It is designed to open when pressure or temp get to high. It is the piece on the top of the brass tee in your picture

 

[celeryboy2021]

Coming out of the brass part which the TP valve connects to is a white thin plastic hose which goes down to the drip tray and is connected to nothing. I hope I understood what you mean. My plumbing knowledge is very low.

 

[celeryboy2021]

I read online and released the T&P valve and water did come out when I put the valve back it closed and stopped the flow.

 

[Twowaxhack]

You may have uncontrolled thermal expansion.

You can google that and read all about it.

 

[celeryboy2021]

Thanks for the info.

I didn't see anything about the gurgling sounds though. It almost sounds like when you're pouring paint or oil out of a 5 gallon bucket hole.

Is the sound or the protrusion on the tank the result of thermal expansion or both?

 

[Twowaxhack]

Thanks for the info.

I didn't see anything about the gurgling sounds though. It almost sounds like when you're pouring paint or oil out of a 5 gallon bucket hole.

Is the sound or the protrusion on the tank the result of thermal expansion or both?

maybe both if the pressure spikes. Could be normal element noises.

You’re not seeing any water leaking when you hear the noise ?

 

[celeryboy2021]

maybe both if the pressure spikes. Could be normal element noises.

You’re not seeing any water leaking when you hear the noise ?

No water leakage at all. The tank is from 2015.

 

[celeryboy2021]

The landlord is being somewhat useless. I'll keep pressing him but in the meantime can it explode or is that just for extreme cases?

 

[Twowaxhack]

There’s potential for an explosion if there are multiple malfunctions.

Not likely since you have a T&P valve.

 

[celeryboy2021]

Thank you for the info.

 

[TomFOhio]

If it is bulging you did the right thing by turning the electric off. If you have a valve on the cold side going into
the tank I would turn it off and then open a hot faucet to take any pressure off of the tank until it is replaced. If
it was installed in 2015 it might still be under warranty. Depends on what month it was installed.