When you turn on the water, a stream of brownish, cloudy mush pours out. Yuck! Although it isn’t usually dangerous, rust colored water can be very distressing. It could be due to corrosion, mineral buildup, or operations by the utility company.
It can be quite distressing to see rusty water coming from your tap, especially if it isn’t obvious why. This primer will help you understand why your water looks rusty and how to fix it. We’ll show you what to do if your home’s water color is caused by rusty pipes. Los Angeles residents should have safe, clean drinking water.
Why is my water rusty?
Tap water can look yellowish, rusty, or reddish if it has too many minerals or sediments.
Iron and manganese are the most common minerals that discolor water. These minerals can be found in tiny metallic deposits that can enter the water stream from many sources, natural and man-made. These minerals could also cause unpleasant tastes and smells in your water.
These minerals aren’t dangerous to humans but a high level of manganese or iron could cause your water to taste funny. To make sure there is nothing else, a plumber can test your water quality.
Is Rusty Water a Danger?
The specific minerals in your water will determine the outcome. However, it is likely not. The EPA regulates drinking water contaminants in accordance with primary as well as second standards. The primary regulations cover dangerous contaminants such as arsenic and lead. These contaminants can cause water contamination that exceeds a certain limit . If this happens, the water supply ( ) will be shut off to the public.
Secondary EPA regulations apply to contaminants such as iron and manganese. Although these contaminants aren’t harmful to your health, they can cause skin irritations or staining of clothing. Although public water systems are required to test for primary contaminants on an ongoing basis, secondary contaminants testing is voluntary.
Is Rusty water safe to bathe in?
This question is very popular. High mineral water is not good for hair, but it won’t harm you. Hard water can also make soap less effective at lathering on the skin, so you might find yourself having to work harder to clean.
What causes rusty water from your faucet?
Brown water could result from any of these three situations:
1. All your water, hot and cold, suddenly turns brown
A sudden change in water quality from clear to rusty could be caused by utility maintenance, a rupture in a city-operated water line or fire hydrant. A lot of America’s plumbing infrastructure is old . Therefore, water main breaks that release sediment in the water supply are common.
Utility companies shut off water supply for short periods of time when they are performing line maintenance. The water may still be on when it is turned back on. To clear this problem, run your faucet for a few moments.
You may also have internal reasons. The brown water coming from your tap could be a sign that your water heater or water supply pipes are rusty.
2. Only your hot water has discolored
It is possible that sediment or rust has built up in the tank of your water heater. This can be traced to your plumber.
3. You can get brown water from the cold tap, but only with certain faucets
Problem is likely with a specific water supply pipe. Your home plumbing can clog and corrode over time, especially if you have water with a high mineral content.
How to Fix Brown Water from Faucets
Once you understand the cause of your rusty water discoloration, you can now know where to begin.
If your cold and hot water suddenly turns brown,
Contact your water supply company. There is a good chance that something has happened to the water main or nearby fire hydrants. You also have the possibility that maintenance workers from the city accidentally stirred up sediment. They should be able tell you when the water will clear again and what they are doing to fix it.
After the utility work has been completed, turn on your taps and wait for orange water to stop coming out of them. After a few flushes, the toilets will be clean and clear of brown water.
If your hot water has turned a discoloring color:
You can drain and flush your water heater tank. The result of sediment buildup over time is often rusty hot water. It is a good idea twice per year to drain your tank and flush it. Sediment buildup can cause water heater leaks .
Also, make sure your anode rod isn’t disintegrated. To extend the life of your water heater tank, this rod attracts corrosive minerals in water. Your anode rod will eventually dissolve after 5 years. Your local plumber can replace it.
You may have a bigger problem if you haven’t flushed the tank yet or you have a newer heater but your hot water color is not changing. To diagnose the problem, call a professional plumber. Too much sediment can permanently damage your water heater or, in rare cases, cause it to explode.
Cold water that is not discolored by a few faucets.
For several minutes, run the faucets at maximum pressure until the water is clear. Sometimes, small amounts of rust can get into the water supply through cracks in the pipe’s inner walls. If it is not a major problem, you can simply run the water to flush out the rust.
However, if your water looks rusty even after flushing it, or if it returns soon after you flush it, your pipes may have corroded. If there is too much corrosion or iron buildup on your home’s pipes that supply water to your home, these minerals can leach into your drinking water. You will still get brown water from the cold tap unless you replace the affected pipes.
You should immediately have any corroded or rusted pipe deep cleaned and replaced as soon as possible to avoid further problems. Corroded pipes could cause clogs, leaks, or breakages in your water lines.
Reduce the odor of brown rusty water in your home
Clog Kings can help you if your bath water has turned brown or your tap water is rusty. Call us to find out why your faucets are leaking that brown water. We will make sure that your pipes deliver clean, clear water once more to you and your loved ones.
This post was written by Joey Denick. Joey is the Owner and Operator of Clog Kings. At Clog Kings, LLC, we pride ourselves on our dedication and efficiency. We know you don’t have time to waste. That’s why we work fast to get your home or commercial building back up and running in no time. If you are looking for Pinellas Plumbing then look no further because we got you covered!
