Seeing discolored water is a common occurrence if you’ve been away from home for a week or more. The cause is dry pipes and turning on the taps usually solves the problem quickly. But what if rusty discoloration in your water continues? We have some tips that can help.
The Source of the Discoloration
A red, brown, or orange tinge to water and a distinctive metallic taste is indicative of oxidized iron – commonly referred to as rust. While it doesn’t pose any particular health hazard, it can be unsightly, and it can stain dishware and clothing. But more importantly, rust is a sign that there may be a more serious problem with your plumbing.
What Should You Do?
The first step in addressing rusty water is determining its source. There are two primary possibilities – your home’s plumbing or the municipal water supply. To identify the source, you’ll want to start with a simple test. See if the discoloration is coming from only the hot water tap or both taps. If it’s only the hot water, you can pretty much assume that the source of the problem is your water heater. If the rust is coming from both hot and cold taps, you may want to make a call to your water department. They might need to make repairs to correct the problem.
If there doesn’t seem to be a problem with the water being distributed to your home, there are other possibilities, including corrosion of your pipes or water main. When the rust is caused by your home’s plumbing, the best solution is to call a professional plumber who can swap out rusted-out parts before they lead to more serious problems.
Whether it’s the water heater or aging pipes, repairs can be made rapidly with little disruption to you and your family. Don’t wait until corrosion of pipes or plumbing fixtures causes a leak or worse.
Want to learn more about repiping, water heater replacement, or other plumbing services? Call the experts at Cool Blew today – 623-872-2900 for all your plumbing needs.
