What is Causing the Brown Water Coming From Your Tap?
There’s one main culprit behind the brownish hue you might have noticed when you turned on your tap: rust.
The experienced plumbers at Combat have pretty much seen it all. We can help you locate where it’s coming from and put a stop to it.
Cause #1 – Water Heater
If brown water is only coming out of the hot water tap, your water heater might be aging and rusting. After a couple of minutes, the water should clear up. If it doesn’t clear up, you may need to replace your water heater.
Cause #2 – Corroding Pipes
If you notice brown water coming from both the hot and cold taps, this could indicate your home’s pipes are corroding. If this is the case, the brown color should clear up after as the water continues running.
Cause #3 – Public Water System
If you keep running your taps and the brown water is continuous, the source is probably not in your home. Only the local water authority can help.
Cause #4 – Iron Bacteria in Well Water
Sometimes something will cause your well water to “shake up” and rust deposits from somewhere will mix in with the water. This can happen from heavy rains, lightning strikes, nearby earthquakes or random loosening.
If you notice these signs, however, you could have a more pervasive issue:
- Unpleasant odors and smells: swampy, oily, rotten or musty.
- Oil-like sheens on the water.
- Slimy red, yellow, brown or gray deposits.
These signs can indicate you have iron bacteria from parts of your well water system that need replacing. Arrange water testing to diagnose the problem and make a game plan to solve it.
Brown Water Solutions
If the issue isn’t too bad, you will probably be satisfied with a whole-home water filter[Link to: https://www.jblantonplumbing.com/water-filtration-systems/]. Sometimes, you will need a water heater replacement or a call to the local water authority.
Don’t hesitate to call your Combat plumber at (773) 724-9272 if you need guidance or service. We can help!
