Our Potomac Plumbing Contractors Put  Rusty Water In Its Place

Our Potomac plumbing contractors have seen more rusty tap water than you can imagine. We get called quite frequently to diagnose this type of problem. Most of the time the fix is quite simple, especially if it is caught right away, other times it can be the sign of a big problem.

The three major causes of rusty water are a corroding water heater, rusting galvanized steel pipes and dissolved iron in the water supply. Here's how you can test for what the cause might be.

If the rusty water only happens when you are running hot or warm water, then the rust is coming from your storage style water heater tank. This is usually because the sacrificial anode has failed. The anode is there to prevent the interior of the tank from rusting. If you can catch this failure early enough, replacing the anode can eliminate the rusty water problem and allow you several more years with your water heater.

If the rusty water is only coming from particular faucets in your home, the problem is most likely a rusted pipe. This should be tracked down immediately by a licensed Potomac plumbing tech. A pipe that is rusting from the interior could break at any time and cause major problems. Galvanized steel, common in homes built before 1950, tends to start to rust after 50 to 60 years of use. As these pipes start to fail the water in the home will become rusty and it is a sign that complete repiping is needed.

Sometimes the cause of rusty water is external to the house. It comes directly from the municipal water systems. This may be because there is a high level of iron in the water (this is rare but happens on occasion) or them more likely water main break. When a water main breaks there is a chance of contamination that can include rust. To prevent this from happening a resident or business can install a water purification device that works at the main water inlet for the building.