Picture this: you turn on the taps in your home and the crystal clear water that you’re used to is suddenly discoloured. Or, maybe the tap water that otherwise tastes fine suddenly has a strong metallic taste to it. These are some warning signs that there is rust leaking into your water. While this isn’t an immediate life-threatening issue, you still need to act fast and contact a local plumber to prevent further potential corrosion of your pipes.
Determine The Source
If you see signs of rust in your water supply, it may not necessarily be from your pipes. The cause of the rust could also be your water heater, or in some cases from the public water supply. To test and try to determine the source, run cold water in the sink where you originally found signs of rust in the water. Fill a glass with cold water, and then let the cold water run for several moments after the glass is full, and take another sample. Then, take a sample of hot water.
If the first glass shows signs of rust and the second glass does not, it is likely that the rust is somewhere in the plumbing system in your home. If the hot water has signs of rust in it, the rust is likely building up in your water heater.
Replacement of The Problem
If the cause of the rust is rusty pipes within your home, those pipes will need to be replaced. Once corrosion appears in one section of pipes in your home, it is a sign that there are likely other areas that are corroding that you have not noticed yet. A licensed plumber will be able to assess and determine a plan to fix your home plumbing.
If the issue is your water heater, replacement is also the best option. Water heaters do not last forever, and when they get old they begin to rust and break down. Typically once the process of corrosion begins it will only continue to get worse until your water heater fails completely.
Call A Local Plumber
At the first sign of rust in your pipes, find a good local plumber and have their number nearby. Corroding pipes and a rusty water heater can become more serious issues if left alone. At Wellbrook Plumbing, our team of licensed Niagara plumbers will complete a full-home inspection to determine the cause of the issue, and the best course of action to fix it. To book a consultation, call our team or click below.
