If you turn on your water and notice brown or rust-colored water is running through the faucet, you may need water heater repair or you may have a problem with an incoming plumbing line. Fortunately, it is easy to tell if you know what to look for. If you see brown or rust-colored water running through your faucets, here is everything you need to know about how that water may be connected to your hot water heater.
How Do You Know If the Brown Water Is Coming from Your Hot Water Heater?
The easiest way to tell if the brown or rust-colored water is coming from an issue with your hot water heater or a pipe is to run various fixtures on cold water and hot water. If the problem is present on various fixtures only when hot water is running, your hot water tank is the issue. If the problem is present when cold water runs or is only on specific water fixtures, such as your sink but not your shower, you likely have a pipe that has a hole or crack that is allowing dirt in. Both issues may begin to clear up the longer you allow the water to run, but will come back after you shut your water off, allow it to sit and turn it back on again.
Why Would a Hot Water Heater Produce Brown Water?
A water heater would produce brown or rust-colored water due to rust in the hot water tank. The anode that is responsible for heating the hot water typically rusts due to age, and the inside of the tank itself can also rust due to age. In some cases, the water may also turn brown due to a large amount of sediment build-up in the tank as well.
What Types of Water Heater Repair Are Needed to Fix Brown Water?
If you notice brown water when you run your hot water heater, odds are, there is rust in your unit. If your water heater anode is rusting, that piece can be removed and replaced. If the tank itself is rusting, it is best to replace your entire hot water heater. If there is sediment build-up causing dirt in your water, flushing the tank should solve that issue.
If you notice brown or rust-colored water running through your faucets only when the hot water is running, you are in need of water heater repair. Contact a hot water heater repair company or a plumber today to get your hot water heater repaired. If you fail to do so, the problems may worsen and lead to your hot water tank leaking or being unable to produce hot water for your home.
