Reasons Your Tap Water Looks Rusty
Oh no, you turn on the faucet and instead of crystal clear H2O, out comes a rusty stream straight out of a horror movie! Okay, maybe that’s a bit dramatic, but discolored tap water is definitely alarming for any Seattle homeowner. After all, you want to be able to trust what’s coming out of those pipes, right?
With so many older homes and aging plumbing systems around the Emerald City, rusty or reddish-brown water isn’t actually that uncommon. But that doesn’t make it any less gross or concerning. It could be a signal that you are dealing with corroded pipes and it could be a warning that your health is at risk!
Before you resign yourself to a lifetime of rusty showers and metallic-tasting water, let’s explore what might be causing that disturbing discoloration. We’ll also look at some potential solutions. Even if you have to go as far as completely repiping your home, getting that water flowing clean and clear has to be the top priority!
Common Causes of Rusty Tap Water
Discolored, rusty tap water is unsettling to see coming out of your faucets. But before you panic, it’s helpful to understand some of the most common culprits behind that unsightly hue.
Corroded Pipes
One of the biggest reasons for rusty water is good old rust and corrosion buildup inside your home’s pipes over many years. Older galvanized steel and iron pipes are especially prone to this internal rusting and scaling. As the pipes degrade, those rust particles start flaking off and contaminating the water flowing through.
With so many older homes in Seattle still rocking plumbing systems from decades ago, pipe corrosion is a real issue.
Disturbances in the Water Supply
But rusty water isn’t always caused by your own pipes! Sometimes disruptions in the municipal water supply itself can kick up sediment and rust particles, leading to temporary discoloration coming out of your taps.
This could be due to nearby water main breaks, construction work, or even scheduled maintenance by the city where they’re flushing out pipes. Any kind of jarring in those water lines can disturb built-up rust and sediment.
Hot Water Heater Sediment
Another prime suspect? Your hot water heater. Over time, minerals and rust sediment accumulate at the bottom of the tank. So when you turn on the hot tap, that rusty gunk gets pulled into the water stream. Neglecting regular flushing and maintenance on water heaters just compounds this issue.
Municipal Water Supply Contaminants
In some cases, the public water supply could be introducing rust into your home’s water before it even reaches your pipes. Sections of Seattle’s water infrastructure are quite old, with corroded pipes allowing rust and sediment to infiltrate the distribution system. So even if your home’s plumbing is relatively new, you may still experience rusty water thanks to those aging municipal lines.
How to Determine the Source of Rusty Water
Turning on the tap only to see a rusty stream instead of fresh, clean water is enough to make any homeowner’s heart sink. But before you spiral into visions of replacing your entire plumbing system, take a deep breath and do some sleuthing. With a little detective work, you can often sniff out the underlying cause and determine if it’s a quick fix or something more serious.
Isolating Hot vs. Cold Water
Start by checking if the rust issue is isolated to just your hot water or impacting both hot and cold taps. Run the cold water for a minute or two – if it flows crystal clear, the problem likely lies with your water heater itself.
Older tanks are prone to sediment buildup that can tint the hot water a nasty shade of brown or red. Make a note of your heater’s age and condition for now.
Inspecting the Home’s Pipes
But if the discoloration shows up on both hot and cold sides, your home’s actual pipes could be the rusty culprits. Especially in older Seattle homes still rocking their original plumbing from decades ago.
Do you have any exposed pipes you can eyeball for telltale signs of corrosion or scaling? If not, it might be worth calling in a plumbing pro to do a comprehensive video inspection of those hidden lines.
Contacting the City for Water Supply Issues
However, don’t immediately assume the issue starts and stops at your own four walls. See if any of your neighbors are experiencing the same rusty water blues. If it seems isolated just to your place, it’s likely an internal problem with your plumbing or water heater. But if it’s a community-wide issue, the municipal water supply could be the root cause – perhaps due to nearby water main repairs or routine line flushing by the city. In that case, you’ll want to touch base with the local water department for more details.
By piecing together clues about whether it’s your hot or cold water, the condition of your pipes, and even your neighbors’ experiences, you can start to zero in on what’s really causing that unsightly rust issue. From there, you can pursue the proper solution – whether it’s water heater maintenance, repiping, or simply riding out a temporary municipal hiccup. No more just flushing away your concerns!
Short-Term Solutions for Rusty Tap Water
Sometimes that unsightly rusty tint in your water is just a temporary hiccup – maybe due to some nearby construction kicking up sediment in the municipal supply lines. Or perhaps your water heater is overdue for a good flushing.
Whatever the short-term cause, you don’t necessarily need to rush into replumbing your entire home. A few quick DIY tricks can provide some relief while you get to the bottom of the bigger issue.
Flush the Water System
One of the easiest things to try? If you’ve got rusty water coming from multiple taps, simply let them all run wide open for a good 15-20 minutes. Crazy as it sounds, this can often successfully flush out any lingering rust particles or sediment that’s causing that funky discoloration. Just be warned – you may need to run the taps for an extended period before that water finally runs clear again.
If the rust seems isolated only to your hot water though, it probably means your water heater has a gnarly sediment buildup situation happening. Time for a flushing! Locate the drain valve towards the bottom of your tank and attach a regular garden hose. Open the tap and allow all that rusty crusty water to drain out completely until it runs clear. You may need to do this a couple times to get rid of any remaining sediment at the bottom.
Use a Water Filter
Can’t seem to flush away that funky rusty tint no matter what? A point-of-use filter installed directly on your taps or even a whole-home filtration system can also help filter out any pesky rust or sediment particles. These filters basically act as a rusty water force field, straining out those contaminants before the water even reaches your glass or appliances. Just know that filters are more of a band-aid solution than an actual fix if your pipes themselves are severely corroded.
Long-Term Solutions to Prevent Rusty Water
If you’ve tried all the quick fixes and that rusty tint keeps haunting your taps, it means you’re dealing with a more deep-seated plumbing issue that needs a long-term solution.
Water Heater Maintenance
For many homeowners, an aging, neglected water heater is the rusty water culprit. If you’ve already tried draining and flushing the tank but that sediment keeps building back up, causing persistent hot water discoloration, it may simply be time for a new unit. Depending on the heater’s age, replacing it could eliminate that rusty nuisance for years to come.
But don’t just install a new water heater and think you’re scott free! Proper annual maintenance like routine flushing is key to preventing that sediment buildup cycle from starting all over again. Neglecting your water heater’s needs is just asking for more rusty water problems to eventually rear their ugly head.
Repiping the Home’s Plumbing
However, if it’s not just your hot water that’s rusty but instead all taps in your home, chances are your pipes themselves are the core issue. Older properties still rocking their original galvanized steel or iron pipes from decades ago are essentially ticking rust bombs waiting to corrode from the inside out.
In these cases, biting the bullet on a full repiping is really your only permanent solution to eliminating rusty water woes for good. Replacing those aged pipes with modern copper or PEX not only gets rid of existing rust and corrosion, but gives you plumbing that’s designed to resist future buildup and contamination. Sure, it’s an investment – but having water flow crisp, clean, and rust-free for years makes it worth every penny.
Revive Your Pipes, Restore Your Water
You’ve tried every supposed quick fix under the sun to rid your home of that unsightly rusty tint staining fixtures and leaving an unpleasant metallic taste in drinking water. But at the end of the day, those pesky rust stains will just keep coming back with a vengeance if the root issue lies deep within your home’s pipe system itself.
Your once sturdy pipes may have turned into crumbling, corroded messes and no amount of short-term band-aid fixes can permanently mask that ugly truth. What you need is a comprehensive repiping solution to finally eliminate the rusty water nightmare once and for all.
That’s where the professionals at Fox Plumbing and Heating come in. Our team specializes in strategically replacing those failing pipes from the studs out with fresh, corrosion-resistant copper or PEX materials built to last decades. It’s an investment, sure – but one that pays endless dividends in the form of pure, stain-free water flowing clear and clean from every fixture.
When you’re finally ready to stop putting filters on your rust problems and reclaim full control of your water quality, make the call that can revive your pipes and restore your water. Dial (206) 654-4986 to request a free repiping consultation and estimate from our Fox Plumbing and Heating team. Don’t let rust reign any longer – revive those pipes and finally enjoy clean, pure water!