No one wants to turn on their bathroom or kitchen tap to find brown or discoloured water coming out. In fact, not only is it alarming, contaminated water can also pose a health risk to your household, potentially irritating your skin and causing the discolouration of your clothes and dishes. Read on to find out why your taps could be producing brown water and what you can do about it.
What Causes Discoloured Water Coming From Taps?
The two main causes of brown or rust coloured water coming from your water taps are sediment and corrosion.
Any temporary disturbance in the public water supply, such as plumbing work or heavy rains, can cause water to come out brown or discoloured for a short period of time. This is nothing to be alarmed about and you water should soon return to its normal clear colour.
However, if your water is coming out in a more rusty/red colour that doesn’t quickly clear up, it could be a sign that there is a problem with your hot water system. If this is the case, the corrosion in the tank could quickly lead to one or more leaks which will require a whole system replacement to fix.
Sediment or Corrosion?
To check whether the discolouration in your water is caused by a temporary disturbance or corrosion in your hot water tank, simply check one of the cold water outlets in your home. This means that your hot water system either requires maintenance or a complete system replacement.
If the water runs clear, there is more than likely a problem with the hot water system. If the cold water is discoloured, it is probably due to a recent disturbance in your water supply. However, if the water discolouration persists, contact your local plumber for an assessment.
What To Do
New Hot Water Heaters
If your hot water heater is still relatively new it is unlikely that that the tank has corroded to the point where you will need to replace it. The best course of action in this case is to book your hot water system in for professional maintenance as the water discolouration could be caused by sediment build up in the bottom of the tank.
During the water heater maintenance your hot water specialist will flush out the tank with cold water to remove any sediment from inside and get your hot water system back up and running as efficiently as possible. Plus, regular hot water system maintenance will also extend the overall lifetime of the system and reduce the risk of breakdowns and repairs.
Old Hot Water Heaters
Storage tank hot water heaters will typically only last 8 – 12 years. So if your hot water heater is 10+ years old and producing discoloured water, chances are that it will need to be replaced. However, the good news is that this gives you the chance to replace your hot water system before the corrosion causes leaks in the tank and potentially causes water damage to your property.
Some other early warning signs that your old hot water heater is about to fail include:
- Inconsistent water heating
- Loud, banging noises coming from water tank
- Leaking or dampness under water tank
- Visible corrosion
If your hot water heater is showing any of these signs, contact your local hot water heater specialist immediately and prepare to have to replace your hot water system.
Hot Water Heater Repairs & Replacements
Whether your hot water heater just needs a service, some minor repairs, or a complete system replacement, Sun City Hot Water & Plumbing should be your first call. Specialising in hot water services for over 20 years, Sun City are your local hot water experts.
As a family owned and operated business we offer reliable hot water services at honest prices. Give us a call today on 1300 728 122 for all of your hot water needs.
