One of the worst things that homeowners experience is turning on their faucet and seeing brown water. This can be extremely alarming and have you wondering what’s going on with your home. It’s important to identify the source of the issue and respond quickly to protect the integrity of your plumbing system and your drinking water.
Is Brown Water Dangerous?
Probably the first question that pops into your mind when you start seeing that brown water flowing out of your faucet is whether it’s safe or not. A lot of times, brown water is not considered immediately harmful. However, it’s important to realize that it does contain sediment, rust, and other mineral buildup.
You should avoid drinking, bathing, washing, or cooking with brown water. Even though it’s not highly dangerous, it can leave behind staining on your fixtures and fabrics. You should avoid running your appliances, like your washing machine or even your dishwasher, until the problem can be repaired.
City Water Supply Problem
One likely cause of brown water in your home is a problem with the city water supply. If there’s a water flow direction change or pressure shifts inside your city piping, it can release sediment that’s settled at the bottom of the pipe. This sediment can mix into your water and flow through your faucets.
If there’s construction nearby or a hydrant was recently flushed for a water main break, you could have brown water. It can be helpful to check with your neighbors and visit your water utility provider’s website to determine if the issue lies with the city water supply.
Corroded Piping
With many older homes throughout the Denver region, it’s no surprise that corroded piping is typically responsible for a lot of brown water issues. Many homes built before the 1960s have galvanized steel piping. These are well known to corrode internally over time. As rust flakes build up inside your piping, they’ll eventually break loose into the water. You may notice discoloration that persists for days on end. In many cases, you’ll need to simply upgrade those outdated pipes to get rid of the rust that’s entering your water.
Water Heater Issues
When you first start noticing that you have a brown tint to your water, it’s important to check both your hot and cold faucets. Sometimes the issue may be simply restricted to your hot water. This can happen when sediment builds up over time inside your water heater tank. If you don’t get your water heater flushed routinely, rust and other debris can accumulate inside the tank.
This debris will enter your hot water and lead to discoloration. Sometimes, we may be able to repair faulty internal components, like a failing anode rod, and flush your water heater. In cases of severe internal pipe corrosion, we’ll typically need to replace the entire water heater.
Post-Plumbing Repairs
It’s pretty common for homeowners who have older homes to experience an increase in sediment after getting plumbing repairs. Anytime that you have work done on your plumbing system, it can disturb any sediment that’s currently inside your pipes. This will force the sediment into your water and will cause discoloration.
Some common triggers for this sediment introduction into your water include repiping, water heater replacement, and shut-off valve repairs. This typically only causes temporary discoloration and will go away after running your water for a few minutes.
A Step-by-Step Treatment Guide
When you first notice brown water coming out of your faucets, it’s important to determine whether it’s a widespread problem or isolated. Start by checking both the hot and cold water for your fixture to see if the problem is with one or both. If the discoloration happens when you’re using the hot water, it’s a key indicator that you have an underlying water heater issue.
It can be helpful to check all the different fixtures throughout your home to see if you’re experiencing the issue at just one or all of them. If the problem is just at one fixture, it could indicate internal corrosion at that particular fixture. It can be helpful to let the water run for several minutes to see if the discoloration weakens or goes away.
If you still have discolored water after running your faucet for a few minutes, it can be helpful to check with your neighbors to see if they’re experiencing the same issue. You can also check your municipal water supply’s website to see if they’re reporting a water main break or another issue that could be affecting your water quality.
If there isn’t a problem with your city’s water supply, then it’s necessary to call on a plumber for further assistance. You should always avoid doing laundry, washing dishes, or anything else, as the brown water can permanently stain your items.
Tips on Preventing Future Problems
It’s completely true that you can’t eliminate your risk of experiencing brown water in your Denver home. However, there are many things you can do to greatly minimize it. One of the most important things is to schedule annual water heater maintenance. This ensures that your tank gets fully flushed out to remove any built-up sediment and helps extend the lifespan of your water heater.
Getting routine plumbing inspections can help to detect problems with your system before they turn into major issues. It’s also great for giving you the necessary insight into the state of all your plumbing system’s components. For example, if you have an older Denver home, our plumber may recommend updating your aging galvanized piping. By upgrading your outdated piping that’s likely deteriorating on the inside, with a material like copper or PEX, you can completely eliminate rust-related discoloration.
High water pressure can create several different issues for your home, including accelerating pipe corrosion. It’s pretty common for a lot of municipal water supplies to have a higher pressure than what’s necessary for residential piping systems. If your water pressure is above 60 PSI, it’s a good idea to consider investing in a pressure reducing valve, or PRV for short. This simply reduces the pressure of incoming water so that it doesn’t damage your plumbing system.
Another useful tactic is to install whole-home water treatment systems. A whole-home water softener system is great for removing excess calcium and magnesium from your water supply. Water with a high mineral content can accelerate corrosion of your piping and plumbing fixtures. A water softener will ensure that your mineral content is within a safe range to extend the longevity of your plumbing system.
Additionally, considering a whole home water filter will further help to reduce sediment, minerals, and iron present in your water before they reach your plumbing fixtures. It’s also a good rule of thumb to flush out your home’s plumbing system after any maintenance or repairs are done to your local municipal water supply. You can easily flush your system by running your cold water for several minutes to get rid of any discoloration in your line.
Expert Plumbing Repair Services
Summit Heating, A/C, Plumbing & Electrical provides expert plumbing repair services for Denver, CO and the surrounding communities. We also provide exceptional plumbing inspections, installations, replacements, and sewer services.
Contact us today to schedule your next service appointment with one of our highly experienced plumbers in Denver.
