What Should You Do If You See Red Flakes in Your Tap Water?
Plumbing is designed to develop as little rust as possible. Unfortunately, even the best seals can't hold up against corrosion forever, especially if your home has metal plumbing. Steel, galvanized metal, and copper can all develop internal corrosion over time, but it can be impossible to spot from the outside until it's eaten through the side of a pipe or connection. The first signs are often:
Red flakes in the water,
Rust around your water heater, or
A metallic taste.
Take these three steps when you get your first hint that rust might be forming out of sight:
NARROW DOWN WHICH TAPS HAVE A RUST ISSUE.
Rust shouldn't develop everywhere at once. In fact, if it does, that could be a sign that something is wrong with the municipal water system or your main water line. Instead, test out the taps throughout your home. Hot water taps are far more likely to develop rust because the heated water aggravates oxidation and, through it, corrosion.
If there are just one or two offenders, you may be able to get a simple fix by talking to a plumber over the phone or scrubbing out the faucet.
GET YOUR PIPES INSPECTED.
Once you suspect there's rust, get a final answer to remove all doubt. The faster plumbers can remove and replace rusty pipes, the less time the rust has to spread. Fast action also means you're much less likely to have a leak and water damage.
DECIDE IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A FIX THAT WILL LAST SEVERAL YEARS OR A LIFETIME.
Replacing rusted metal pipes gives your plumbing several years before new rust is likely to start forming again. But if you know you're living in your forever home, this could be a good opportunity to start replacing the cast iron and steel with copper.
As always, if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to connect with our team.
-A R Engh Team