Why Is Rusty Water Coming Out of My Faucet?

Picture this: You go to turn on your faucet or hop in the shower when suddenly the water coming from your pipes is a rusty color! Your first thoughts might be that you’re living out a scene in a horror story or that the community’s water is somehow now contaminated. Thankfully, neither of those scenarios is true.

Rusty water is more common than you might think—it isn’t harmful to your health, but it may require plumbing replacement in Colorado Springs, CO. Reddish-brown water can either be caused by external or internal factors. Continue reading to learn a bit more about each.

External causes

Rust and other sediment accumulate in the water mains in your neighborhood. When any work on those mains is being performed or the hydrants are being flushed, some of that sediment can be forced into the water supply of nearby homes.

In this scenario, the water will be discolored when you use hot or cold water. It’ll also be that rusty color in every faucet throughout the house.

Internal causes

If the rusty-colored water is only present in one faucet or is only that color when the hot water is on, the problem lies within your plumbing system. If the water is discolored in a single faucet, the pipes near that tap are rusty and may need plumbing replacement in Colorado Springs, CO.

Rust coming from only hot water indicates that there’s sediment buildup in the water heater. While this doesn’t necessarily mean the water heater needs to be replaced, it should be looked at by a plumber.

What should I do?

There’s not much you can do if the cause of the discolored water is external—the problem should clear up on its own within a few hours. During that time, though, don’t do any laundry or run the hot water. Doing laundry could permanently stain your clothes, and using hot water may affect the water heater.

If the cold water is affected at a few faucets throughout the house, your plumbing system could be rusty. Needless to say, that’s not a good thing! Running the water for 20 minutes or so might address the problem by flushing out any small rust flakes that broke off in the pipe. If the problem persists, call a plumber for an inspection.

As mentioned above, the water heater might also be to blame. Before calling a plumber, drain the tank and flush it out. This process should remove any sediment and clear up the issue once the tank refills. If the water is still discolored, call a plumber to take a look.

How can Affordable Rooter help?

If the rusty water is caused by an internal problem, we’re the team for the job. We specialize in both water heater repair and plumbing replacement in Colorado Springs, CO. Give us a call right away if you believe the rusty water is caused by your pipes or water heater. We’ll send a professional plumber out right away to diagnose and repair the issue.