TOP 10 WATER QUALITY ISSUES IN YOUR HOME
 

Black Specks
The black specks can be one of two things, either the deterioration of rubber gaskets in the plumbing or manganese precipitating into the water. If the specks can be smeared between your fingers, then it is a deteriorating gasket. Observe where you are seeing black specks and replace the gasket. If this does not help, and the water has a brownish-black color, it may be manganese. Call us to let us know. We may need to flush the water main distribution lines servicing your home. You may also want to consider a home water treatment filter unit to remove manganese from your water.

White Specks
White specks in your water are most likely caused either by deterioration of the dip tube in your hot water heater or calcium precipitate. Place the white specks in vinegar. If they float, it is a deteriorating dip tube and you need to replace it. If the specks react by fizzing in the vinegar, it is calcium precipitate. You can flush the lines in your home by letting water run freely out of the faucets for a few minutes. You may also want to consider a home water treatment filter unit to remove calcium from your water.

Brownish-Colored Water
This may indicate the presence of sediment resulting from pipe corrosion and/or work performed on water lines nearby. Call us to flush the lines near your home.

Reddish-Brown or Rusty Water
Rusty-brown water may be caused by rusty internal plumbing, the service line leading to you home or your hot water tank. Try letting the water run for a few minutes to clear the water. If that doesn’t work, call us to flush the distribution lines near your home. You may want to refrain from doing laundry if your water appears rusty, since rust can stain your clothes.

Cloudy Water
Cloudy water is usually caused by tiny air bubbles in the water similar to gas bubbles in carbonated drinks. Wait a few minutes to see if the bubbles don’t clear up. If they do not, call us, and we will come out to take a sample for testing.

Sulfur Smell
A rotten egg or sulfur smell usually indicates bacteria growing in your drain or water heater. Disinfect the drain with a household-cleaning agent such as bleach. If that doesn’t work, it may be in the water heater. Turning the temperature of the water heater up very high for a short period of time will disinfect the water and neutralize the smell. Don’t forget to turn the temperature back down to prevent scalding.

Pink/Orange Stain
A pink or orange stain is a naturally occurring airborne bacteria. These bacteria thrive on moisture, dust and phosphates and are harmless to most people, but can cause urinary tract infections, wound infections or pneumonia in some. Often, the pinkish color appears during and after new construction or remodeling activities. The stain can easily be wiped off with a disinfectant. Use care with abrasives that can scratch your fixtures. Keeping the bathroom fixtures wiped down and dry will help minimize the occurrence of this bacteria.

Strong Chlorine Smell and Taste

A strong chlorine taste or odor is not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, it is an indication that your water is thoroughly disinfected. In March, April or May, a stronger chlorine scent and taste may be detected due to our annual flushing of the lines, when a stronger form of chlorine is used for disinfection. Keeping an open container of water in the refrigerator to allow the chlorine taste and smell to dissipate will help alleviate the heavy chlorine taste.

Low Pressure

Temporary low pressure can be caused by heavy water use in your area, such as lawn watering, fire-fighting, maintenance or construction. In these cases, pressure will be restored after the high-water-use activity is completed. Permanent low pressure can be caused by several things, including the elevation of your home compared to the elevation of the water tanks; the pipes servicing your home being too small; or scale buildup in the pipes in your home, leaving little room for the water to flow. This is more common in older homes.

If you have low pressure at all the faucets in the house, check your main valve located next to your water meter. This valve is turned counter clockwise to open. If you have low pressure on a certain faucet there may be a separate valve under the sink that has been partially closed, or the screen on the end of your faucet may need to be cleaned or replaced. If you have checked all of these things and pressure is still not restored, call us to check it out.