Water discoloration can be troubling, because it makes it seem like your Middletown home’s water is unclean. While sometimes discolored water can be cause for concern, other times it has pretty mundane origins.
Check out these common causes of discolored water:
- Yellow/brown/reddish water is usually caused by rust, either in the water mains that run from the waiter supply or the pipes in your home. If the water is only discolored momentarily when you first turn the water on, it is probably rust in your pipes that gets flushed out quickly. If it persists longer, it may be rust that was stirred up in the water mains. Turn a few of your cold taps on for several minutes, or just turn the tap off and wait about thirty minutes.
- Water that appears white or cloudy often does so because of trapped air bubbles. Air that is under pressure in your pipes gets released when you turn the tap on, which causes tiny bubbles, just like in a bottle of soda. This has no effect on your water’s quality. The discoloration should dissipate after standing for a few minutes.
- Sometimes water appears to have a greenish hue, especially when standing under fluorescent light. This is sometimes due to tiny copper traces from the piping in your home, or — depending on the climate — seasonal algae blooms in the local water supply. Either way, this green color is usually harmless.
- Blue water can occur for a few reasons. One is severe copper corrosion in the plumbing system, which leeches into the pipes. A second cause can be toilet cleaner. If you use a cleaning product in your toilet tank, sometimes that can cause your tap water to turn blue. If you suspect this is the case, do not drink that water and immediately call a local professional. The chemicals in such cleaners can be toxic and hazardous to your health.
Keep in mind that those are some of the most common causes of discolored water. There can be others, and if you are unsure, you should have the situation checked out by the professionals at Boulden Brothers.
