Many of us take for granted that there will be clear water when we turn the tap on. But sometimes, you turn your faucet on, only for icky brown water gushing out. There are a couple of common causes of brown water, two of which we will outline for you today – along with when you need to call a Calgary plumber to get it fixed. Here’s what you need to know.

Disturbed Minerals and Sediments

Often, the most common cause of brown water is a disturbance of the minerals or sediment in the water – or an excess of them. These sediments and minerals are naturally occurring – both in the water and in your pipes, but they can, on occasion, become dislodged and discolour your water.

If your home has undergone construction or if there’s been work done on the main water line (or if either of those are going on nearby), then that could be the cause of the disturbance that’s turned your water brown. Usually, this problem corrects itself within a few hours.

Your Pipes are Rusty

One of the other common causes of brown water is rusty pipes. Although your plumbing system has a long lifespan, that doesn’t mean it’s free from the threat of corrosion. If that corrosion becomes bad enough, the rust can extend into the interiors of your pipes, causing the water to turn a brown, rusty colour.

If rusty pipes cause brown water in your home, then it will only get worse with time. Eventually, your pipes will corrode to the point where they’ll leak. You’re going to need a local Calgary plumber to come to investigate and replace your pipes if rusty pipes are behind your brown water emergency.

When to Call a Calgary Plumber

If your home has brown water and it persists for more than a few hours, than you need to call in Calgary plumber to fix the problem at its source. Especially if the cause is corroded pipes, then you are looking at a possibly expensive fix down the line if they start leaking.

Brown water is a cause for alarm. That’s why you need a reliable Calgary plumber to help you out. Give Crowfoot Home Services a call today!

If you’ve looked at your water heater’s manual, then you probably know that it’s recommended that you drain your water heater at least once every six months to a year. It’s a regular part of water heater repair and maintenance here in Calgary.

The reason that you do this is to help remove any sediment that’s built up within your water heater from the minerals and other particulates in the water. The build-up can cause your water heater to work harder to heat the water, which uses more energy and costs you more money in the long run.

Before You Start

Now, before you get started, you want to know where the shut-off valve for your home is located. You might not need to use it, but when doing any kind of plumbing maintenance, it’s important to know where this is located in case of something going wrong.

It’s recommended that you shut your water heater off several hours in advance of draining it, thus letting the water in the tank cool down before you drain. You will still probably want to use heavy rubber gloves and safety gloves if you do this yourself.

The Steps

  1. Perform a Quick Flush
  2. Turn Off the Water Heater (if you haven’t already)
  3. Open the drain valve
  4. Clean the sediment
  5. Turn on your water heater
  6. Relight the water heater
  7. Check the drain valve

By following the above seven steps, you will have successfully drained your water heater. There are a couple of other details that you might want to know, so if you find the process daunting or overwhelming, then you’ll probably want to call in a professional for water heater repair here in Calgary. If so, then give Crowfoot Home Services a call today!