What you can safely check first
A simple test tells you whether it's the water heater at all, and it takes a few minutes.
- Run the cold water at a tub faucet for a few minutes. If it's brown too, it's probably not your water heater.
- If both are brown and there's been work on the street, run the cold water until it clears. Call your water utility if it doesn't.
- If only the hot water is brown, check the label on the heater for its age. That helps decide between a repair and a replacement.
What might be behind it
More than one thing can cause this, which is why the plumber finds the cause first.
A worn anode rod. The anode rod protects the tank from rust. Once it's used up, the tank starts to rust on the inside and the hot water turns brown. Caught early, the tank can often be saved.
A tank that's rusting through. An older tank with rust coming through the water, especially with popping noises or a leak, is near the end of its life.
The supply or old pipes. If the cold water is brown too, the heater isn't the cause. Work on a city main or older galvanized pipes in the house can stir up rust.
How we fix it
We compare the hot and cold supply and inspect the heater before recommending work. The anode, tank condition and supply pipes may each need a different response. We explain whether maintenance, a part repair or further pipe investigation fits the findings.
Depending on the cause, the relevant services are water heater repair or water heater replacement.
Where we fix it
Our plumbing shop is at 910 Cable St in Conroe. We also serve the surrounding towns. Check our plumbing service area and ZIP codesbefore requesting a visit.