Why are There Specks in My Water?

When Calgarians turn on their faucet, they expect sparkling, clean, clear water to flow out. But what if that doesn’t happen? A fairly common plumbing problem is little black specks present in the water. These black flakes aren’t just alarming, they can also stick to the side of your sink, tub, and shower where you’ll need to scrub them away. When this happens, obviously something has gone amiss: but what? And how do you fix it?

Corrosion is one of the most likely culprits. Calgary has extremely hard water, and the buildup of sediment can cause corrosion in your pipes, hot water heater, and more. As your pipes slowly rust, bits of metal will flake off and wind up in the water as black specks. Typically, you’ll see these specks in the cold water line, but you may see it in the hot water as well. However, if you only see black in hot water, for example when you fill the tub or the sink, and never in the cold water, your pipes are probably not the issue. Instead, you’ll want to check your hot water tank.

Rubber Flecks.

Another common cause of black flecks is rubber plumbing parts disintegrating after years of use. If the black specks in your water are rubbery rather than metallic, this could suggest a rubber gasket, washer, supply hose has worn away and failed.

How to Fix It.

This is going to be one job where you’ll want the help of a trusted, Calgary plumber. We completely understand that no one wants black specks of anything in their water, which is why our plumbers will need to carefully inspect your hot water tank and plumbing system to find the cause. It’s possible that we’ll be able to simply repair the damage, or you may need to replace your heater or some pipes. Either way, our Calgary plumbers are here to help.

Is more than just water coming out of your faucet? The friendly Calgary plumbers at Plumbing Paramedics have the expertise you need to get everything running smoothly again. Call us today.