It’s pretty nasty to turn your tap on, only for icky brown water to come spewing out. There are two main causes for brown water and you don’t always require a plumbing repair in Calgary. Here’s what you need to know about the common causes of brown water and when you need to call in a plumbing repair.

Mineral Disturbances

The most common cause of brown water is an excessive amount of minerals or sediment in the water that’s been disturbed. Now, these minerals and sediments are naturally occurring in both the water and your pipes, but they can occasionally become dislodged and discolour your water.

If you’ve had construction done either on your home or the main water line – or if there’s construction happening nearby – then that could be the cause of the disturbance. If that’s the case, it usually corrects itself within a few hours.

Rusty Pipes

The second most common cause of brown water is that your pipes have corroded due to rust. While plumbing usually has a pretty long lifespan, corrosion does occur. If the corrosion within your plumbing system becomes bad enough, the rust begins to extend into the interiors of your pipes, causing the water that comes out of your taps to turn brown.

If rusty pipes are the cause of brown water within your home, then it’s only going to get worse with time. Eventually, your pipes will corrode to the point where they will begin to leak. You need to call a plumber to investigate and locate where the corroded sections of pipe are to properly repair your pipes and keep the problem from recurring.

When to Call for a Plumbing Repair in Calgary

If brown water is a persistent problem for you – or if it lasts longer than a few hours – then you need to make a call for a plumbing repair. A plumbing repair will catch the problem at its source and resolve it, so calling in a local Calgary plumber is the right choice.

Looking for a solid plumbing repair company here in Calgary? Then you need to call Westhills today!

You might not think that it’s a problem at first, but there are a couple of reasons why hard water causes issues. That’s why you need to have a serious chat with your local Calgary plumber about your options for solutions to your hard water dilemma.

Common Problems of Hard Water

One of the biggest reasons hard water is such a problem is its reaction to cleaning products, how it creates soap build-up, and how it wears fixtures and appliances down much faster than soft water. The most common problems associated with hard water include:

Scale build-up within water supply pipes, which restricts water flow
Scale and film build-up on tiles and fixtures
Scale deposits shorten the lifespan of water heaters
Spots or film on “clean” dishes and glasses
Less effective at washing clothes, due to lack of suds
Increased wear on clothes during washing

The Effects of Hard Water on Plumbing

It’s important to know that the build-up caused by hard water on fixtures is only a part of the problems it causes. That’s because the minerals in hard water also cause build-up within your pipes, appliances, and fixtures over time. It’s the build-up that we can’t see that’s the serious problem.

These build-ups can cause many problems, including reduced water flow, clogs, and increased stress on pipes, fixtures, and appliances. Plus, the build-up on the interiors of your appliances can cause them to operate at a lower level of efficiency and wear down much faster. Thus, if you’ve got hard water, you’re going to have to deal with your fixtures and appliances operating less efficiently over time and have to deal with frequent repairs and, possibly, replacements.

If you’ve got hard water, it’s a serious problem where you need to talk to a Calgary plumber about your potential solutions. For those looking for a solution to their hard water problems, Westhills has you covered. Give us a call today!

If a plumbing emergency happens to you, it’s vital that you know what to do. This can help ease some of the panic and anxiety you might have during a plumbing emergency and potentially help you avoid extensive repairs. Of course, handling a plumbing emergency includes knowing when to call an emergency plumber. But there are other steps you can take; here’s what you need to know about handling a plumbing emergency.

Turn Off the Water

Your first step in a plumbing emergency is to do your best to identify the source of the problem and shut off its water supply. Now, that might be as simple as shutting off the water that supplies your toilet, but it can easily mean having to go and shut off the main valve that supplies your home.

Turn Your Water Heater Off

Even if it isn’t a part of the problem, turning off your water heater should be the next step when faced with a plumbing emergency. Doing so will protect your water heater from further damage and can help mitigate the damage that might be caused if your water heater should rupture or overheat.

Open All Drains and Exterior Spigots

Even if you turn off the main valve that supplies water to your home, there’s still water in your pipes. To encourage that water to exit your pipes, open all of the spigots on the exterior of your home and give your garden hose a few good squirts, just to be safe.

You should also ensure that your drains are all clear, so if you have a partial clog, try removing it using a plunger. If you can’t, then you’re going to need to call in an emergency plumber for help.

Call an Emergency Plumber in Calgary

One of the absolute first steps you want to take is to call your emergency plumber of choice. It’s crucial that you make that call because you want to halt the problem and get it fixed as soon as possible so that you don’t have to deal with expensive and probably extensive repairs.

If you’ve got a plumbing emergency on your hands, then give Westhills a call today! We should be your top choice for an emergency plumber! Call us today!

Month: July 2022