When everything is working perfectly with your plumbing, your water comes out of the faucet clean and clear, ready for you to drink or otherwise use. But what about those times when you turn on the faucet and what comes out looks like some weird flavor of Kool-Aid? Is it time to call for a plumbing repair service to come to your home in Minneapolis, MN?
Unfortunately, problems with your plumbing can sometimes result in impurities in your water, which can lead to some rather undesirable colors coming from the faucet. The color change, however, is actually a good thing, because it can tell you exactly what’s wrong with your water and whether you need to call a plumbing repair service ASAP or not. Learn what different colors really mean here!
Red, Orange or Yellow
If your water is coming out as one of these colors, there’s a good chance that one of your pipes has rusted. If you’ve got galvanized steel for your pipes, this is one of the most likely issues that can occur. When your water comes out red, orange or yellow, there’s good news and bad news.
The good news is that you don’t have to call for an emergency plumbing repair service, because rust doesn’t mean that your water is unsafe to drink. However, the bad news is that you won’t be able to use your washer and dryer until you do get a plumber on the premises, because rust-colored water can stain your clothes, especially your whites. Plus, you won’t want to wait too long before calling for plumbing help, because rusty pipes means that you probably don’t have long before that corrosion turns into a broken pipe or worse.
It’s not an emergency if your water comes out red, orange or yellow, but if you want to avoid problems with your pipes, you definitely shouldn’t wait too long before calling for a plumbing repair service.
Blue-Green
Much like with red, orange and yellow water, blue-green water means that you’ve got some kind of metal in your water. In this case, the culprit is copper or brass, and unlike with rust, you actually do have an emergency on your hands.
That’s because blue-green water can cause some serious problems with gastrointestinal problems and other diseases. Your liver, kidneys and stomach are all at risk from ingesting copper, so if you see water that looks like the color of the Statue of Liberty, don’t wait. You need to contact an emergency plumbing repair service for your home right away.
Black
Black water is the most obvious sign that there’s a serious problem, and that’s a good thing because it’s perhaps the most serious problem with your water: the likely presence of mold.
Even breathing mold can be toxic to people who are sensitive to it, and if you accidentally ingest mold, you’re probably going to feel pretty sick the next day. As soon as you see dark water come out of your pipes, it’s automatic: place a call to a plumbing repair service right away.
Pink
This is one of the most rare colors to see coming out of your faucet, as it usually only happens when chemicals are being added to your water. These chemicals are designed to kill bacteria and remove contaminants from your water, so pink water isn’t going to hurt you if you drink it.
Nor will you need to call for a plumber to come visit your home in Minneapolis, MN, as it poses no health risks. The only possible issue might come if you have sensitive skin and try to take a bath, as it might cause skin irritation in some people. In this case, simply run your water through your pipes for a half-hour or so to clear things out before you bathe.
Green
Remember, this isn’t the same as blue-green water. Green water indicates the presence of algae, which means that there’s probably some kind of problem with your pipes. If algae is getting in, your pipes probably aren’t closed off properly, so you’ll likely need to get your water treated and have a plumbing repair service come out at their earliest convenience.
Remember, just because algae is a naturally occurring microbe doesn’t mean that it’s safe for you to ingest it. Just like you wouldn’t want to drink water directly from the pond, if you see green water coming out of your pipes, don’t risk it; call for a plumber to spot and remove the algae right away.
Blue
Again different from blue-green water, blue water is a serious problem. This likely means that a chemical from your toilet has leaked into your pipes, causing a discoloration after cleaning out your toilet. Unfortunately, you can probably guess what kind of problems might come with ingesting this kind of chemical. Don’t take any chances here; contact a plumber to come to your home right away.
Will Boiling Your Water Help?
Contrary to popular belief, boiling water isn’t a solution to everything. If you’re under a boil-water advisory, you should be boiling water so that you kill any harmful bacteria that might be present in your water. But if your water is simply discolored, boiling it won’t really help anything as far as the color. You might be able to kill algae if your water is green, but in the long run, you simply need to call for a plumbing repair service and prevent further problems from occurring.
At Paul Bunyan Plumbing & Drains, we’re used to treating many different colors of water that might come out of your faucet, and when you see something that doesn’t look right, we’ll be happy to help clean things up. Our plumbing repair service will pinpoint the issue, remove and repair what caused the problem and explain to you what exactly happened with your pipes. For plumbing repairs at your Minneapolis, MN home that you can trust, call Paul Bunyan Plumbing & Drains today!
