Our well is 2 years old, as are the 2 water heaters, UV filter and water softener. 2 days ago our hot water started coming out brown. The cold water is fine. This is happening in both water heaters and they are not connected.

I drained both water heaters and there was no sludge. I ran hot water until the water heaters ran out and then the water ran clear. A few hours later the hot water was brown again.

I heated some cold water on the stove and when heated it remained clear!

I'm stumped!

Hi Kdub...

Sorry to say, but it sounds to me like you could have a new abundance of IRON in the well water and the presence of it is allowing iron bacterium to proliferate in the water heaters (due to the heat) and they are producing a byproduct that shows up as a rust color...

You could try SHOCK CHLORINATION to the well, but that is only a short term answer and will NOT usually fix the overall issue in the end.

I have to strongly recommend that you contact some local well companies or even better some quality water testing companies and see what they think. Here, get 3 estimates minimum as I have seen very different pricing and very different solutions to the issue.

I hope I am wrong here, but those heaters are too new for ANODE rod issues, so I'm thinking I'm probably right.

Finally, this is NOT an emergency by any means, but that rusty colored water will eventually start to stain things and gunk faucets/valves/washing machines/dishwashers etc. up around the house, so I would get started talking to people soon.

Wait for a few of the other guys to come in on this, too. We have some pretty knowledgable well guys here.

Questions? Let me know, OK?

Mark

PS: The cold water did not turn the rusty color when heated because the bacteria that cause the color change are busy being very happy with the new abundance of iron in the well water IN THE WATER HEATERS ONLY. Here, the higher temperatures of the water heater make for a perfect breeding ground for the bacterium to proliferate easily.