[cu506]

I had another question regarding white stuff coming out of the kitchen faucet. A user named John Da suggested it'd be calcium deposits and many other web sites said the same thing.

My question here is if calcium deposits in water pipe are always hard and rigid.

Mine are not. They are soft and I can smuge them.

[ballengerb1]

Calcium can be hard or soft. I saw you other post and think that you do have calcium or at least some other crud. Maybe it's a lime build up.

[cu506]

Thank you for the answer. It gave me a great relief. I didn't know Calcium could be soft.

It looks like a very small piece of wet paper. We didn't have this kind of particles before. Since I clean the filter every 2 months, the sudden build-up of the white stuff happened in 2 months.

I checked the calender and found that during that time, Direct Energy(gas company) came and changed a gasket in July. Maybe that has something to do with it. Maybe while changing, the crew banged or touched hot water pipe and made calcium build-up loosen. I don't know.

I called the gas company, too and we will take a look at the gasket tomorrow.

Also my neighbors didn't have any problem with foreign objects in their filter. I live in a townhouse.

[letmetellu]

If this was coming from the hot water side of the faucet there is a possibility that the dip tube in the water heater is deteriorating, the dip tube is in the cold water side of the water heater, it is plastic and the one that we have trouble with are usually white. They break up into small pieces some as small as a pin head and they will have almost a square shape. When they break off the float to the top of the water in the heater and then when you open a faucet they come out with the water. Most of the time they will stop in the aerator on the faucet, some time they are big enough to stop in the faucet itself.

I am not sure this if the problem but it is just another thing that happens.

[cu506]

Thank you, letmetellu.

However, we have a tankless water heater so the dip tube shouldn't be a problem.

[speedball1]

The dip tube wouldn't be a problem since the white plastic particles from the dip tube will be hard.
Sounds like you nailed it when you suggested that the hot water main may have been disturbed allowing calcium carbonate built up in the pipe walls to enter your system. Do you flush your heater out on a regular basis? If not let me show you how. For long life and fewer troubles you should keep your heater clear of mineral build-up by flushing on a regular schedule. Attach a hose to the boiler drain at the bottom of the tank. With the pressure on, open the boiler drain and let it run until the water runs clear. You will see a spurt of red,(rust) followed by white or yellow grains,(lime or calcium carbonate). This shouldn't take more then a few minutes. Do this monthly to keep it clear. Now flush out your hot water lines on ALL fixtures that are affected . Now pull each aerator and clean the screens. Be sure you put them back togather the same way you took them out. Don't forget to flush it out every month. Your heater will thank you for it. Hope this helps, Tom

[cu506]

Thank you for the answers.

My heater doesn't have a water tank. ^^ It's a tankless water heater and it heats up whenever the hot water faucet is on. My house is very small and the gas company promoted this tankless heater more efficient several years ago and the previous owners changed it.

The gas company from which we rent the heater visited my house today and found the white particles in a clear glass of water. Thank god. So I didn't need to explain all the things.

They will contact a guy who flushes and cleans the pipes. However, at this moment, we are not sure this service will be covered or we have to pay.

In the meanwhile, the Toronto water department will send the crew to test our water, too.