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    Agnes Marsala's Avatar
    Agnes Marsala Posts: 3, Reputation: 1
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    #1

    Nov 2, 2009, 02:28 PM
    Hot water is gray
    Today I turned on my shower and the hot water ran out gray and cloudy. I tried the hot water in the bathroom sink and it was also gray and cloudy. Then I checked the hot water in the kitchen sink. It was a little cloudy but after I set a glass of it on the counter, in a few seconds it was no longer cloudy. The bathroom is upstairs and the house is extremely old, maybe 200 or 300 years old although the plumbing probably isn't that old :).
    I rent and my landlord makes me pay a $150.00 deductible. Is this a serious health risk? I don't know how many more cold showers I can stand.
    speedball1's Avatar
    speedball1 Posts: 29,301, Reputation: 1939
    Eternal Plumber
    		  
    #2

    Nov 2, 2009, 03:38 PM
    Tell me about your water heater. Gas or electric? Is it a old heater? Is it maintained an flushed on a regular schedule? Who is responsible for your units maintenance? Let me know. Tom
    Agnes Marsala's Avatar
    Agnes Marsala Posts: 3, Reputation: 1
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    #3

    Nov 3, 2009, 10:18 AM

    I rent but in my lease I have a $150.00 deductible for each event. The Water Heater is maybe 2 years old. It's electric and I have a whole house filter installed before the heater. I've never flushed it so no, it's not flushed regularly, I suppose I'm responsible for the maintenance, but being a single, middle-age woman, I'm not that handy. The thing I find strangew is it's only in the upstairs bathroom, not the kitchen.
    speedball1's Avatar
    speedball1 Posts: 29,301, Reputation: 1939
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    #4

    Nov 3, 2009, 05:46 PM
    The thing I find strangew is it's only in the upstairs bathroom, not the kitchen.
    Do you have gray water in both the lavatory and the tub/shower valves? Once we resolve the gray water I'll show you how to flush your heater. It's easy! Cheers, Tom
    Agnes Marsala's Avatar
    Agnes Marsala Posts: 3, Reputation: 1
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    #5

    Nov 4, 2009, 12:03 PM

    The gray water is in both the lavatory sink and tub/shower hot water valves. Not in the cold water or the toilet. By the way can I indicate you are being very helpful and patient even though my initial question remains unanswered?
    speedball1's Avatar
    speedball1 Posts: 29,301, Reputation: 1939
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    #6

    Nov 4, 2009, 05:50 PM
    Thanks Agnes,
    You have a unusual problem. Let's see if we can localize it. Remove the aerator from the lavatory faucet. Is there anything there that doesn't belong? Does the hot water have a odor? If everything checks out do you think you could shut the water off at the water heater, open up the tub valve, have someone turn the hot water for a few moments to flush the line and then draw a glass of hot water out of the open tub valve? Is the water still gray? Let me know, Tom
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