Rusty water

[peeps4life]

I just had a new water heater installed hours ago. From every faucet (showers, sinks, dishwasher, washing machine) i am getting rusty water that leaves a slimy film. what's the deal? i have had the water running for almost an hour straight and no change.

[jadnashua]

Shutting off, draining, then restarting a water distribution system in a house can dislodge lots of crud...What kind of pipes are in the house? Galvanized steel, copper, cpvc, pex?

Depending on your water, type of pipes, and if you treat it, there could be all sorts of crud in the pipes.

[peeps4life]

they are copper pipes. what is the solution to this? i've already been out of my house for a week waiting to get this installed. i'm going out of my mind.

[Gary Swart]

How about the nipples going into the tank, the supply line from the street, and/or shutoff valve(s)? It only takes a small piece of steel to discolor water, and this often happens after the pipes have been disturbed. You have to have some steel somewhere, copper, brass, and CPVC do not rust. You might want to flush the tank. Be sure to turn off the power (electricity or gas) before draining and do not restore power until the tank is completely refilled. Turn on a hot water faucet to allow air in when draining and to expel air when filling. When water flows freely, the tank is full.