Rusty water related to brass pex fittings??

[ntbrinkl]

I am under contract on a home in central NC. Home inspection found murky/rusty water coming from most faucets in the house. The inspector verbally told me it was hot and cold doing it(mainly hot) then the inspection report read just hot. The hot water heater is original (2005) and probably full of sediment/rust. The inspector thinks it is bad pex brass fittings due to the year the house was built. I’m having a hard time believing fittings could put that much color to the water.

Can faulty brass fittings put that much brown residue in the water?
The pex fittings under the house so only a little corrosion. Not near as bad as some I’ve seen online.
I am hoping it is just the hot water heater but the inspector thinks I need to change out every fitting in the entire house. House is 4100 sqft.

 

[ntbrinkl]

Brass fittings look to have “sb” with a circle around it. I’ll try to post the photo from my computer right now it’s too big to post.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Jeff H Young]

inspector might be correct about some crappy brass fittings but Id disagree that would make rusty water. does it have city water or well ? maybe test the water

 

[Gsmith22]

brass is an alloy of copper and zinc with trace amounts of other metals. there was a period where brass pex fittings had zinc being corroded easily called brass dezincification but you would see that on the fittings because they would be pitted and leaking. copper corrodes with a blue-green color; zinc not sure but I don't think it turns rusty colored. rusty looking water throughout the house at all fixtures wouldn't be from any type of brass corrosion and most likely from an iron source. what in the path of the water has iron? if its in both hot and cold, then it probably comes from something on the cold water side.

 

[ntbrinkl]

inspector might be correct about some crappy brass fittings but Id disagree that would make rusty water. does it have city water or well ? maybe test the water

It is on city water in a large fairly new city. What kind of water test? I’ve seen a ton on the market. Some are instant strips some are send offs.

 

[ntbrinkl]

brass is an alloy of copper and zinc with trace amounts of other metals. there was a period where brass pex fittings had zinc being corroded easily called brass dezincification but you would see that on the fittings because they would be pitted and leaking. copper corrodes with a blue-green color; zinc not sure but I don't think it turns rusty colored. rusty looking water throughout the house at all fixtures wouldn't be from any type of brass corrosion and most likely from an iron source. what in the path of the water has iron? if its in both hot and cold, then it probably comes from something on the cold water side.

I haven’t had a chance to look thru much of the water system yet, but the guy put on a nice water filtration system only 3 years ago. But after the water gets to the house I’ve only seen pex. No metal plumbing. I’m wondering if he start to notice the rusty water 3 years ago(water heater would’ve been 16 years old) and added the filtration system.

 

[Reach4]

Tell us about the water filtration system. Have you changed the cartridge? What cartridge does it use?

I would consider talking to the water department about what might cause this.

 

[Michael Young]

I am under contract on a home in central NC. Home inspection found murky/rusty water coming from most faucets in the house. The inspector verbally told me it was hot and cold doing it(mainly hot) then the inspection report read just hot. The hot water heater is original (2005) and probably full of sediment/rust. The inspector thinks it is bad pex brass fittings due to the year the house was built. I’m having a hard time believing fittings could put that much color to the water.

Can faulty brass fittings put that much brown residue in the water?
The pex fittings under the house so only a little corrosion. Not near as bad as some I’ve seen online.
I am hoping it is just the hot water heater but the inspector thinks I need to change out every fitting in the entire house. House is 4100 sqft.

Check your pressure. above 80psi, install a new whole house shutoff and PRV
Replace that old water heater and install a new expansion tank at the same time.

sounds like a water heater issue. The thing is 16 years old. Life expectancy is only 8-12 years. Get that thing out of there. Your anode rod is GONE. at a rate of 1/4" per year sediment in the bottom of that heater, you likely have a 4-6" layer of sediment that has settled at the bottom of the tank. Every time you use the hot water, the water from the dip tube is stirring up the layer of crap on the bottom of your water heater. No big surprise you have discoloration.

If its a gas heater, replace it with a tankless
if its an electric heater, replace it with a hybrid

READ the handbook that comes with your new heater and set reminders on your phone to service the equipment.

 

[Jeff H Young]

water heater is 19 years old so Id concider a replacement shortly after move in first year or 2

 

[ntbrinkl]

Thanks for the responses!
1. Don’t have any info on the filtration system yet. Trying to get that now.
2. Inspector sited low water pressure in the majority of the house.
3. It is currently a gas heater in the garage with direct vent. How hard would it be for me(not a plumber but handy, rebuilt cars, weld, etc) to replace with tankless?
4. Yes the plan is to replace it as soon as we get there or negotiate him to do it before closing.

 

[Jeff H Young]

tankless can require a bigger gas line as it typically requires arond 4 or 5 times as much gas instead of arond 40k btu you might need 200k btu supply. So it can be done by DIY might take awhile . it wouldnt be unusual to require a bigger gas line dont let that scare you but be aware
Didnt notice a report of low pressure or low flow often I wonder what that issue is ?