Rusty/ \Murky hot water

[csxthogger]

I have a whirlpool 40 gal gas water heater about 6 yrs old. a week ago the hot and only hot water turned red almost overnight. the cold is crystal clear yet. I have city water, galvanized piping and a softener. I flushed the heater and rinsed several times till the water turned clear. Refilled and started the heater up, water ran clear for about 2-3 days now it is red ,greenis, yellowish, but not all the time. Is the tank rusting? any info would help, thanks

 

[Caduceus]

From the info that you gave I would have to think that the hot water tank is to blame. Your tank may not seem to be very old, but the water softener that you have will promote early deterioration of the HWT anode and then premature corrosion of the tank body and connections. If you have a softener, the anode may need to be replaced every 2-3 years. Sounds like your hot water tank needs a thorough inspection of the body, jacket, flue, T&P valve and water supply connections. If there are no other signs of leaks or corrosion, I would recommend a flush of the tank and an anode replacement. If the tank is already too damaged and a replacement is necessary, take measures for future replacement of the anode or have another one added to protect your tank.
I'm not sure if these tasks are within your abilities, so let us know if you are a DIYer and maybe I could find a DIY video link to post for you.

 

[Caduceus]

I would also add that the galvanized piping may be another issue, but have the hot water tank taken care of first.

 

[hotwaterhelp]

Sorry to see you're having problems! Can you contact me directly so I can help?
Whirlpool Water Heaters Product Support
Thanks! ~ Chris