Small dark flakes coming out of faucets?

[speedbump]

Black flecks like this are common in well water with sulfur. It's not harmful and will smear somewhat. Whatever it is has formed on your plumbing, so a filter likely won't stop it unless the filter is the last thing in line before the faucet. Could be your city water comes from wells and even though they can get rid of the sulfur gas, they can't get rid of the black residue.

 

[djmayhill]

Are you able to see your water pipes like do you have an unfinished basement or crawls pace? Are all your pipes copper. This is probably unlikely but I've see idiot plumbers install black iron in a water system or used as a stub out on your tub spout. Both would be bad and could possibly cause any where copper and galvanize translations and does not have a proper transition between it could also cause this

 

[speedbump]

Another thing you haven't mentioned that should be checked if you have copper plumbing is your PH. If it's less than 7.2, the water is eating your pipes.

 

[bt2000]

Hi all, here are answers to the last few posts:

@speedbump: the water is from the city, we have a whole-house filter on the incoming water line, nothing being caught there. There's also a filter on the incoming tankless water pipe, nothing caught there either.

@djmayhill: the basement is unfinished and it looks like copper throughout - the plumbers who came checked the same thing - no telling if the pipes change once they go upstairs behind the walls there, but I guess that would be really unlikely?

@speedbump: we had the water tested and the pH is 6.8.

Luckily we are just renting this property, so we'll try getting out of here. I'm not sure what I would do at this point if I owned the house - cut out some sections of pipe, open them up and see if there's damage in there like in that video I posted?

 

[speedbump]

6.8 PH isn't terrible, but it is slightly acidic and will eat copper. This could have something to do with the black flakes as well. The only thing to do with that is to add a PH filter which up's the PH. Your water is practically soft at only 3 grains hard. So the PH filter won't add that much.

 

[bt2000]

Ok someone is coming with a camera on a wire, they're going to run it down the pipes to check for corrosion. Sounds lovely! Maybe we'll get some answers.

 

[speedbump]

I didn't know they had a camera that small, or a way of running them down 3/4" or smaller pipes.

 

[KULTULZ]

I didn't know they had a camera that small, or a way of running them down 3/4" or smaller pipes.

Must have called in a specialist, a PROCTOLOGIST

 

[speedbump]

Must have called in a specialist, a PROCTOLOGIST

I forgot about those Colonoscopy camera's.

 

[phishfood]

I forgot about those Colonoscopy camera's.

Never had one, but I am betting that anyone who has had one, is doing their very best to forget them, as well.

 

[bt2000]

Well finally we found a plumber that had the simple idea of replacing the expansion tank. He took it off, and emptied it into a bucket. Photos attached. There's all of our black flakes.

I've contacted the manufacturer to ask what the flakes are made of, as I'm pretty terrified that these have been in contact with our drinking water. We're flushing all the water in the house now to get any remnants removed. Hope this helps someone else in the future.

 

[KULTULZ]

Short Eyeballs

Out of curiosity, was the tank mounted top up or top down/sideways?

bt 2000

The tank was mounted top up (judging by the text written on the tank, it was "normally" oriented).

hUkt oN fonIx -WerKs fOR MeE...

I misread the post. If it was mounted so as to be able to read the label, it was upside down (to me) and would not have been flushed easily, hence the sporadic particles.

 

[bt2000]

The tank was mounted top up (judging by the text written on the tank, it was "normally" oriented).

 

[KULTULZ]

THANX!

Appreciate it.

 

[speedbump]

Your black flakes could be what's left of the bladder in that tank. Chlorine can do that to them.

 

[KULTULZ]

Your black flakes could be what's left of the bladder in that tank. Chlorine can do that to them.

GEE THANKS speedbump!

Now you have given me something else to worry about...

So now the TET has to be plumbed before the filtering system or remove the chlorine.

 

[speedbump]

GEE THANKS speedbump!

Now you have given me something else to worry about...

I had a customer years ago who had well water with a chlorinator. No retention tank. The chlorinated water went directly into her Well X Trol bladder tank. After a while she started getting these black things in her water. It was the bladder... or what was left of it.

 

[KULTULZ]

I never thought about the tank and several have asked here about the flakes.

 

[speedbump]

I never thought about the tank and several have asked here about the flakes.

The one I mentioned before was a long time ago. I think they have improved their rubber since them. And not many people chlorinate directly into a bladder tank.

You wouldn't believe the number of customers of mine who use chlorinators that don't even need them. Everybody is scared of germs. Egads!

 

[Mr_David]

Never had one, but I am betting that anyone who has had one, is doing their very best to forget them, as well.

I almost forgot until you reminded me.