I had a licensed plumber replace my broken water heater 5 months ago. Now the hot water comes out of the faucet rusty for a few seconds before it clears up . The plumber who installed the water heater came out and determined that the incoming and outgoing water supply pipes he installed were rusted. He showed me the rust on the outside of the brass fittings. He stated that the corrosion was caused by my well water. He said that he would replace the pipes at a discounted rate, but would not honor the 1 year labor warranty he gave me because the installation was done to code for city water.
2 key points:
1. The plumber used galvanized pipe with brass fittings for a natural gas water heater.
2. The plumber knew the water heater was on a well because I went with him to the main water shutoff next to the wellhead.
So – here are my questions:
1. Is it even remotely possible that galvanized pipe can be corroded to the point of running rusty water and showing rust on the outside of the pipe in only 5 months? If my water was that corrosive, wouldn’t I be unable to bathe in or drink it at all?
2. Should the plumber honor the 1 year warranty he gave me and replace the pipes at no cost since he installed the incorrect pipes for well water?
3. What kind of pipe should I have for a natural gas water heater on a well?
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{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
There should be dielectric nipples at the heater , if not that can cause some problems (electrolysis) , if the well pump or pressure switch is shorting or passing a small amount to ground it can shorten the life of your pipes drastically .
I have replaced some galv. pipe that didn’t last very long (about 6-8 months) . The supply house had gotten a batch that was from Mexico they replaced the bad stuff and I had to eat the labor but I kept my customer happy . The China pipe is worse about the galv. coating being to thin or of ??? quality (it too doesn’t last very long) I have seen the welded seams not welded .
The cost of copper has gotten ridiculess and so I now use Aqua PEX or Dura PEX for most of my water lines.
I suspect this plumber may have lost a customer over this as you are asking .
THE gas line should be BLACK IRON PIPE flakes of galvanized metal get caught in gas valve! ONCE AGAIN CORKY REEEEEAD THE BIG DARK LETTERS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE TOPIC!!!!!!!@!!GAS GOE’S TO WATER COMES FROM !!!!!!!!
First off, the plumber DID NOT install incorrect type of piping for your natural gas water heater’s water supply. Galvanized pipes have been used for water transport from one point to another, on both well and municipal water supplies for close to a century, and they all rust, to one degree or another, depending on several things, only one of which is the amount of impurities in the water supply. Galvanized pipes may not be used for the movement or transport of natural gas, however, so if there are any galvanized pipes in your gas line, that’s a no no. If the plumber installed the unit in the proper place with the proper overflow setup and a code satisfying water supply method, then he’s off the hook entirely, if he wants to be. Seems like he’s already giving you a deal on the cost of the needed materials to use to keep this from happening again. I wouldn’t be crying about the cost of the labor too.
Well water doesn’t necessarily take a different, or any specific type of piping, so saying that the plumber knew the heater was going to be installed on a well water system means nothing.
Many homeowners abd plumbers prefer rigid copper as a good reliable water supply line system. That will last about 30 years, generally, before it starts with the pitting, and outside corrosion which will lead to pinhole leaks, sometimes inside walls. The longest lasting materials, just recently introduced to the market, and preferred by many plumbers is called Pex. It’s a flexible piping system that can be snaked around corners, up and over, down and through olaces that most other piping either just plain can’t get to, or are extremely difficult and time consuming to get done. It’s quicker and easier and saves time and money and will last nearly indefinitely. It would be my choice as the way to go.
Once again, Tipster, read the question before you answer. They’re not talking about the gas lines, they’re talking about the water lines..
Galvanized pipe for the water with galvanized fittings, Not brass. Water running through these two unlike metals will cause electrolysis which eventually will cause rust from the galvanized iron pipes. Black iron for the gas.