Why Is My Water Cloudy?

Posted on: Feb 04, 2020

You’re thirsty, and you want a refreshing glass of water. You put the glass under the faucet, turn it on, and outcomes cloudy water. You look at it for a moment, knowing that’s not how water should look, and wonder if it’s even safe to drink.

Yes, you can run to the store, pick up some bottled water or a maybe filter, but those are only temporary fixes. Instead, you should take advantage of the plumbing services offered by an experienced, licensed contractor such as Airco Service. The plumbers will help identify your water problem and correct it.  In the meantime, we’ve put together some information you can consider about cloudy household water.

What Is Cloudy Water?

After you pour the glass of water does it remain cloudy, or does it return to normal clarity after a few moments? If it remains cloudy you have a potentially serious problem and you should not drink the water. Also, if the water is a strange color don’t drink it either and call a plumbing services expert like Airco Service Inc.

In most instances, the cloudy water will return to normal after a few moments. In this case, the cloudiness is due to very small bubbles within the water. The bubbles will then rise to the surface of the glass and pop. Once all the tiny bubbles are out, your water will look fine.

The bubble issue is harmless and the water is usually safe to drink. However, if something else is seeping into your water, you will need to have it taken care of. And cloudy water from bubbles might be a sign of another oncoming issue, which is why you should have your plumbing line inspected.

Temperature Problems

One of the more common culprits behind cloudy bubble water is the outside temperature. Water with a colder temperature holds more air than water at a warm temperature. When water moves from the city reservoir (or your water supply) it may collect tiny air bubbles along the way. It will then release out of the tap when you fill up your glass, which is why you don’t notice them in water from your hot tap.

Water Pressure Issues

The second possible culprit behind cloudy water is there is too much pressure. When water is put under greater pressure it will hold more air than water that is less pressurized. Once the water is released from the tap it is no longer under pressure, so the air pushed into the water will disappear. Think of it like carbonated water. When contained in a can there are bubbles. Once it is poured out the bubbles will begin to disappear.

What Can Be Done?

There might not be much you can do about temperature issues. However, water pressure is something you should investigate. If the water pressure is causing you to have cloudy, milky water, you will need to have it corrected. Pressurized water may cause additional strain on the plumbing of your home, which also increases the chance of a burst line. That is a potentially expensive repair that the cloudy water signals. With plumbing services offered by Airco Service Inc., it is possible to correct the pressure issue and give you back crystal clear water.

Cloudy water is very unappealing. You don’t want to give a guest of milky water. Even if it isn’t dangerous to your health you’ll want to have it corrected. The plumbing experts at Airco Service can help, give them a call today.