If your water is coming out of your tap cloudy, you may get worried. Water isn’t supposed to be cloudy. So, why is it? Is it something to be worried about?

Here’s what you need to know about why you have cloudy water and what you can do about it. 

Why Your Water Is Cloudy

If your water comes out of the tap looking milky or cloudy, it generally isn’t cause for concern. How cloudy water is is related to the amount of air in the water. Generally, the cloudiness dissipates after the water settles. You generally notice this more so with hot water, due to how the molecules expand when heated, trapping other gases to look like air bubbles.

The cloudiness usually dissipates because after water comes out of the tap, the pressure it’s under reduces. This means that the air in the water is given the chance to rise to the surface and go back to the air. As you can see, there’s no problem with this sort of cloudiness, and it is typically annoying, but safe to drink. 

When To Be Concerned

While cloudy water that results from trapped air bubbles is generally perfectly safe to drink, cloudy water can have other causes that can be harmful to your body. If the cloudiness doesn’t clear, or if it settles down at the bottom of your glass, it might not be safe to drink. These are signs of sediments in your water. In some cases, gases can get into your water supply too, making you have cloudy water.

How To Fix Cloudy Water

Luckily, if you have cloudy water, it’s an issue that can be fixed in a multitude of ways, depending on what’s causing the cloudiness. 

Water Filtration

If your cloudy water doesn’t clear or if it settles, water filtering can help with this. A water filtration system can filter out those sediments making your water milky, in addition to making it taste better. Water filtration keeps your water clean and keeps unwanted particles out, making it safe, clear, and better tasting. 

Water Softener 

Cloudy water also could be an indicator of hard water, which is something a water softener can help with. Hard water can leave white or grey deposits and scaling on surfaces it comes in contact with, as well as lead to build-up in your systems over time. This is because of the calcium and magnesium in it.

Another indicator of hard water is you notice the cloudiness has an odd color, such as brown or green. This means that there are metals, minerals, or bacteria in it. 

A water softener can help with cloudy water through softening the water. It does this through a process called ion exchange, where it exchanges the calcium and magnesium ions that make water “hard” with sodium. Softened water generally is of better quality for your home than hard water, and it shouldn’t come out of the tap cloudy. 

Water Heater

Cloudy hot water likely results from issues with your water heater. Hot water in general tends to be more inclined to cloudiness than lukewarm or cold water, due to the expanded molecules, as mentioned above. But if the cloudiness doesn’t dissipate, this could be a problem with your water heater. Having your water heater looked at by a professional will help with this. 

Water Testing

You may also wish to have your cloudy water tested. While the likelihood of this is less common, it could be that you have cloudy water because of methane. This gas is commonly found in more rural areas or near a gas line. Methane is flammable, so you can easily tell if it is in your water system if a flame lights up near any fire that you put by it.

Methane can be taken care of through having a plumber install an aerator on your waterline. This will give the gas an escape route and keep your water clear and clean. 

Do You Need Help With Cloudy Water?

S & B Plumbing is committed to keeping your water safe and clean to drink with our expert plumbing services. We can work with you to find out why your water is cloudy and how we can fix it. Whether that involves a water filtration system, a water softener, or a water heater, or another issue, we can solve the issue and get your water clear and safe again. For more information, please contact us at S & B Plumbing today!