What You Need to Know About White Flakes in Your Drinking Water

When you fill up a glass or pot with tap water in your home, do you ever
notice little white flakes in the water? There are two possible causes for this,
and both of them can be eliminated.

Tri-Florida Water Treatment of Auburndale, FL, would like to share some
information on these white water flakes and what you can do about them.

Why your Water has White Flakes

There are two common reasons people experience white flakes in their water:

1. A deteriorating dip tube in the water heater
2. Limescale buildup, which is caused by hard water

Let’s look at each reason more closely.

Many older water heaters have defective plastic dip tubes. Over time, the plastic begins to decay, sending little pieces of plastic through your hot water pipes.

If a test (see below) confirms that the dip tube is the cause of the white flakes, a plumber can solve the problem by changing out the tube. This should eliminate the problem.

The other common source of white particles in water is the buildup of hard-water lime deposits in the pipes that bring water to your home. Hard water can also leave spots on dishes and cookware and cause a crusty accumulation on faucets.

If hard water is the problem, it can be solved by having a water softener installed. Not only will the water softener eliminate the flakes, it will give you much better-tasting water for drinking and cooking.

How to determine the cause of white flakes in your water

Here’s an easy home test you can do. Fill a clear container with about a cup of vinegar, then add some water from one of your faucets.

If the white flakes are pieces of plastic from your water heater’s dip tube,
the flakes will remain in the solution. If the flakes are pieces of limescale caused by hard water, the vinegar solution will dissolve them.

You can also have professionals test your water to determine the source of the flakes.

Can the flakes harm you?

Unless your drinking or cooking water is loaded with white particles caused by a deteriorating plastic dip tube, you probably won’t be harmed by a few flakes. But it’s not a smart idea to take the chance. Your water should be as clean and pure as possible to enhance your health and taste great.
As with plastic flakes, a small amount of limescale flakes likely won’t hurt you, but this is not a practice we advise. It’s always better to err on the side of safety, so if your dip tube is the culprit, have a plumber resolve the problem. If hard water is behind the flakes, look into a quality water-
softening system.

Your Florida water-quality experts

Tri-Florida Water Treatment is ready to help with all your home water needs.
We can show you some of the best water softeners available that will provide you with clean water that you’ll love to drink and cook with. We’ll help you select the ideal model and then install it for you correctly.

Take a step up to better water and health by calling (863) 965-1439.

You can also reach out with our handy contact form.