I’ve been in this house almost two years. All water supply pipes are copper. The house was built in 1964. In the last four months the water pressure in the bathroom faucets will suddenly lessen. The problem seems to be white granuals that are collecting in the foamers. When the granuals are removed the water pressure is fine. Any ideas as to what the white stuff might be and why it suddenly appeared after about a year and a half? If so, do I need to be concerned? If so, is there a solution?
Discussion Forum
Discussion Forum
Up Next
Video Shorts
Featured Story

Ensure optimal heat pump performance under wet and potentially damaging conditions with these helpful tips and product recommendations.
Highlights
"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.
Replies
I had the same problem myself. It turned out that the tube in my water heater was dissinigrating, and this was plugging up all my facuets and shower heads. If you go to your water heater and you trace the cold water line that feeds it , you will find a plastic tube that is supposed to direct the cold water down to the bottom where the burner/heater is. This tube was made of plastic and there was a bad batch of them in a lot of water heaters in the last ten years, and they started dissinigrating and ending up in the pipes. You can replace the part for less than $15, and clean the plastic out by flushing your system at the water heater and pulling your screens from your faucets and running your system for a while. The whole problem (assuming that your issue is the same as was for me) was fairly easy to fix and not a big deal. hope this helps
Thanks for the quick reply. Is the plastic tube inside the tank of the water heater?
Yes.
If you follow the flex line into the water heater tank, you will find a hex type fitting at the top of the tank. Use a crescent wrench and take this fitting off (after you have shut the water off of course). If you tube is only about 6" long (as was mine) this would be your problem. In myt case the granules were so bad that my kitchen faucet would not really work properly. After I flushed it all out, and changed the tube in the tank, it worked fine. No long term damage in my case.
My email is [email protected], if you have any questions. I just hope your issue was the same as mine.
Thank you very much. My husband wants to know if your tank was an AO Smith manufactured around 1991.
Yes it was!
Now that you have fully engaged me, I will bore you with my story.
My mother in law told me she had heard about this issue on the radio and that there was class action lawsuit against the manufacture for this whole issue. So I went on the web and checked out what I was entitled to, turns out I missed the deadline by 2 days! Oh well, it wasn't a big deal, but it turns out that the supplier to AO smith had a problem with the PVC they bought, and it deteriorated under conditons with "heat", so as you can imagine, hot water (as in a hot water tank!) was somewhat of a problem. I forget exactly but I called AO smith and they were quite helpful. I think the part was $2.27 and shipping was $6.00 (because it was a long tube) and you will have to cut it to lenght yourself. Look up AO smith on the web and they will give you an 800 number, and if you talk to someone on the phone, they will set you up.
i am now interested in hearing the outcome of you story, please keep me posted. One note: Home Depo did not have the part in stock at the store, and I figured for such a common problem, they would.
I live in California (Bay Area)
Jim
We live in Oakland! Thank you so much for the full story. I'll let you know what happens.
Pleasanton. Small world!
"If you follow the flex line into the water heater tank,"
That depends on how the WH was plumbed. Many just are direct connected to the copper supply pipes. In that case you will have to do some cutting and soldering.
What to look for is the supply line from the cold water. It should have a shutoff valve on it.
And it was not just AO Smith. There was on supplier supplied most of the WH manufacturers.
Bill,
I think your right, it now that I remember it was the supplier of all the dip tubes (is that the right term?) that had produced a bad batch. So it must be a part that all the manufactures of water heaters buy this one component from.
Wow ..
This internet can be pretty cool.
Jeff
Buck Construction Pittsburgh,PA
Artistry in Carpentry