Having your toilet develop rust stains can be pretty disheartening. The last thing you want to see when you open the toilet is a ring of reddish-brown staining! Rust stains can be caused by three common issues: rusting toilet components, rusting pipes, or a high concentration of iron in your water supply. A plumber can take a look and let you know which of these issues is to blame. Here's a look at how they'll deal with each one.
Rusting Toilet Components
People often assume that if parts inside their toilet are rusting, they'll need a whole new toilet. But this is not always the case. Often, a plumber can identify the parts that are rusting just by lifting the lid of the toilet tank and taking a look. They can then turn off the water supply to the toilet, remove the rusting parts, and replace them.
It's important to note, though, that if your toilet is already getting old and rusting, replacing it may be the better option. New toilets use less water, so replacing your rusting toilet could save you money on water bills in the long run.
Rusting Pipes
If you have old, galvanized pipes in your home, rust in the toilet could be from these pipes. Usually, when this is the case, you will also see some rust coming from your faucets. However, it may only come out when you first turn the faucet on. In the toilet, you see the rust a lot more because the water sits in the toilet.
The only real fix for rusting pipes is to replace them. This should be done sooner rather than later since rusting pipes eventually develop holes and start leaking. Your plumber will determine which of your pipes need to be replaced; it may only be one or two leading to the toilet, or it might be all of them.
Iron in the Water
If the rust is coming in with your public water, then your plumber will likely recommend installing a whole-home water filter. This filter will remove the extra iron from the water as it comes into your home. You should no longer see water in your toilet, and your water should also taste better.
Rust in a toilet is annoying, but it's not that difficult of a problem for a plumber to address. Any plumber should be able to determine where the rust is coming from and make one of the repairs or fixes above.
Contact plumbers in your area for more information.