Areas We Serve

Areas We Serve

Why Is My Tap Water Brown or Rusty Looking?

You turn on the kitchen tap to fill a glass of water, and instead of clear water, out comes a stream that looks brown or rusty. It makes you pause. Do you drink it? Is it safe? You’re not the only Auburn homeowner who’s seen it. At 2 Sons Plumbing Auburn, we get these calls often, and while the sight can be unsettling, the causes are usually easy to explain and fix.

Why Your Water Might Look Rusty

When water isn’t clear, it doesn’t always mean danger—but it does mean something in the system needs attention. The most common reasons are:

Old pipes. Many Auburn homes still have galvanized or iron pipes, and as they age, they corrode. That rust finds its way into your tap water.
Water heater buildup. Minerals and sediment settle at the bottom of the tank. When stirred up, they tint the water, especially from hot taps.
City maintenance. When hydrants are flushed or water mains are serviced, rust in the city lines can flow into your home for a short time.

Sometimes it’s temporary, sometimes it’s a sign your plumbing or heater is ready for repair or replacement.

Quick Answer: Most of the time, brown water comes from aging pipes, sediment in the heater, or city work on water lines.

Quick Things to Try Before You Worry

A few simple steps can help you figure out what’s really going on:

Run the cold tap. Let it flow for a few minutes. If it clears, it may have just been stirred-up rust from city maintenance.
Compare hot and cold water. If only hot water is rusty, your heater is likely the culprit.
Fill two glasses. Take one sample from cold, one from hot. Side by side, the difference often tells the story.

These little checks can give you answers fast. But if the water stays brown throughout the house, it’s time to call in a pro.

When to Call: If every faucet runs discolored, or the problem never clears, it may be time for 2 Sons Plumbing Auburn to inspect your pipes or water heater.

What the Fix Looks Like (and What It Costs)

Once we know what’s behind the discoloration, the solution is straightforward:

Water heater replacement. If corrosion has taken over, replacing the tank is the safest option. In Auburn, this usually runs $1,200–$4,500, depending on size and model.
Repiping. If your pipes are rusting from the inside, the best fix is new plumbing. Costs vary depending on your home’s size and layout.

Our plumbers walk you through every option in plain language. No guesswork, no surprises—just clear water back in your home.

Call 2 Sons Plumbing Auburn Today

Rusty water leaves stains in your sinks, ruins laundry, and makes you second-guess the water your family uses every day. Call 2 Sons Plumbing Auburn at (206) 487-1757 today. Your neighbors in Auburn already count on us when their water turns rusty—now it’s your turn to enjoy the same peace of mind every time you pour a glass.

2 Sons Plumbing, Electrical, Heating & Air

4.9

Based on 3393 reviews

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Maria Kute

23:01 18 Nov 25

Thank you, Bob, for your professional, courteous, and kind service! My downstairs tub was running with high pressure due to some worn out stems. Bob was thorough—but unfortunately our fixtures are quite old, and he didn’t have appropriate replacements available the first day. However, they were able to find the appropriate stems for our tub and fixed the leak right away day 2. I cannot speak highly enough about how grateful I am for the way 2 Sons accommodated my schedule when they needed to return with the appropriate fixtures. The technician was a genuine joy to work with—and I appreciate the quick follow up and turn around. I also appreciate the way Bob walked me through the process and double checked for leaks.

Maria Kute

23:01 18 Nov 25

Evan Rose

16:17 18 Nov 25

We had a great experience. Brandon and Chris were very polite and professional. We had a massive leak under a toilet and they came and fixed it on a Saturday. They were very timely and hardworking. Ethan was another who was also very polite and professional. Pricing was also very manageable for the extent of the problem we had. I would highly recommend.

Evan Rose

16:17 18 Nov 25

YuliyaG

22:06 14 Nov 25

I had a great experience with 2Sons Plumbing. Communication was on point from start to finish. Dave arrived on time, was very friendly, and knowledgeable. He also gave me a helpful heads-up about our heater and offered great advice. I really appreciate the professionalism and will definitely use them again!

YuliyaG

22:06 14 Nov 25

Brandy Przybylak

19:28 05 Nov 25

We really enjoyed our experience with 2 Sons. We had an emergency that had water all over our kitchen and basement. They were able to send someone out later in the evening for us after several other companies either cancelled on us or said they couldn't come until the next day. Our technician/plumber Riley was great to work with - friendly, quick, and effective! They even gave us a call back a few days later to check in on our experience and to answer some extra questions we had. Highly recommend!

Brandy Przybylak

19:28 05 Nov 25

Carol Wong

19:21 04 Nov 25

I have not decided to go with 2 Sons for the plumbing issues I have yet. However, I am very impressed by the technician, Guy, who came for the appointment. He was professional, friendly, knowledgeable, courteous, and thorough. I told him that I was just getting a quote and not ready to commit to do the repair right away. He was very understanding. I have a clogged kitchen sink, disconnected washer hose causing water damage, and likely a disconnected pipe behind the wall. He explained the steps I need to take before he can help for all three issues. Like I should hire the restoration company to repair the water damage before reconnecting the pipes. He also helped to take pictures and referred me to a restoration company for the jobs outside of his scope. Before he left, he measured the water pressure to make sure the pressure is within a normal range. Just to make sure the water is not putting too much pressure on the fixtures resulting leaks. It was definitely a surprisingly pleasant and thorough experience with Guy.

Carol Wong

19:21 04 Nov 25

Joanne Chan

01:00 31 Oct 25

Excellent service from 2 Sons Plumbing – highly recommended!

We recently had 2 Sons Plumbing come out to fix several issues at our place. We couldn’t be happier with the results. Marcos and Chris were absolutely fantastic — professional, knowledgeable, and very thorough in their work. Every single job was done with precision and care.

Marcos and Chris took the time to explain what they were doing, answered all our questions patiently, and made sure everything was up to code and functioning perfectly before they left. They worked efficiently, left the area spotless.

It’s rare to find such reliable, honest, and detail-oriented professionals these days. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them to my friends and neighbors.

Joanne Chan

01:00 31 Oct 25

Jurusha Emerson

16:11 28 Oct 25

I called 2 Sons Plumbing and was able to get them to come out to the house the very next day. The over the phone customer service were very personable and friendly. On the day of my appointment, Bob was the one sent to our house to fix our kitchen faucet. Bob was extremely friendly and helpful in fixing my faucet. He was very considerate and quick with his work. I did not feel like I was being taken advantage of or overpriced as far as how much they were charging. Bob was always transparent with the cost and also trying to find the most cost-effective way to accomplish what needed to get done? I would recommend 2 Sons plumbing to anyone who needs plumbing service. 2 Sons plumbing has a gem for an employee (Bob). If I were to call 2 Sons plumbing again for service, I would definitely want to request Bob as my priority person.
Thankyou so much

Jurusha Emerson

16:11 28 Oct 25

Mackenzie Maynes

02:22 28 Oct 25

After the recent power outage I discovered that my combi-boiler went on the fritz, meaning no hot water and no heat in my home—a very chilly situation for Seattle fall. 2 Son’s was so friendly and able to send out Adam same-day which was a huge relief! Adam quickly assed the issue, fixed it and provided a thorough explanation of what he did to get the system up and running again (which I deeply appreciated). I am thoroughly impressed by his knowledge of these units; turns out the pressure reducing valve on my machine also needs to be replaced, which explains why my water pressure has always been a bit funky between hot and cold. Adam provided an affordable proposal for a future repair to my unit for optimal functioning. Would absolutely recommend Adam and 2 Sons!

Mackenzie Maynes

02:22 28 Oct 25

Amy J

01:15 28 Oct 25

Had a great experience with 2 Sons Plumbing, Heating & Air. Their scheduling system was smooth — I got a call when Carey was assigned, could track his arrival, and everything ran on time. Carey was fantastic! He inspected the garbage disposal, coordinated with my property manager for approval, and quickly installed the new system. He was respectful, efficient, and made sure everything worked perfectly. Really appreciated his help!

Amy J

01:15 28 Oct 25

Oaktree President

22:17 24 Oct 25

Our house decided to replace our own toilet, but we got stuck halfway through because we didn’t have the right tools and accidentally broke an anchor bolt. I called 2 Sons Plumbing, and they showed up within an hour to help us out. Derek, our plumber, was super friendly, explained everything clearly, and got the job done quickly and professionally. Excellent service all around—highly recommend!

Oaktree President

22:17 24 Oct 25