How To Look At A House
McGarry and Madsen's home inspection blog for buyers of
site-built, mobile/manufactured and modular homes
What causes the powdery crust on CPVC pipe connections at the water heater?
Friday, August 11, 2023
The powdery crust is efflorescence--which is the residual minerals that water leaves behind when it dries up. A very slow leak, one that evaporated at about the same rate that it leached out, created the flaking white powder crust on the CPVC pipe, shown above, at the cold water supply to a water heater.
Although we have only seen this phenomenon twice in thousands of home inspections, and both times it was at the cold water supply pipe to a water heater, it would be possible for it to occur at any location where there is a small leak in a CPVC pipe. Efflorescence at CPVC pipe should not be confused with galvanic corrosion of metal pipe, which you can read about at our article What's that powdery crust on the pipe connections at the water heater?
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 
Field Guide for Home Inspectors, a quick reference for finding the age of 154 brands of HVAC systems, water heaters, and electrical panels, plus 210 code standards for site-built and manufactured homes, and the life expectancy rating of 195 home components. Available at amazon.com for $19.95.
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Click Below
for Links
to Collections
of Blog Posts
by Subject
Top 5 results given instantly.
Click on magnifying glass
for all search results.
Search
This
Site
Buying a home in North/Central Florida? Check our price for a team inspection by two FL-licensed contractors and inspectors. Over 8,500 inspections completed in 20+ years. In a hurry? We will get it done for you.
