[downers]

we are having some interior drain tile put in, which requires a lot of jackhammering of the floor, around the perimeter of our basement. the second day they were at it, we noticed that we had brown, cloudy water in our toilets and coming from our sinks. we flushed all of the fixtures, and it eventually cleared up. now, a few days later, this has happened again. i know they came quite close to our main water line as they were jackhammering, but they told us they did not hit anything. they also do not seem too concerned about the murky water. we've had no problems like this is the past. our house is about 50 years old (so it's likely we have iron pipes), and we have city water. i'm pretty sure they're not flushing our hydrants or anything. is it possible they just knocked something loose? how can we tell if it is a more serious problem? does it seem likely this is going to be a permanent issue? should i ask the contractor to call a plumber, or is this our problem at this point? i feel like it needs to be resolved now, before they re-pour any concrete...

 

[Fred Ji]

My guess is they agitated the sediment or corrosion in your system, which is now coming out the faucet. You can check the leak indicator on your water meter. You might want to unscrew the aerators on your faucets, remove any junk, and put them back.

 

[fireball11]

I agree with Fred. If I had to guess the vibration from the jack hammer caused some of the sediment inside of your water pipes to loosen up and flow out with the water. Looking at the water meter would certainly show you if there was a leak, but if it was your main water supply I am sure you would already know it.

You will need to make sure to clean your faucet aerators and depending on how much stuff was shook free, you may need to remove and clean your stop valves, but I wouldn't worry about that too much unless you are noticing a decrease in water pressure.
__________________
Do you need help with a clogged toilet? How about some tips for first time home buyers? I am always happy to help!