What are the particles that are clogging my aerator, dishwasher hoses, etc.?
Lets do a quick test to see what these particles are. Collect some of these particles and place them in a small cup. Slowly and carefully pour a small amount of household vinegar in this cup. If these particles dissolve in the vinegar, they are probably mineral deposits. It is quite natural to see small amounts of minerals coming from your water pipes. But If the particles do not dissolve in vinegar, they may be plastic coming from the dip tube in your hot water tank. This broken down dip tube material closely resembles mineral deposits, but are much more abundant. When the plastic dip tube in a hot water tank begins to disintegrate it may wreak havoc in your plumbing. You will eventually notice a loss of hot water pressure, along with blocked aerators and hoses. The dip tube or perhaps the entire hot water tank may need to be replaced.
