Black Specks in Water (only on 2nd floor)

[speedm1]

I'm getting black specks in my water when running hot water, but it is only on my second floor. We have well water with a salt water softener. The specks are more oil-like and smear if I press my finger on them. The specks come out when I run the hot water (hotter the water = more specks). It happens in both of my bathrooms on the second floor, but I don't get the specks on the first floor of my house. We had our hot water heater replaced a year or two ago, and even had the anode rod replaced again since that seemed like it could have been the issue, but the specks continue. Does anyone have any thoughts on what could be causing them? Thanks!

 

[rpm]

If you have silver braided flex hoses to the taps the internal is black rubber hose which could be disintegrating. Change them before they burst.

 

[Stigster]

As RPM says, it's likely to be rubber from a hose somewhere. I have seen it on older expansion vessels which were on flexi hoses. I had one that had so much rubber debris in the connection between vessel and hose that the vessel could not operate correctly.

When I cleaned it out the bits of rubber were just as you describe, oily/greasy and could be smeared between fingers leaving a black stain.

I am almost certain RPM is correct and you have a hose on the way out.

 

[king of pipes]

As the guys above have said it could be a expansion vessel diaphragm deteriorating or ageing flexible pipe connectors . Kop

 

[speedm1]

Thanks for the information so far. For the flex pipe connectors and expansion vessels, would these be connected to the hot water heater itself? If so, our hot water heaters doesn't have any of these. We have a Watts water circulation pump on top of the hot water heater, but then everything else is all copper piping. There is some flex piping underneath some of the sinks, but would one bad flex hose cause black specks out of every faucet and only in the hot water (cold water everywhere is clear)? The only expansion tank we have is connected to our furnace, which is after the water to our house so I wouldn't think the specks could travel backwards and up into our house water?
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Also, attached is a picture of the anode rode we took out of the hot water heater about a year after it was installed. Does this appear like it is normal or could this be causing the specks? Thanks again.

 

[Gasmk1]

That looks ok it is there to sacrifice if you are not happy look at cathodic protection Protecting hot water tanks & heaters from corrosion - https://www.hamworthy-heating.com/Knowledge/Articles/Corrosion-protection-for-water-tanks-water-heaters