Faucet aerators are fabulous tools for reducing water consumption in your home. Not to mention, they just make faucets function better. One common problem found in many homes involves the aerator and the development of tiny blue or green granules. While this build up may seem like a difficult problem or frequent annoyance, it can be easily remedied.

Those little blue or green granules? Those are aluminum hydroxide, a by-product of corrosion when your household water has a high pH level and comes into contact with the aluminum anode rod in your hot water heater. This chemical reaction causes high amounts of aluminum hydroxide to form within your heater, which eventually break off in tiny pieces and wind up in the bottom of the tank. Over time, the build up will course through your pipes until is ends up clogging your aerator.

To correct this, you just need to switch the aluminum anode rod for one made of

magnesium. To determine which type you have, look on top of the water heater tank. You’ll see a large hex nut head. If it’s smooth and flat, it’s aluminum; a raised bump and a welded bead says it’s magnesium.