Stale smell coming from cold tap in main bathroom

Col200sx · 08-02-2011 4:29pm #1

In the last couple of weeks the cold water tap has a stale/nasty smell coming from the water when you turn the tap on.

The warm tap is fine, but don't fancy washing teeth with potentially dirty water from the cold one.

We didn't have any frozen pipes over winter, or leaks or anything. And it's a relitively new house too. This problem has just arisen in last couple of weeks.

Anybody have any idea what it could be?

Thanks

Dice75 · 08-02-2011 4:34pm

Maybe check the tank in the attic.
Are there any other bathroom cold taps (basin or bath) & are they ok?

Pete67 · 08-02-2011 4:44pm

Are you on a public or private water supply? Is there a problem with water quality from the mains supply (usually cold tap at kitchen sink)

If mains supply to the house is ok, then the next thing to check is the condition of the water storage tank in the attic. It's not unknown to find a dead bird or rodent in the tank, especially if it is uncovered. If your hot water comes from a combi boiler then it is mains supplied and would not be effected. If you have a hot water cylinder then it would be fed from the same tank in the attic and I'd expect to find the same problems with hot water quality.

Depending on what you find in the tank, it may need to be drained, cleaned and possibly disinfected.

slavetothegrind · 08-02-2011 5:28pm

as gary said get up to that tank.
i once found a tank with a fair amount of storm in it, rats get very thirsty when they eat poison!

No harm to disinfect the tank anyway, we're supposed to do it anually, like a lot of things we're supposed to do it just never gets done
( not that mine has been done in 8 years since i moved in:()

Antiquo · 08-02-2011 11:57pm

As above seen this with rodents being fed poison get thirsty and end up falling into and dying in tank.

Col200sx · 09-02-2011 8:28am

Thanks all for the help and advice.

I'll check the tank tonight.

It's the only tap in the house that's affected. I checked all others last night, and no smell from them.

I had checked the tank in the last freeze, maybe month ago, and was fine, but maybe there's something in it now.

I'll report back later what I find.

Thanks again for the heads up

Stale smell coming from cold tap in main bathroom

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