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Hi plumbers and water drinkers,
We're experiencing a bad taste in the water from our kitchen tap. It's a kind of chemically taste, but not chlorine. Our mains water comes up from the ground 20mm blue plastic, then up into the loft where it runs the length of the house in 22mm speedfit plastic. It's a long bungalow, so this is about 40m. It then drops out of the loft and goes to the unvented cylinder, CH filling loop, washing machine, utility sink, utility toilet, and the kitchen sink.
We've only really noticed the taste since we connected the utility sink and toilet, but the loft pipe was only fitted in December. The guy from the water company said that it could be the dishwasher, and gave us a non return value to fit (has made no difference). The. On hearing that the loft pipe was plastic, not copper, said that that would be the cause of the taste. I've dad that flexible hoses can give a taste to the water, but not that normal plastic pipe can. Can anyone shed any light on this suggestion? The Speedfit website states that their pipe doesn't give off any taste to the water, and I've not found any comment on the internet that suggests otherwise.
Cheers, Robin
Have you shared a glass or two with the neighbours to see if theirs is the same?
Another possible source of backflow into the system. Disconnect the filler loop from the boiler too. Dodgy valves there can allow radiator water back into the cold feed. You'll know soon enough as there will be water pissing out though, possibly only when it gets up to temperature.
I've not seen any modern plastic pipe giving bad taste to the water.
As mentioned, Boiler filling loop would be my first guess. Have seen a few leaking back in the past.
Certainly not caused by speedfit pipe anyway.
Out of interest, where in the country are you?
We live near Blackburn and we've had this, I work for a perfume company so my nose is well-trained and about three years ago I noticed that the smell of the mains water had gone from slight chlorine to a sweaty smell. We compained to United Utilities who sent a bloke around, he ran the tap for about ten minutes then filled vaious sample bottles. A few days later we got the analysis, which, as expected, was "normal". The bloke blamed our dishwasher and also gave us a crappy little non-return valve to fit on the pipe. The sweaty smell comes back from time to time but even if there was a genuine problem I'm sure UU wouldn't fess up to it because the potiential for expense would be massive.
My best guess is that they are buying their chlorine from different sources and one of them has an odd flavour but then you'd think they would be quite fussy about what they pour into the water.
Also check NRV on unvented cylinder.
The bloke blamed our dishwasher and also gave us a crappy little non-return valve to fit on the pipe. The sweaty smell comes back from time to time but even if there was a genuine problem I'm sure UU wouldn't fess up to it because the potiential for expense would be massive.
mass poisoning is so much cheaper?
chat to all your neighbours that get water through the same pipes, if they are experiencing the same issue get them to call UU
the most likely the problem will be a local one, I would suggest that your house plumbing conforms to the Water Regulations as a good starting point
My best guess is that they are buying their chlorine from different sources and one of them has an odd flavour but then you'd think they would be quite fussy about what they pour into the water.
how many bulk chorine chemical suppliers do you think there are?
any chemical used in the treatment process has to be DWI approved, I heard they were fussy
Thanks for all the replies.
First thing I did was go to all the neighbours and they we're all fine. We're in South Wales and there's never been a chlorine taste or smell.
Anyway, I fitted a NRV yesterday in front of the washing machine and utility sink and toilet, and it seems to be solved.
Out of interest though, you mentioned to check the filling loop valves and the cylinder NRV. These we're installed in December too, so I'd hope they were okay. One of the loop valves looks like if has a NRV built in.
But... the cylinder doesn't have a NRV... Should it?
Thanks all.
R
Cylinder should be fitted with a combined pressure reducing/ relief/non-return valve.