Smelly Bathroom Water

[Lillia]

I've noticed for about a month now that every time we turn on the hot sink tap, there's a bad smell. You know what damp towels will smell like, when they begin to smell musty? That's what the smell is but only from the hot tap. It's really getting bad. And of course after you wash, your hands smell bad too...Anybody know why this could be? I'm starting to worry about washing my face and brushing my teeth in the sink. The house is only 7 years old. Thanks

[silverback]

Is this in the bathroom and or the kitchen?, is it happening with all hot taps in the house, or just one?..

[Lillia]

It seems it's just the bathroom sink (hot only). Odd hmmm?

[silverback]

Doe's your hot water come from a combination boiler or a hot water storeage tank?, or doe's the bathroom have it's own scource of hot water, ie: electric water heater!.

[Lillia]

We have no tank, Silverback...when the house was new, they told my husband never to drink water from the bathroom; kitchen ony. (why, I ask ) There is one tap in the shed to turn all water off. Is that helpful?

[silverback]

Do you have a water tank in your attic?.

[Lillia]

There is a square box on the wall of the attic...a broiler...not very big; about 1 1/2' X 3'

[silverback]

That would mean your bathroom is fed by a tank, or possibly a well!, hence the reason why your OH was told not to drink the water!, the kitchen water would be mains fed.
As for the smell, it could be a number of things that cause it!, hard to guess until you know where the water for the bathroom comes from!!

[Lillia]

That would mean your bathroom is fed by a tank, or possibly a well!, hence the reason why your OH was told not to drink the water!, the kitchen water would be mains fed.
As for the smell, it could be a number of things that cause it!, hard to guess until you know where the water for the bathroom comes from!!

Thanks, Silverback. I need to do a little investigating, I guess...I just worry that we could get sick brushing our teeth or washing, even, you know?

[silverback]

Try to see if this would be covered under the NHBC certificate that you should have for new builds under 10yrs old?, also see if your neighbours have the same problem!.

[Lillia]

Thanks for your help~we'll do that

[Steve the Gas]

I've seen dead/rotting birds etc in water tanks.....

[Lillia]

I've seen dead/rotting birds etc in water tanks.....

Lord have mercy on my soul, Don't say that, Steve! Reminds me of an incident with a mouse once......
all the water in the house is coming from a main line where we can turn it off in our front shed, and past that is a pipe that goes underground....there seems to be no holding tank between there and the taps.
The smell is not bad like roadkill but like old wet towels growing mold. It's strong and might be dangerous, as in, "alot of bacteria!"

[Grannyof4]

What about hot water for the bath...does that smell? Presumably it would come from the same source. It is definitely the water that smells and not the plug hole.

[Steve the Gas]

As Granny, also sure you haven't got a leak from pipes/drains rotting a bit of wood for e.g.?