Re: mildew smelling water

Posted by ED on July 12, 2004 at 17:07:32:
In response to Re: mildew smelling water
This can be a common occurence when someone has not used a cold water line for a couple of weeks. In a vanity with two sinks for example, one used and the other not, the unused sink could develop this sour water problem. Often it will happen if someone goes on vacation for a couple of weeks and no one used the cold water line to the offensive sink(s). Bacteria have set-up housekeeping in the pipe(s) closet to the spout. This is the cause of the temporary mildew-like smell of the water for a few seconds. Nothing to worry about, the water is OK, except you will want to flush it out to begin with. After a few weeks of continuous operation, this should correct itself. : : The faucet, a new Price-Pfister Goose neck seperate hot and cold handles, doesn't seem to be the source itself of the mildew smell. We let the faucet sit for 30 min. or so and then slowly let water drain out. The first bit of water, equal to the faucet supply, was ok. It seems to start somewhere in the supply lines. There is a seperate sprayer, connected to the faucet under the sink. Could this hose water supply back-contaminate the incoming water? : Reply: : The water that is in the hose for the sprayer should not give off an odor, just like the faucet flex supply lines shouldn't. Have the water tested if you cannot trace the source. Something else to try would be to remove the faucet aerator and use the faucet for a few days, see if the odor dissipates, the aerator could be holding slime causing a smell. : e-plumber

Posted by ED on July 12, 2004 at 17:07:32:

In response to Re: mildew smelling water

This can be a common occurence when someone has not used a cold water line for a couple of weeks.
In a vanity with two sinks for example, one used and the other not, the unused sink could develop this sour water problem. Often it will happen if someone goes on vacation for a couple of weeks and no one used the cold water line to the offensive sink(s).

Bacteria have set-up housekeeping in the pipe(s) closet to the spout. This is the cause of the temporary mildew-like smell of the water for a few seconds.

Nothing to worry about, the water is OK, except you will want to flush it out to begin with.

After a few weeks of continuous operation, this should correct itself.

: : The faucet, a new Price-Pfister Goose neck seperate hot and cold handles, doesn't seem to be the source itself of the mildew smell. We let the faucet sit for 30 min. or so and then slowly let water drain out. The first bit of water, equal to the faucet supply, was ok. It seems to start somewhere in the supply lines. There is a seperate sprayer, connected to the faucet under the sink. Could this hose water supply back-contaminate the incoming water?

: Reply:
: The water that is in the hose for the sprayer should not give off an odor, just like the faucet flex supply lines shouldn't. Have the water tested if you cannot trace the source. Something else to try would be to remove the faucet aerator and use the faucet for a few days, see if the odor dissipates, the aerator could be holding slime causing a smell.
: e-plumber

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