Charlie: Juan has a question in Katy, he says, “I purchased a new home in March, and it has 3.5 baths, and in one of my bathrooms, the sink water smells really bad. It appears to go away as the water runs, but never fails to smell when I turn it on initially. I plan to report it to the builder, but I want to understand the problem better before calling them. Your suggestions.”
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Tom: Well, a lot of people have called me about smelly water. If you had smelly water, you’d have it throughout the house; it wouldn’t be at one place. Now, a lot of people washing their face or shaving, they do it over a sink and they notice the smell more because it’s right there. But if it is a cause of something at that sink, it’s going to be a metal in that faucet, probably some kind of zinc that’s reacting to the metal in the water, and that first bit of water that goes in there smells real bad, because it sits in there a while; but then, once it runs out, it’s running so fast the smell goes away.
Charlie: So what can you do about it?
Tom: Change the faucet, if that’s the case.
Charlie: Okay. That’s simple.
Tom: Now, if it’s throughout the house, and you’re using that sink all the time, and you don’t really use the other ones, and nobody’s said anything to you, and the water smells, can’t blame the builder on that one. You’ve got to find out who’s giving you the water.
Charlie: Yeah, but it sounds to me like there’s a point of use thing, because he says he’s got 3.5 baths and it’s only that one.
Tom: I know, but does he only use one, and the rest of the family uses the other and not say anything. I don’t know.
Charlie: “Don’t tell Dad.”
Tom: I’ve had people there the one faucet he uses to wash his face and shave, you know.
Charlie: And he smells it. So Juan, go wash your face in other sinks, and report back to us.
Tom: Exactly!
Charlie: Let us know.
Tom: Yes, please.