No Laughing When Tap Water Tastes Funny

Unpleasant tap water can be really irritating to deal with. As much of a problem as it is to have water that tastes bad to drink, what about if that water tastes so bad that cooking with it seems like a bad idea? Today's question comes from a reader who's having a problem with bad tasting water:

"My tap water tastes awful. I have two filtering pitchers in my fridge so that I always have water to drink and so I can cook with it if I need to. Is there something I can do about this?"

Varying levels of mineral content in water are a big factor in the taste difference. However, metallic tasting water may be the result of iron or copper leaching from pipes. Chlorine tastes can result from too much disinfectant being used by the water supplier or the disinfectant interacting with organic material within the plumbing system.

If the problem is a chlorine or metallic taste and it happens with the tap water in the entire house, it is most likely an issue with the water supplier. Contact the water supplier about the problem or get the well water tested.

When the taste is only coming from a single tap and it goes away after running the water for a few minutes, flush the system or call a plumber.

Another possible solution is to purchase an under the counter water purifier. A purifier with a high quality activated carbon filter will remove heavy metals, bacteria and other contaminates that can cause odors and bad tastes. Filters like this with a replaceable cartridge typically cost between $150 and $200 for the unit.

Toilets Running a Marathon

Toilet tanks that keep refilling aren't just irritating but are also wasteful and can get costly. As the parts in a toilet get older they can start to wear out and cause problems like what this reader is asking about:

"Sometimes the toilet in my guest bathroom will just start refilling on its own. Why is this happening? I'm sure this isn't good for my water bill."

Interior toilet parts can wear out over time. It's possible that water is constantly leaking out of the tank. This would cause the water level in the tank to continually lower and eventually trigger the refill mechanism. This cycle can waste 1,500 gallons every month.

Check the chain for the flapper to make sure it isn't tangled or too tight. If there's too much tension it could be preventing the flapper from completely closing and allowing water to leak out of the flush valve. Another may be to slightly bend the tube connected to the float ball. It could be too high and triggering the refill mechanism.

If neither of those solutions work, replace the valve and flapper inside the toilet tank. Kits for this are often available for under $25 and are fairly easy install for the average do it yourselfer.