smelly hot tap water

[SmileItsSunny]

It started with the shower, and has now become apparent in the hot tap downstairs. Have chucked Mr Muscle down the drain (literally!) to no avail. Any ideas?

Sorry OP i know its horrible but i've got visions of you coming back squealing as to what it is. I'm loving that you've had flies up there, the water is rank but you're so chilled about it. Me i'd be shrieking like a banshee shoving dh up there poking him with a broom.

Have you been bathing in this water? Because effectively its corpse broth isnt it, if there's a dead creature in it.

Rat stock, that's what it is!

Thanks guys, you are making me smile. It was a bird but not decomposing and maggoty like I'd imagined. Phew!
Bird is now in our digester (circle of life and all that).

Yes I did think that as I washed my hair last, ewww. I was convinced that I could smell the sewage smell still on my hair later. Gross.

I have to be chilled, and let DH get to it in his own time, or he would suggest I do it.....

Cluster flies were last years issue - I paid ££ to have loft fumigated but not convinced all dead flies have been swept up.

PigletJohn - I'm onto step 4 of your instructions - it's all going to plan... DW said I should sign-up to Mumsnet just to say thank you!

I took a photo of the offending creature in the tank, if anyone's interested. Is it possible to post pictures on these forums?

Now step 5 - Milton.
And also measuring-up for a tight-fitting cover.

I've added TheDoctorsWife46 and PigletJohn as 'mumsnet mates' so you can see my photo of a dead bird in a tank. Wasn't sure if making it public was appropriate. Happy to add more...

I'm not sure taking a photo was appropriate!

Still thank you for dealing with it. And thankyou all for your help, tips, encouragement, horror stories etc!

Well found! now go and have a cup of tea that doesn't taste of dead bird.

Oh go on, let us all see the photo!

yuck!

my dad was in the kitchen the other day and the water wasn't coming out of the tap properly

he goes up int he attic and discovers a lovely family of mice have eaten through the top of the water tank to make a nest (think it was an insulated cover). unfortunately they ate through a bit much and all fell to their deaths, then blocked the pipe the water goes through,

Beryl, DH would be delighted.

Mrs Trellis, cold water was ok fortunately, so tea was fine, just the washing facilities.

Unfortunately we are potty training our 2 yr old at the same time so the house smells of damp clothes and wee anyway. Bring back the sunshine!

Photo here: www.mumsnet.com/Profile?nick=SmileItsSunnyDH&photos=p

Doesn't the cold water come from the same tank? All our taps do except the kitchen cold tap.

Did any water go in your mouths when showering? Ewwww thatnk you so much smileitssunny dh. This is what i like. Someone who comes back with an end to the story and a photo to boot.

I was posting at 1am! I was truly interested
Ps if a bird fell in your tank has it shat all over your loft contents too? Hate to think of you getting the xmas decs down at xmas covered in the deceaseds poop!

Hmm... our cold water in the kitchen smells like rotten eggs when you run the tap/put the dishwasher on (must come from mains there's no tank anyway) any ideas all knowing oracle pigletjohn?

water from kitchen tap should be straight from the mains so unpolluted (verify that it it difficult to stop the flow by pressing your thumb under the spout)

the tap might have a perished washer.

I am assuming that the water comes from the mains and not a private well or something.

make sure it is not the drain or overflow you can smell, by running the tap into a jug and sniffing the jug while standing away from the sink.

if you can't find a cause, report it to your water company.

Thanks for the photo.
We had a starling in our chimney - not quite as problematic as one in our water.
Glad it'll soon be sorted.

theDoctorsWife46 wonder if that's why I've not been feeling great the last few days....

Thought I'd better return to tell you the ending, as you were so keen! Also not bad considering I failed to put a title up, and thought it was going to be the world's shortest threadkill. (is that a word?)

1am? Even we weren't up then!
Interesting point re: bird poop. Not noticeably yet... fortunately because of a suspicion of mice we started putting most loft items into sealed plastic boxes.
Admittedly not Xmas decs, but at least the kids old clothes will be ok!

WowOoo We haven't had the chimney checked recently; at this rate of animal life I think we'll have the chimneysweep out to visit in the autumn!

Thanks to all who commented, especially those upthread who I haven't managed to mention by name. All your comments were read, appreciated and squirmed at.