I think there is also an "issue" of sediment and and suspended particles collecting in the hot water tank over a number of years, making the water that comes from it dirtier than its cold counterpart. However, I defy anyone to taste the difference in a side by side test once the two have reached room temperature.
Hot or Cold water to Boil water question
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mike in brooklyn
Senior Cook
Originally Posted by Alix 
Many cities still have some lead pipes and that is the reason to use cold water. If you use hot water it can leach some lead from the pipes and carry it to the water you are about to ingest. You can use hot water for washing etc because you are not going to be drinking your dishwater.
If your municipality has completed removed all lead pipes you can tell your wife to fill with hot water, but until you know that for a fact, she is right.
Can you cite any references to back up that claim? (posted by Jet)
Not only is there a possible problem with lead in the city pipes, but
older homes might (probably do) have their pipes made of lead.
Below is a reference which confirms Alix's statement.
"
Steps for reducing potential exposure to lead in drinking water:
[/FONT] To find out if you have a lead service line, contact DC WASA's lead services hotline by calling (202) 787-2732 (Monday - Friday, 8am - 5pm) or send an e-mail to waterquality@dcwasa.com. DC WASA can also provide information on financial assistance options for replacing the private portion of lead service lines. "
Many cities still have some lead pipes and that is the reason to use cold water. If you use hot water it can leach some lead from the pipes and carry it to the water you are about to ingest. You can use hot water for washing etc because you are not going to be drinking your dishwater.
If your municipality has completed removed all lead pipes you can tell your wife to fill with hot water, but until you know that for a fact, she is right.
Can you cite any references to back up that claim? (posted by Jet)
Not only is there a possible problem with lead in the city pipes, but
older homes might (probably do) have their pipes made of lead.
Below is a reference which confirms Alix's statement.
"
Steps for reducing potential exposure to lead in drinking water:
- For drinking and cooking: use only cold tap water and remember to flush water lines by running the cold water faucet before use. Flush until the water is as cold as it will get – if there has been recent heavy water use, this could take 5 to 30 seconds. Otherwise it could take 2 minutes or longer. For more information, refer to EPA's Lead in Drinking Water page.
- Periodically, remove and clean the strainer/aerator device on your faucet to remove debris.
- Remember - boiling your water will not remove lead.
- If you still have concerns, have your water tested by a certified laboratory or contact DC WASA http://www.epa.gov/epahome/exitepa.htmat [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][/FONT] (202) 787-2732.
[/FONT] To find out if you have a lead service line, contact DC WASA's lead services hotline by calling (202) 787-2732 (Monday - Friday, 8am - 5pm) or send an e-mail to waterquality@dcwasa.com. DC WASA can also provide information on financial assistance options for replacing the private portion of lead service lines. "
MomsKitchenAndStuff
Cook
We live in an old(er) house...built in 49...and live in the country (on well water). I've noticed that when I run hot water, it looks different than the cold water. We have a water filter (for drinking water & for cooking) for the well water issue...and that water comes out cold. Coincidence????
Chief Longwind Of The North
Certified/Certifiable
We live in an old(er) house...built in 49...and live in the country (on well water). I've noticed that when I run hot water, it looks different than the cold water. We have a water filter (for drinking water & for cooking) for the well water issue...and that water comes out cold. Coincidence????
I live in a house that was built in 1952. We had the well tested and have great water, very clean, except for a bit of sand that tends to accumulate in the bottom of the pressure tank. And the pipes were galvanized steel pipes, with threaded fittings (with teflon tape), except for the hot water heater, which I installed using copper pipe to the heater, and plastic to connect to the galvanized steel. I used silver solder to solder the copper pipe to the hot-water tank. And so I know I have no heavy metal issues in my home. The same potable water is fed to the hot water heater as to my cold water pipes. I believe that I would have no issues with using my hot water to cook with, as long as I bring to a boil, or even 145 degrees F. for 40 minutes or so.
If the pipes are free from heavy metal contaminants, and the hot water tank is fed from the same municipal water supply as is the cold water, then I would think boiling the water from the hot water tank would elliminate microbial contamination in any home. Again, that is only if the pipes are known to be safe. Also, municipal water supplies add significant chlorine to the water to kill virtually any nasty bugs that might otherwise inhabit the water. My thought is that the hot water system is a closed system, with no way for contaminants to enter. So my questions are - where does all the fear come from, and where's the science to support it?
The only contaminant that I can see entering the system might be from magnisium used in older electric heating elements (in old hot water tanks). And if you have a gas-fired hot water tank, that elliminates that contaminant source as well.
I may indeed be wrong, but I would like to see the actual science to support that.
Seeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North
MomsKitchenAndStuff
Cook
You sure know a lot about your house...I think that's great
Like I said in my previous post, we live in the country (so we're not on municipal water)...and when I say country, I mean complete with cows in the field behind our house - and we just started chickens too!!
We have our own well...just for our house...and since we live where we live, we have a VERY high sulfur content...you can actually smell it when the hot water is in use. From our filter, you can actually see the sediment. So, the only scientific backing I have is just my experience I don't have any formal tests on it, but we've found what works for us - filters and not using the hot water to drink or cook with.
Chief Longwind Of The North
Certified/Certifiable
[Like I said in my previous post, we live in the country (so we're not on municipal water)...and when I say country, I mean complete with cows in the field behind our house - and we just started chickens too!! We have our own well...just for our house...and since we live where we live, we have a VERY high sulfur content...you can actually smell it when the hot water is in use. From our filter, you can actually see the sediment. So, the only scientific backing I have is just my experience I don't have any formal tests on it, but we've found what works for us - filters and not using the hot water to drink or cook with.[/quote]
My sister has a high sulfer content in her well water as well. Her house is only a few years old, with all new plumbing. Though the cold water has the same sulfer content as the hot water, it really creates an unpleasant odor from the hot water. When that same water is cooled, it loses the odor. She put a filter on her water faucet to elliminate the sulfer. It helps, but doesn't get rid of all the element. So she further filter her drinking water through a Brita pitcher.
Activated charcoal helps.
Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North
We have our own well...just for our house...and since we live where we live, we have a VERY high sulfur content...you can actually smell it when the hot water is in use. From our filter, you can actually see the sediment. So, the only scientific backing I have is just my experience I don't have any formal tests on it, but we've found what works for us - filters and not using the hot water to drink or cook with.[/quote]My sister has a high sulfer content in her well water as well. Her house is only a few years old, with all new plumbing. Though the cold water has the same sulfer content as the hot water, it really creates an unpleasant odor from the hot water. When that same water is cooled, it loses the odor. She put a filter on her water faucet to elliminate the sulfer. It helps, but doesn't get rid of all the element. So she further filter her drinking water through a Brita pitcher.
Activated charcoal helps.
Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North
powerplantop
Executive Chef
Water does contain Dissolved Oxygen. It is what fish breathe. We test for it in boiler water treatment. Does it affect taste? I don't know.
How do you dissolve oxygen? And why would cold water have more than hot water?
Andy M.
Certified Pretend Chef
Wen you boil water, the dissolved oxygen is what makes the bubbles. It's also why boiled water doesn;t taste as good as unboiled water.
Scotch
Head Chef
Andy, if that were accurate, I think the bubbles would stop rather quickly as there isn't that much dissolved oxygen in water.
If I recall correctly from high school chemistry, the bubbles are formed by vaporized water -- steam -- escaping from the liquid.
OK...apparently dissolved oxygen is really just microscopic bubbles in the water. Its what fish breathe. Cool. I also found out that the colder the water is the more oxygen can be dissolved in it. Very cool. Learn something new every day. I did not however find out anything about oxygen making water taste better. Here is one link I found with interesting info.
msmofet
Chef Extraordinaire
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hello cold, unboiled water tastes better because after it boils all the oxygen is gone and it has a flat taste. i also think water that sits for awhile after coming out of the tap tastes flat. i only drink tap water during the winter when it comes out ice cold.
Mary Microwave
Assistant Cook
My mother and grandmother always / (did) the same thing. My mother said it had something to due with sediment, but the lead pipe thing was probably the reason behind it way back when.
I'm not sure what to reply to this msmofet, did you think I said something about the taste of the water? My questions were actually about how to "dissolve" oxygen. And as I found out, the oxygen is not dissolved at all.
You would truly hate my water. I have a distiller and I only drink distilled water. IMO, water should not have a "taste". I think making tea or coffee with tap water tastes nasty too, but then I'm a bit of a water snob I think.
We've totally hijacked this thread now. SORRY!!!! Back to talking about who was right in the first place. Hey Mary A Tart, I think you are likely right about the lead pipe thing with your gramma.
luckytrim
Chef Extraordinaire
There are some nasty little microbes that thrive in your hot water heater....................................
msmofet
Chef Extraordinaire
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i was commenting on your comment in bold above. i think the oxygen in the water makes it taste better. i don't like to buy bottled water because the regulations on it are so slack. one brand is bottled with tap water from the same source as my water from the tap. i use cold water to boil.
The comment you bolded was in response to the previous comment by someone saying oxygen made it taste better. I believe it was Andy M who made the comment about the taste of oxygen. I was doing research on MY question, and reporting that there was nothing in my research that indicated anything about oxygen and taste. Do you have some research to share? Or is it just anecdotal evidence you are sharing?
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