I’m not usually fussy but…

[Potty]

Tank in the loft feeds your hot water tank.Cold water comes direct from the mains.BUSBY.

If you have a Combi boiler, there is no tank. All water comes straight from the mains, even so, I always run the kitchen cold tap for a minute or two if we have been away for more than a couple of days.

 

[sedge]

If you have a Combi boiler, there is no tank. All water comes straight from the mains, even so, I always run the kitchen cold tap for a minute or two if we have been away for more than a couple of days.

So do I - can't get out the habit of living in houses with tanks! Have to put bleach in the loo and down the sink/bath plugholes last thing before we leave the house to go away too - so then you flush etc soon as you come back in to flush the bleach away. Bats, but at least everything smells clean for a bit!

 

[Folkranger]

That's not uncommon at all on aires so I don't know what the issue is, so long as people use each area for their specific purpose and keep them clean what's the harm?

If only...

 

[busby]

If you have a Combi boiler, there is no tank. All water comes straight from the mains, even so, I always run the kitchen cold tap for a minute or two if we have been away for more than a couple of days.

Was replying to RetiredPope who obviously does have a cold water tank. BUSBY.

 

[Scotch mist]

Sounds like a lot of places in France!

That’s what I was thinking , the system is fine , it’s the idiots that misuse it that’s the problem

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[RetiredPope]

Was replying to RetiredPope who obviously does have a cold water tank. BUSBY.

Yes, I've got a cold water tank. A lot of houses do, depending on age and boiler system installed as you say. Some houses are confusing as only the kitchen sink tap will be on mains.

 

[Lofty1]

Yes, I've got a cold water tank. A lot of houses do, depending on age and boiler system installed as you say. Some houses are confusing as only the kitchen sink tap will be on mains.

our house in france has a cold water tank we do not get any chorine taste probably because the water is pumped up from our well, we are still alive after 30 years of it.

 

[scally]

If your cold water taps are connected to a tank there is something wrong unless you're not on mains! The cold tap should be directly feed from where it comes in and not go into a tank thus safe to drink.

Only the sink is usually directly connected to mains water. Bathroom usually come from the loft tank for washing only. Mum always taught us not to drink from bathroom taps but what about brushing your teeth.
I worked lighthouse maintenance for a few years and they had stored water some probably many years old mixed in. In the old days remote landcstation collected rainwater in huge walled of areas this was their only source.

 

[Minxy]

Only the sink is usually directly connected to mains water. Bathroom usually come from the loft tank for washing only. Mum always taught us not to drink from bathroom taps but what about brushing your teeth.

In our bungalow both the bathroom and kitchen cold water taps are fed from the mains, that's how we plumbed them in - are bungalow bathroom taps normally tank or mains fed?

 

[scally]

In our bungalow both the bathroom and kitchen cold water taps are fed from the mains, that's how we plumbed them in - are bungalow bathroom taps normally tank or mains fed?

Your choice then, sensible

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[Hawkstone]

This was a hose right next to the chemical disposal at a motocross Gp in Belgium…..and yes it was for both fresh and waste …..blooming grim. Fortunately we always carried plenty of bottled water.

 

[mike mcglynn]

I recall on a south coast campsite some years back now ,I was trying to explain to a french youth that he was washing the family pots and pans in the the Cassete emptying point he more or less told me to eff off the bad tempered lad was not a happy bunny as all the dishwashing points were busy ,I felt sorry for his family as they would not have been any the wiser until a day or two later.

 

[Odd-no-more]

In our bungalow both the bathroom and kitchen cold water taps are fed from the mains, that's how we plumbed them in - are bungalow bathroom taps normally tank or mains fed?

In older property only the kitchen tap is from the main, all others from the tank. When we moved to a bungalow I took out the tank and fitted a main pressure hot water cylinder and now all taps are off the main. I was always taught not to drink water from a tank in the loft, as it may have a dead rat in it.

 

[peterc10]

Tank in the loft feeds your hot water tank.Cold water comes direct from the mains.BUSBY.

Not in the majority of houses in the UK where the only cold tap that is fed directly from the mains is the one in kitchen. All the other cold taps are fed via the header tank in the loft. That was the case in all 4 of the houses I have lived in which were built between 1923 and 1975.

That is what the water regs used to require. All changed for houses being built now, but the older houses are still the same.

 

[tonyidle]

Not in the majority of houses in the UK where the only cold tap that is fed directly from the mains is the one in kitchen. All the other cold taps are fed via the header tank in the loft. That was the case in all 4 of the houses I have lived in which were built between 1923 and 1975.

That is what the water regs used to require. All changed for houses being built now, but the older houses are still the same.

This is a bit of a North / South thing. Most older houses around here have all cold taps off the main. Where supplies covered a densely populated area it was important to minimise the number of taps connected to the main to preserve water pressure during periods of high usage.

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[TDub49]

Quick read off the The Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999. Seems all things are possible and it is by no means clear that all cold water taps feed directly from the mains . . .

26. All premises supplied with water for domestic purposes shall have at least one tap conveniently situated for the drawing of drinking water.

27. A drinking water tap shall be supplied with water from–

(a)a supply pipe;

(b)a pump delivery pipe drawing water from a supply pipe; or

(c)a distributing pipe drawing water exclusively from a storage cistern supplying wholesome water.

And as far the OP comment is concerned, not a brilliant set up but I tend to assume (after years of marina hoses etc) that fresh water always needs to run for a bit before filling anything and any other facilities used by lots of different people, however clean the facilitates look, should be treated as potentially contaminated and you act accordingly.

 

[peterc10]

This is a bit of a North / South thing. Most older houses around here have all cold taps off the main. Where supplies covered a densely populated area it was important to minimise the number of taps connected to the main to preserve water pressure during periods of high usage.

I don't know where you live. All 4 of the houses I referred to were in in the South East of England and none were in densely populated areas. One of them did not have mains water when it was built in 1923 so it had a well with a hand pump. The village only got mains water in the 1930s so the internal water system would have been installed then.

Quick read off the The Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999. Seems all things are possible and it is by no means clear that all cold water taps feed directly from the mains . . .

26. All premises supplied with water for domestic purposes shall have at least one tap conveniently situated for the drawing of drinking water.

27. A drinking water tap shall be supplied with water from–

(a)a supply pipe;

(b)a pump delivery pipe drawing water from a supply pipe; or

(c)a distributing pipe drawing water exclusively from a storage cistern supplying wholesome water.

And as far the OP comment is concerned, not a brilliant set up but I tend to assume (after years of marina hoses etc) that fresh water always needs to run for a bit before filling anything and any other facilities used by lots of different people, however clean the facilitates look, should be treated as potentially contaminated and you act accordingly.

Around the turn of the century the regs started to change. But I suspect the majority of houses were built before 1999.

 

[tonyidle]

I don't know where you live. All 4 of the houses I referred to were in in the South East of England and none were in densely populated areas. One of them did not have mains water when it was built in 1923 so it had a well with a hand pump. The village only got mains water in the 1930s so the internal water system would have been installed then.


Around the turn of the century the regs started to change. But I suspect the majority of houses were built before 1999.

I live in Cumbria. I remember reading a long time ago about water supplies in densely populated areas invariably had a single drinking water tap and reference was made to different areas having different regulations. I had the impression that it was in the Home Counties where pressure problems were most prevalent.

 

[peterc10]

I live in Cumbria. I remember reading a long time ago about water supplies in densely populated areas invariably had a single drinking water tap and reference was made to different areas having different regulations. I had the impression that it was in the Home Counties where pressure problems were most prevalent.

More likely it was referring to the industrial heartlands in the North and Midlands as well as some areas of London. And probably it was referring to the days when there was just one tap in each house with no hot water system, indoor toilets or bathroom, unless you were very rich.

 

[tonyidle]

More likely it was referring to the industrial heartlands in the North and Midlands as well as some areas of London. And probably it was referring to the days when there was just one tap in each house with no hot water system, indoor toilets or bathroom, unless you were very rich.

Quite possibly - though comments in this thread suggest some see it as the norm whereas in my (admittedly limited) experience in this area most cold taps are on the mains. Which is exceptionally irritating because it includes the bath tap making a shower mixer on the bath pretty useless .

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[Landy Andy]

I watched a French couple this am at the services. They had a 2m length of green garden hose attached to the stupid push button tap. As you had to push the tap about every 7.3 seconds it took both of them to do the service duties. Then I was amazed to see the hose pulled out of the water fill hole and then shoved into their toilet cassette after he had just emptied it, whist he swilled it around hose went back into their water filler, then the cassette was emptied, and another swill required so the process was repeated. Before then going on to fill many many many water bottles for some unknown reason.

Nice.

 

[pappajohn]

Mains or cold tank.... We have both.
Upstairs taps are on tank, plus feed to boiler and emersion heater and cold taps.
Downstairs kitchen, utility room and downstairs bathroom on mains.

 

[St3v3]

Not in the majority of houses in the UK where the only cold tap that is fed directly from the mains is the one in kitchen. All the other cold taps are fed via the header tank in the loft. That was the case in all 4 of the houses I have lived in which were built between 1923 and 1975.

That is what the water regs used to require. All changed for houses being built now, but the older houses are still the same.

As a plumber, I haven't come across a place still like that for years.

Anything with a mixer tap/shower the cold comes from the loft as it has to to prevent mains cold overpowering low pressure hot. Usually the basin cold tap and toilet are from the mains. Toilet so as to fill up quickly and not have to also re-fill the noisy loft tank while you try to go back to sleep.

Very few houses haven't now had a re-fit since the '70s.

 

[peterc10]

As a plumber, I haven't come across a place still like that for years.

Anything with a mixer tap/shower the cold comes from the loft as it has to to prevent mains cold overpowering low pressure hot. Usually the basin cold tap and toilet are from the mains. Toilet so as to fill up quickly and not have to also re-fill the noisy loft tank while you try to go back to sleep.

Very few houses haven't now had a re-fit since the '70s.

Not sure what your point is.

Most basins showers and baths fitted in the last 30 years in houses have mixer taps, so both hot and cold should have the same pressure. Therefore, as I have said, the cold supply for those comes off the tank. But, nowadays, that is different with new build systems which nearly all seem to have mains pressure on both hot and cold feeds throughout, either using Combis or mains pressure hot water tanks. In the past the water regs used to prohibit the use of mains pressure hot water tanks in dwellings because of safety reasons, but that has all changes now.

But kitchen sinks on many houses still have mains cold and tank hot feeds. In that case they work because the sink mixer taps have non return systems, which the basin taps do not usually have. As the older properties get extended and refurbished I suspect that most will change to mains pressure systems. That is what happened when our son extended his 1930s house and water system.

 

[Krumpli]

The comment about eating a bit of dirt seems sensible to me.
I have noticed on the TV Dettol ads. They are promoting cleaning everything in the house with some form of Dettol. The ultimate yesterday was somebody wiping a football before kids booted it around the park. Crazy.
Same with allergies. A recent study of thousands of children showed that those given peanuts from birth (almost) did not suffer allergies later. Those kept away from nuts did suffer allergies in later life.
Eat some dirt.

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[Puddleduck]

In our bungalow both the bathroom and kitchen cold water taps are fed from the mains, that's how we plumbed them in - are bungalow bathroom taps normally tank or mains fed?

In older property only the kitchen tap is from the main, all others from the tank. When we moved to a bungalow I took out the tank and fitted a main pressure hot water cylinder and now all taps are off the main. I was always taught not to drink water from a tank in the loft, as it may have a dead rat in it.

No loft tank here - all cold taps are mains fed and the hot water tank is a mains pressure type

 

[St3v3]

Not sure what your point is.

Most basins showers and baths fitted in the last 30 years in houses have mixer taps, so both hot and cold should have the same pressure. Therefore, as I have said, the cold supply for those comes off the tank. But, nowadays, that is different with new build systems which nearly all seem to have mains pressure on both hot and cold feeds throughout, either using Combis or mains pressure hot water tanks. In the past the water regs used to prohibit the use of mains pressure hot water tanks in dwellings because of safety reasons, but that has all changes now.

But kitchen sinks on many houses still have mains cold and tank hot feeds. In that case they work because the sink mixer taps have non return systems, which the basin taps do not usually have. As the older properties get extended and refurbished I suspect that most will change to mains pressure systems. That is what happened when our son extended his 1930s house and water system.

Basin mixer taps aren't as common as you might think.

 

[hblewett]

After a day the water will have no chlorine in it.

Where does the chlorine go? I’m genuinely interested as I’ve never thought about that.

But then again, why does it matter when you drink from the cold water tap which comes straight off the mains?

 

[Darling]

At recent show two families were washing their pots & plates at the Elsa tap yuck

 

[Darling]

At recent motorhome show saw two families washing up at the Elsa point yuck

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