Same problem and solution. New carpet made water smell funny. Filled a bathtub with water, and the smell started. Doing dishes in the sink, funny smell. I called the water department, and they immediately asked if I had just put in new carpet. Why, yes I had. They said the chemicals in the carpet reacted with the chlorine in the water to make the smell. After a week the smell went away (we opened the windows the help speed up the process).

You piggybacked onto a 4 year old thread so I made one just for you. Thanks much for your in put. Can you tell us what this "funny smell" smelled like? Tom

Yes, please describe the smell, I've never heard of this, very curious. Lee.

After thinking it over Im more confused then ever. Is the water company saying that there's a immediate reaction as soon as \ the water leaves the faucet spout?
If that's so then why are us new construction guys just hearing about it? I have personally put in hundreds of condos and single family homes with carpet and have never got a complaint such as yours. Please give us the name of your city. I want to contact the water department to learn more. Regards, Tom

I have this tune in my head "smelly cat". Sorry. Tired. I have heard of something similar. Makes you think about what they use to make that carpet eh? Anyway - this just happened to the neighbor down the street - it took him 2 plumbers and 2 city people and a lot of deep thought to figure it out. Never went in to smell it myself though. Wish you luck.

If this works and it's really the carpet - or not - post it will you?

Granted that new carpet has a odor. But it's never affected our water and these are the first complaints ever in all the years I've been answering questions. I wonder if something's been added to the carpets like " Chinese Dry Wall"? Do we now have ":Chinese Carpet"? And your opinon? Regards, Tom

Well - you want to know what I really think?

I wouldn't be so quick to think it's the carpet, but then I would go and find out what the carpet was supposed to be made of as well. China related? I would not be surprised, but then who knows what our own companies are doing?

Before this neighbor and before reading this on this site, I have never heard of this. I have worked in many situations - so I agree with everyone else with this. If this is true - then I would want to know what is in that carpet - right?

New carpet smells bad enough, now we have to worry about it reacting with the water from our faucets when turning them on? Wow. I know I may sound a little paranoid, but
Shouldn't the carpet installers know about this then?

Yes this be a good thing for carpet installers and plumbers, and the public in general to know(if its true). Also, curious if its something in the carpet itself, or maybe it was glue down carpet and it was something in the glue, or maybe stretch in in a basement where tack strips were glued down, maybe something in that glue,, and yet another maybe,, maybe the city in question needs to use an over normal amount of chlorine to purify their water causing this unique situation with new carpet install?? Enquiring minds want to know.

Bugging me! So I checked a little more about this.

Carpet - having been made of voc's does apparently react with the chlorine dioxide from the tap water. Apparently - this can react with other building materials too.

They use chlorine dioxide to clean raw water and when you turn on the tap - some of that gasses off and reactes with the new carpet gass off... and so on. You get an awful smell.
Apparently the EPA has even started some testing on this. The langauge used is much more technical, but there you have it...

Inquiring minds wanted to know. I like the idea of wool carpet anyway - or old hardwood floors. Got to go... my coffee is gassing off.

Carpet - having been made of voc's What's "voc's"?

What's "voc's"?

Volatile organic compounds.

Volatile organic compounds.

That doesn't tell me jack! What chemicals are they using now that they didn't use when I was out in the field? Just got to be something new. Tom

I know I am thinking the same thing, and I am trying to find the equation to it.

I do know that buildings are tighter now - it could also be something that is added to the carpet now too. I am checking... stay tuned. If I find something... I will post it.

Please keep us in the loop cyberheater. If this becomes widespread we're going to get a lotta complaints and it's not going to be very helpful if we haven't got the facts. Thanks for taking the time to research this. Tom

Found so far. They started to use Chlorine Deoxide several years ago in treating the water because it was supposed to be a safer and more effective in water treatment and apparently the problem started. They found the most problems with homes that had poor air ventilation, or in smaller spaces. As early as 1999 and before that.

The VOC/chlorine dioxide combination odors have been described as smelling like fuel oil, kerosene, chemicals or cat urine, to name the most common.

New carpet issue has some correlation to products used in making it and the reaction of the chlorine dioxide in the water. There are other household products/building materials that will also have an opportunity to react to it, but carpet has two ingredients comonly used and will prodominately gass off when installed.

I am trying to find the best and straight to the point information to provide links. Apparently some people are afraid of giving this info out for worry of more fear?

Very interesting.. Thanks for taking to time cyberheater. Much appreciated. Lee.