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[US only] How cold is your tap water in the summer?
- Thread starter coolwater
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Fzang
macrumors 65816
rdowns
macrumors Penryn
Tap water is warmer when temperatures are higher? Shocking.
A.Goldberg
macrumors 68030
This is a rather odd thread, but I will play...
I live in Boston. The water is significantly warmer in the summer than it is in the winter. I figure being on an upper floor of an apartment, the water hangs out longer in the pipes anyways. I don't drink the tap water here, so it's not a big deal.
Where I grew up in CT, my family's house had a well, which is pretty common. Being that the well was something like 300ft deep, the water seemed pretty cold year round, though still slightly warmer in the summer.
My family owns some properties in Rhode Island that all have wells too. They look like they're from "The Ring" movie. They are probably 20-30ft- the water isn't too far down being on the coast. The water is very warm in the summer. I'm not really sure about winter, but the water can potentially freeze as the lines aren't buried too deep.
I live in Boston. The water is significantly warmer in the summer than it is in the winter. I figure being on an upper floor of an apartment, the water hangs out longer in the pipes anyways. I don't drink the tap water here, so it's not a big deal.
Where I grew up in CT, my family's house had a well, which is pretty common. Being that the well was something like 300ft deep, the water seemed pretty cold year round, though still slightly warmer in the summer.
My family owns some properties in Rhode Island that all have wells too. They look like they're from "The Ring" movie. They are probably 20-30ft- the water isn't too far down being on the coast. The water is very warm in the summer. I'm not really sure about winter, but the water can potentially freeze as the lines aren't buried too deep.
bunnspecial
macrumors G3
I'd put it at 60ºF or so in the summer, or perhaps a bit warmer.
Winter water temperatures straight out of the tap are cold enough that I rarely use ice-I'd guess them at around 40ºF. A glass of tap water in the winter will fog in a couple of minutes.
Winter water temperatures straight out of the tap are cold enough that I rarely use ice-I'd guess them at around 40ºF. A glass of tap water in the winter will fog in a couple of minutes.
Huntn
macrumors Penryn
Interesting forum handle regarding this topic, lol. Is this an observation or a serious concern? 🙂
Apple fanboy
macrumors Ivy Bridge
Check his thread history. U.S. Only is his favourite thread prefix.
Hay @coolwater there is a world outside of the U.S. you know!
0098386
Suspended
That is a bit weird isn't it.
My water is nice and cold all year round. Usually have to run it for about 5-10 seconds before it gets very cold.
Apple fanboy
macrumors Ivy Bridge
Oh yea, @Apple fanboy go ahead and have fun asking the same question to people in Russia and Greenland, Finland, etc. Oh, don't forget Canadians.
Oh, really? Show me how to add ice when you wash hands and take shower with running water. You show me and I will follow. Simples.
AlliFlowers
macrumors 601
heehee
macrumors 68020
bunnspecial
macrumors G3
I was getting ready to develop some film a little while ago(a temperature critical application). I let my tap water run on the coldest setting for about 3 minutes, and collected it in a plastic cup.
Using an ASTM-traceable mercury thermometer(probably about as good as I could reasonably get my hands on at home) I measured a temperature of 21.8ºC
Unfortunately, that's a bit too warm to develop film-I'd ideally like it around 20ºC(68ºF) to keep development times reasonable. Kodak Tri-X shot at EI 400 and developed in straight D76(what I'm using, both for film and developer) specifies 6 min, 45s. Raise that to 22ºC and becomes 5.5 min, a time too short for reasonable consistency. That means that I either need to dilute it 1:1 or cool my water down.
So, there's some real, measured data for you 🙂
Using an ASTM-traceable mercury thermometer(probably about as good as I could reasonably get my hands on at home) I measured a temperature of 21.8ºC
Unfortunately, that's a bit too warm to develop film-I'd ideally like it around 20ºC(68ºF) to keep development times reasonable. Kodak Tri-X shot at EI 400 and developed in straight D76(what I'm using, both for film and developer) specifies 6 min, 45s. Raise that to 22ºC and becomes 5.5 min, a time too short for reasonable consistency. That means that I either need to dilute it 1:1 or cool my water down.
So, there's some real, measured data for you 🙂
Gregg2
macrumors 604
Most of us have not used any device to measure the temperature of our tap water, cold or hot. Mine gets cold enough for me to drink it, but I prefer it a little colder, so I put some in the fridge. It gets even colder if I put it in the freezer. You seem to be using a small amount, so you could certainly do the former, and keep enough on hand for photo development.
At work, our ice maker stopped producing ice. The water from the fridge is a bit colder than the water from the tap, but it "warms" up faster without ice of course, so that causes more trips to the fridge to replace the warmer water with cold water. I started putting my (hard) plastic cup in the freezer with a little water in it. I found it interesting that it freezes from the outside in, which most have probably observed in an ice cube tray. I was able to poke a hole through the top surface and pull up a hollow disc. I thought that was cool. I have now taken an ice cube tray to work instead.
At work, our ice maker stopped producing ice. The water from the fridge is a bit colder than the water from the tap, but it "warms" up faster without ice of course, so that causes more trips to the fridge to replace the warmer water with cold water. I started putting my (hard) plastic cup in the freezer with a little water in it. I found it interesting that it freezes from the outside in, which most have probably observed in an ice cube tray. I was able to poke a hole through the top surface and pull up a hollow disc. I thought that was cool. I have now taken an ice cube tray to work instead.
crjackson2134
macrumors 601
I's not really cold tap water. It's heated / non-heated, but that's too big to stamp on the handle. 😉
dejo
Moderator emeritus
Scepticalscribe
macrumors Haswell
Firstly, there is no need to be so condescending and patronising to @Apple fanboy in your replies. And equally, making a mockery of a spelling mistake is considered impolite on this forum, and I write that as a former editor, published author and fully fledged grammar and spelling nazi.
On the wider topic, while I know that the forum is US based, and many of the threads are firmly focussed on the US, I remain astounded at the US centric perspective and worldview of some posters and threads.
Two other things occur to me to mention at this stage, and they are as follows: The first is to briefly reiterate @Apple fanboy's point which is that there is a world beyond the shores of the US.
The second is prompted by idle curiosity and is a question. Most of the replies thus far have been descriptive ('my tap water is warmer in summer than in winter and I am in Florida') rather than analytical - which means asking the question why the water from the tap is warmer in summer than in winter.
Is this because of the way the actual pipes themselves have been installed? Or have they not been laid down sufficiently deeply? Or, is it a cost cutting exercise? What organisations run the water companies? Is water provision privatised, or is it a function of the municipal authorities funded by municipal - or local - taxes? Who is answerable for the fact that your thread seems to have given some evidence to suggest that water from the public mains is warmer in summer than in wanter, or is this a deliberate policy decision?
