You shouldn’t use hot tap water for cooking, here’s why…

Heat does make things dissolve more readily, whether that is your favorite coffee beans or tea leaves or seasonings. This same principle applies for chemicals in pipes such as the solder holding pipes together in older homes, And even modern plumbing materials such as PEX lines.

According to Beth Skwarecki with LifeHacker, engineer Andrew Whelton’s team found that some brands of PEX piping release 100 times more of certain chemicals in hot water versus cold, and that some brands of PEX leach more than others. Not all of the chemicals are necessarily dangerous to be sure, but some may change the water’s taste or odor and may exceed the health limits established by some states.

If you want to play it safe for your family’s health, be sure to stick to cold water for cooking and drinking.