A rotten egg smell is one common odor issue from water heaters. It can emanate from the fixtures and faucets when running water. The unpleasant smell is usually due to sulfate bacteria that can grow in the tank. This problem usually occurs once hot water is left inside the tank and bacteria settle in the water. The issue can also occur when you get water from the well and are not purifying the water with chlorine. Water stays still in the well until it is consumed.
Sulfur also gives that odor in the water heater, especially when you have a water softener inside the unit. The soft water dissolves the magnesium and produces sulfate gas inside the water heater. Oftentimes, when you have this issue you will have air and water spring up the fixtures and faucets and give a sulfur smell to the water.
How To Eliminate The Rotten Egg Odor
Once you smell a rotten egg from the water, you should initially confirm if the water heater is the culprit. Switch on the cold water. If you don’t sense anything, it is probably the water heater that gives the unpleasant smell. When the water still gives off such odor after you switch on the cold water, there may be some sulfate bacteria in the water source and should purify the water in your home to deal with these issues. Plumbing Kingdom provides water purification systems that can solve this problem.
When the odor in the water heater is due to the stagnant water inside the tank, you may require a replacement already. On some Do-It-Yourself sites, they will advise you to drain and flush the tank. But, even when you are able to eliminate the bacteria, the rotten egg smell will stink in the tank and you will have to suffer from the same issue. Oftentimes, it is more practical to change the tank than hire a professional to flush and maintain the tank, especially when the tank is over 15 years old.
Provided that the odor comes from the well system, there are simple ways to purify the well water and remove the bacteria and sulfur. But depending on the time you have had the issue, you will still have to change the tank to get rid of the smell completely. When you get a water softener and the magnesium anode rod gives off the odor, an expert can change the rod from aluminum and zinc. When it doesn’t resolve the issue, give a water heart technician a call.
If you seek professional consultation or need water heater repair, you can ask the experts of Plumbing Kingdom. Services also include sewer line repair, clogged toilet repair, faucet repair, and emergency plumber.
