smelly water?

[johnsmb]

We have well water and septic. Recently we have noticed that we have a sulfur kind of smell when we run the water. It most noticeable in the shower and bathroom sink. Not really noticeable upstairs in the kitchen or bathroom sink. My husband thinks it is mostly when the hot water is running. He is thinking maybe we need to drain the hot water heater. Any ideas on the cause of the smell and what we need to do? thanks!

[Jim S.]

You have a low-level sulfur in your water, and it does build up in the hot water heater. Drain it and flush it well. There are some like that in this area, too. Sometimes, it is too late, and it has eaten up the heater by the time you drain it.

[mamajohnson]

I would clean out the hot water heater first and see if that helps.
Just on a side note, the last time we had smelly water we found a dead animal in the well. Who knows how it got there. Grossed us out to no end.... but, if you don't have one of those old 36" wells, your ok on that.
and it was a job to clean it up.
Good luck!

[mistletoad]

We have sulphur smelling water in two cold water faucets - the common factor is that they are the ones we replaced and used new supply hoses. Evidently there is some chemical reaction either within the hose or at the connectors, but although we changed the hot water hoses too, we do not get the smell from those.

[Oggie]

You might also double check to make sure that the smell is coming from the water from the faucet and not the drain traps. Sometimes the water or steam displaces stinky air in the traps or the sewage/septic system.

[johnsmb]

You're right - I am not real sure if it is the water itself or the drain. My husband seems to think it is more with hot water, but I can't tell for sure. If it is from the drain - what does that mean, and how to eliminate it? thanks for the ideas....

[Bearfootfarm]

The smell is caused by bacteria in the water. It likes heat so thats why you smell it more in the hot water. It also takes some time to grow, so the less often you use a waterline, the more the bacteria thrive, and the smell will be stronger.

The bacteria is harmless but annoying

"Sulphur odors only at certain fixtures: In certain instances, someone in the household may complain of a sulfur odor in one part of the home, but not any other. This is usually explained because of the presence of sulfur reducing bacteria in a "dead leg" in the plumbing system. These bacteria are not typically pathogenic, or disease-causing, and one common type would be Desulfovibriole.
If there is a portion of plumbing that has been cut and then capped off, creating a small area of non-circulating water, or a "dead-leg", then these bacteria can get a foothold and metabolize the available sulfur in your water - creating a strong odor from one particular sink or tap.
Sulphur odors from water heaters: A frequent source of a sulphur-like odor in home water systems, regardless of whether your water is from a private well or from a municipal supply source, is a deteriorated sacrificial anode on the water heater tank. This anode, usually inserted into the water tank from its top, is intended to reduce water tank corrosion. Sacrificial anodes on water tanks can be replaced. If the odor is present only in your hot water, ask your plumber to try replacing the anode.
Hydrogen sulfide release from hot water: Another source of sulphur odors in water the energy which water heaters add to water in the form of heat. Increasing the temperature of water will also facilitate the release of hydrogen sulfide. In addition, the simple act of running water at a shower or faucet will cause a release of this sulphurous odor because of the agitation of the water being released from the tap. "

http://www.inspect-ny.com/water/WaterOdors.htm

[Micahn]

Originally Posted by Bearfootfarm

The smell is caused by bacteria in the water. It likes heat so thats why you smell it more in the hot water. It also takes some time to grow, so the less often you use a waterline, the more the bacteria thrive, and the smell will be stronger.

The bacteria is harmless but annoying

"Sulphur odors only at certain fixtures: In certain instances, someone in the household may complain of a sulfur odor in one part of the home, but not any other. This is usually explained because of the presence of sulfur reducing bacteria in a "dead leg" in the plumbing system. These bacteria are not typically pathogenic, or disease-causing, and one common type would be Desulfovibriole.
If there is a portion of plumbing that has been cut and then capped off, creating a small area of non-circulating water, or a "dead-leg", then these bacteria can get a foothold and metabolize the available sulfur in your water - creating a strong odor from one particular sink or tap.
Sulphur odors from water heaters: A frequent source of a sulphur-like odor in home water systems, regardless of whether your water is from a private well or from a municipal supply source, is a deteriorated sacrificial anode on the water heater tank. This anode, usually inserted into the water tank from its top, is intended to reduce water tank corrosion. Sacrificial anodes on water tanks can be replaced. If the odor is present only in your hot water, ask your plumber to try replacing the anode.
Hydrogen sulfide release from hot water: Another source of sulphur odors in water the energy which water heaters add to water in the form of heat. Increasing the temperature of water will also facilitate the release of hydrogen sulfide. In addition, the simple act of running water at a shower or faucet will cause a release of this sulphurous odor because of the agitation of the water being released from the tap. "

http://www.inspect-ny.com/water/WaterOdors.htm

Every thing said here is what I was going to post on this topic lol. BTW I am a retired master plumber so chances are 1 of the above reasons are your problem.

[ricky]

Originally Posted by mistletoad

We have sulphur smelling water in two cold water faucets - the common factor is that they are the ones we replaced and used new supply hoses. Evidently there is some chemical reaction either within the hose or at the connectors, but although we changed the hot water hoses too, we do not get the smell from those.

yes its the supply lines i had to change the one in the bath room cold side once a year. went to braided ss line never had the problem again. it was always the white type with a braid that smelled bad

[Oggie]

Originally Posted by johnsmb

You're right - I am not real sure if it is the water itself or the drain. My husband seems to think it is more with hot water, but I can't tell for sure. If it is from the drain - what does that mean, and how to eliminate it? thanks for the ideas....

The hot water will almost always cause smells to travel more. The expanding steam carries them along.

A small amount of bleach poured down the drain of the sink would be a good way to see if the smell is coming from there. That trap is fairly small. Let the bleach sit for 15 minutes or so than turn the water on to rinse the trap.

If it smells clean an hour or so later, the smell was coming from the trap.

[JacknJava]

I get these smells on occasion, and in my instance, I believe it is the drain. Soap scum and hair have a habit of building up in your drains, especially if you don't use a lot of hot water (like my upstairs bathroom sink), so on occasion, I'll get a really bad smell when I turn the water on and it displaces that air in the trap.

Pour very hot/nearly boiling water down the drains, then follow w/ some bleach, then rinse with cold water and see if it helps. I've also been told to dump a little baking soda down the drains to cut down on the smells (especially useful in the kitchen).

[johnsmb]

Wow. Thanks so much for the info! I just love this forum, it is always so helpful and friendly.

[Jim S.]

If it is coming from your hot water tank, you will definitely smell sulphur with the hot water turned on, but not the cold. Drain and flush.

The sulphur smell is a result of sediment buildup, and it corrodes the anode in the tank. If the anode is gone or mostly so, you may find that after you clean the tank it will leak, as the muck sealing corrosion holes is washed away. Just another good reason to flush once a year.

[JacknJava]

Stupid question of the day....

We have been here five years and have never flushed the tank...didn't know we were supposed to. How exactly does one go about doing this task? We have a 100 gallon electric tank. We also have a holding tank, so I hate to dump all that water down the drain. Maybe divert into the washing machine? The stuff on the bottom will be nasty cruddy, though, won't it?

[marvella]

bearfootfarm is right.

shocking your well should be done every year. it will take care of the problem.

http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/deptdocs.nsf/all/wwg411

[comfortablynumb]

this smell also comes from supfur bacteria in your hot water tank and leaks out to the cold water lines too.

tuen the hot water tank up to 150-160 for 48 hours and it will kill the bacteria, then flush the tank.

I have to do this about once a yr it works.

[comfortablynumb]

Originally Posted by JacknJava

Stupid question of the day....

We have been here five years and have never flushed the tank...didn't know we were supposed to. How exactly does one go about doing this task? We have a 100 gallon electric tank. We also have a holding tank, so I hate to dump all that water down the drain. Maybe divert into the washing machine? The stuff on the bottom will be nasty cruddy, though, won't it?

you need a water filter if you have well water with sediment.
the housing is 30 bucks and the filters are about 7 bucks a pair, they keep the dirt out of the hot water tank.

be ready for a leak, once you flush out the 3 or 4 inches of crud from the tank it may spring a leak in the bottom.

start life with a new, glass lined tank, with a filter before the water gets to it, and drain the tank once a year.

it will last along long time.

[js2743]

you have sulphur water its very common around here, there is nothing to cause it, its just plain ole sulphur water my neighbor dug a well and hit it, he has a filter on his but still some gets through. there is also a spring nearby thats sulphur water, i would think once heated it would smell more with the steam coming off it. some have hit it so strong the well is useless for human use .

[JacknJava]

Originally Posted by comfortablynumb

you need a water filter if you have well water with sediment.
the housing is 30 bucks and the filters are about 7 bucks a pair, they keep the dirt out of the hot water tank.

be ready for a leak, once you flush out the 3 or 4 inches of crud from the tank it may spring a leak in the bottom.

start life with a new, glass lined tank, with a filter before the water gets to it, and drain the tank once a year.

it will last along long time.

Oh, we do have a whole house filter. I use string filters and change them about once a month or so. But if I run water into a pitcher, I can still see some sediment, so I imagine it's also getting into the water heater.

As long as the water heater is still working correctly, would it not make more sense for me to not drain it, in order to avoid springing a leak? Just let it go until it stops working? I think it's been here for about 15 years.

[comfortablynumb]

check the filter housiing..... it might be set on 'bypass'

I did that too when I first put mine in.... the filter never got dirty and i couldnt figure out why...

I had the dang filter thingy on bypass and it wasnt going thru the filter.

i put the filter as the first thing the incoming water goes thru....

if sediment is getting PAST the string filter, it might not be seated in there tight, or its the wrong size.... or you have another incoming pipe you havent found bypassing the ffilter into the system.

OR

you already had a ton of sediment in the lines and it hasnt worked its way out,