Water Smell?

Ok, everyone seems to be able to find an answer to the questions that stump them here, so I thought I would try.

Approx 2 years ago, we renovated our office building. Complete gut job, the only thing remaining was the exterior shell. All new plumbing, heating, cooling, windows, etc.

We moved back into the building just before Labor Day. Approx 2 months later, the hot water had a rotten egg/sulfur smell to it. We were told to drain the water heater, smell went away for about a month or 2. We were told to drain the water heater, turn it all the way up over the weekend, and drain again. The smell went away for a month or 2. It was then suggested that we get a new water heater as there must be something in the one we just got that was reacting with the magnesium rod and emitting the sulfur smell.

Had another new water heater installed and after a few months the water started to smell again. Now, both the cold and hot water give off a rotten egg odor. Contacted the city and they asked what kind of pipe we put in and said every once in a while the pvc pipe must react with the chemicals they use to treat the water and that is our problem. Said it should go away after awhile. Problem is, our business doesn’t go through a lot of water so I don’t know how long that will take.

Is there anybody that knows what could be causing this? And what can be done to fix it? Nobody in the office wants to drink the water, make coffee with the water, heck hardly want to wash hands with it. I’ve got to fix it, but don’t feel like getting a new water heater every 3 months.

Thanks.

JD

We have the same thing here and you explained it excatly. I am not sure what to do either although I don’t think we have gotten the new hot water heater yet. Well I am sorry I don’t have a fix for you. I guess I wanted to let you know that you aren’t the only company.

I assume you are on a well water? Have you had a water test done by an independent lab? Test for hydrogen sulfide, sulfate, sulfur bacteria, and iron bacteria. Have you tried turning the water heater up to 160 degrees for a few days and then flushing it and turning it back down? Have you tried adding a gallon or two of bleach to the water heater and letting it soak for a few days and then flush?

This has happened to us after we were gone for a few days.

Adding some hydrogen peroxide to our hot water heater cleared it up. It took a couple of days to get the hydrogen peroxide smell cleared up, but it worked.

http://www.waterheaterrescue.com/pages/WHRpages/English/Troubleshooting/stinky-water-in-hot-water-heaters.html

We are on the city water. We did try to turn the heat up all the way and then flush, but smell comes back after a month or 2.

I have not yet tried the hydrogen peroxide. I will try that this weekend.

I’m sure Mike will explain the correct term, but you need to pull the anode on the top of the water heater. It’s a flat nut-like thing on the top – off to the side. When you unscrew it, you will be pulling out a long anode type of element that is designed to treat hot water. In your case however, this same anode reacts to a certain bacteria and makes it smell like rotten eggs. Pull the anode and replace it with a metal plug. I’m also at a loss for the name of the bacteria, but it’s not anything you need to be afraid of. It’s pretty normal.
If you make coffee and have “fuel” like stain floating on the top of the coffee/water, this is also a different type of bacteria. You will need a treatment filter system put in the H20 service line. You can get these from a treatement company like Culligan. You’ll need to replace it everytime the “fuel” starts to show on the coffee/water. At our cabin, that filtration tank lasts about a month to 1.5 months before it needs replacing. Sorry I don’t know all the technical terms, but like I said, Mike will probable chime in and let you know all the details.