Why Does My Water Smell Like Rotten Eggs?
Does the water in your home have a rotten egg smell? You may be wondering what the cause of it is, and better yet, how to eliminate that horrible odor. Well, it is not an uncommon problem to have. There are a few fixes for the issue. Below you can find out what some of the causes may be and how to fix them. Let’s get started now!
Where Does the Smell of Rotten Eggs Come From?
The horrible smell of rotten eggs can actually be from traces of hydrogen sulfide. That may raise a question of safety, but there is nothing to be worried about. Long Island Plumbing Repair, a Long Island plumber, notes that just because water has that smell does not mean that it has harmful amounts of hydrogen sulfide, if that is the cause. Even just a small amount of hydrogen sulfide can cause an odor of rotten eggs in water.
When hydrogen sulfide builds up in pipes or even water heaters, the smell of rotten eggs can get worse. This is the main cause of the smell. However, it does not mean that there are any harmful effects or risks.
You can find out more about hydrogen sulfide at the Occupational Safety and Health Administration website.
Find the Source and Fix the Problem
While noted above that the smell comes from trace amounts of hydrogen sulfide, it is important to know where the buildup is. Where does the rotten smell come from the most? A water heater that has not been used for some time may be the cause. That is an easy fix to run all the hot water out and let it refill.
While that is one of the sources that the rotten smell may be coming from, it is important to check all the pipes in the home and some other areas. Take a look in the next section on how to inspect pipes to remove the rotten egg smell.
- Turn on just the hot water. If you smell the odor, then it certainly is from the hot water heater as long as the cold water does not have the odor.
- Check the cold water next. If it has the odor, then the rotten egg smell is coming from more areas than just the hot water heater.
- Check individual faucets. The smell may only be coming from a select few rooms. If this is the case, then there are steps to take to remove the odor from those pipes.
The smell may be a build up in the pipes. There are some steps to take to remove the odor from those pipes and be back to having a smell free supply of water.
Some Steps to Take
Now that the cause of the smell of rotten eggs has been determined, the solution can be put in place. There are a few steps to take to get rid of that terrible smell. Just take a look at some of the steps listed below to get rid of the odor once and for all.
- Install water filters. There are water filters that can be connected to the pipes before the water enters the home. These are great and do not cost very much money at all. You can find water filters for home use at PlanItDIY.
- Clear out the pipes in the home. This may sound like a horribly long job, but it indeed is very simple. All you have to do is turn on the water to all the faucets and let them run for a full ten minutes. This cleans the pipes out and should eliminate that horrible smell.
- Clean the water heater. The water heater can be a major cause of the rotten egg smell. It can be easily eliminated by cleaning the hot water heater. Empty it out with a hose, and once emptied fill it with another hose. Basically, you areflushing the water heater out completely. The water heater should flush away the rotten egg smell just like it would when flushing the pipes in the home.
What If All Else Fails?
Sometimes the cause can be an issue beyond the pipes. It can actually be coming from the well if the home has well water. The best way to resolve that issue it to purchase water filters as stated above. If the pipes still tend to have a smell, then it is a good idea to flush them once more after the filter has been installed.
Now that you have all the information on how to remove the rotten egg smell from your water, feel free to give it a try. Do make sure the hot water heater is turned off from all power first. You can check out this YouTube video for more information if you are interested.
