Has this ever happened to you? While pouring the boiling water into your cup, you start to notice a rotten egg smell in it.
In fact, you don’t just notice the rotten egg smell, but you also pick up other foul odors. You try to replace your water heater and after a while, you start to notice the smell again.
This rotten egg smell comes from the bacteria growing in your water heater. This type of scenario can occur when you are not using your water heater for a long period of time. It can also occur if the thermostat of your water heater is set too low.
With that, the water heater odor killer has become in demand these days. Let’s tackle more about the rotten egg smell in your water and where it comes from.
Table of Contents
What are the common water odors found in your water?
There are several types of water odor that can be in your water. It may come from organic waste, chemicals, and many other things. Read through below to know its possible causes.
Bleach or Chemical Odor
Your water might have the smell of bleach. The high levels of chlorine cause this smell. Though it is not a harmful smell, it can be irritating. This type of odor is an effect of the following:
Chlorinated water by public water suppliers – The Environmental Protection Agency mandates the addition of chlorine in the water. All the public water suppliers should do this. This is to ensure that the water that comes from your faucets is clean and safe.
Immediate Chlorination of Plumbing System – The public water suppliers will also chlorinate your water supply. This can happen at times after a large storm. This is to prevent the bacteria from growing in the plumbing system. This usually results in a strong chlorine odor. The smell will only stop if the chlorine dissolves within the system.
Interaction of Chlorine with the Organic Materials – Contaminants bind with the free chlorine that the public water suppliers added. It is also considered an organic material. This is to prevent the growth of biofilm. Biofilm is a combination of algae, fungi, and bacteria. The combination of the contaminants and the chlorine results in chloramines. Those chloramines give off a strong chlorine odor.
Rotten Egg Smell
It can last a long time if you fail to detect where the rotten egg smell comes from. The primary cause of your water having a rotten egg smell is sulfur bacteria. It finds its way to your water system and causes the problem. This type of scenario usually occurs in three possible ways:
Bacteria growing in the drain – The bacteria in your drain is one of the most common causes of the rotten egg smell in your water. Organic matter such as food waste will give nutrients to the bacteria to grow. These bacterias produce sulfate, which smells like rotten eggs.
Bacteria growing in the water heater – Your water heater will get this rotten egg smell if unused for a long period of time. Even if the bacteria forming in the water heater is not a threat to your health, the taste and odor can be unpleasant.
Bacteria growing in the water source – Your water source can also be the reason for having a water odor. If you found out that your water source is the source of it, do not use the water anymore. It can have harmful bacteria in it.
Earthy or Fishy Odor
Your water has an earthy or even a fishy odor is also possible. Even if it is harmless, the smell can be annoying. This odor may be due to the following reasons.
Decaying organic matter in the drain – The decaying organic matter is in your drain over time can produce an earthy or fishy odor. That is why it is advisable to clean your drain once or twice a week.
Decaying organic matter in the pressure tank – Various types of bacteria, algae, and fungi grow in your tank that may result in an earthy and fishy odor. These types of bacteria usually grow during warm weather.
Fuel-like Odor
This type of odor may occur at rare times. Yet, they are very serious and must be dealt with immediately. Fuel-like odors may be due to:
A leaking fuel tank
Discharge from factories
Agricultural run-off
You need to stop drinking your water immediately if you are sure that it has a fuel-like odor. Drinking water with this type of odor can cause a lot of health problems.
If the smell of your water feels like it is not in its normal state, you should contact the water supply authority. This also applies if and you are not sure of what type of odor your water is having.
How to determine whether the water odor comes from the pipes or from the water?
It is very unpleasant and irritating to drink water that has a water odor. It does not risk your own health, but it also makes you lose your appetite. Thinking that you are somehow drinking bacteria in your water is nauseating.
It is best to find the source of the water odor before proceeding with fixing it. It will give you more information on the right things to do to drop the water odor. Follow the steps below to detect the source of the water odor in your water.
Get a glass of water.
Before smelling or tasting it, get away from the faucet to better judge where the odor came from.
If you find no foul odor in your glass, then it is sure that the odor comes from the water.
You have to disinfect your pipes and drains if there are bacteria inside them.
There will also be instances where your water heater is the source of the water odor. You can try to perform the tasks below, but it is advisable to seek a plumber for professional help.
Try turning the temperature of your water on for 24 hours.
Run the hot water to flush the pipes out.
Be cautious when turning the temperature of your water heater.
You can use hydrogen peroxide in a water heater to clean it.
You can also call a plumber to do it for you.
What chemicals to use as a water heater odor killer?
Replacing your water heater, again and again, can be costly over time. With that, there are available chemicals for you to use. These chemicals are also good in eliminating the rotten egg smell on your water heaters. Young can either use shock chlorination treatments or use hydrogen peroxide.
Shock Chlorination
The most common way of removing the rotten smell in your water systems is by using chlorine. Chlorination treatments in the pipe should do the trick. This process also requires continuous water pump-out. Until the smell and taste of chlorine vanishes, this method should be continuous.
Using chlorine as your water heater odor killer can leave chlorine tastes and odors. It is the disadvantage of using chlorine. The taste of chlorine in your water is very unpleasant to drink. That is why it advisable to use hydrogen peroxide as a water heater odor killer.
Using Hydrogen Peroxide
Like chlorine, hydrogen peroxide is also a powerful oxidizer. It is capable of removing water odor. Unlike chlorine, hydrogen peroxide leaves no trace of chemical by-products. Mixing the hydrogen peroxide in the water results in the release of dissolved oxygen. Along with that, a strong oxidizing effect also happens.
Using Chlorine Dioxide
You can also use chlorine dioxide as a water heater odor killer. Even if not a lot of people use this, it is still one of the chemicals that can help you prevent the water odor in your water.
Degasifiers
You can also use machines like degasifiers to reduce the water odor. It is one of the machines that you can use aside from chemicals. These machines function by clearing hydrogen sulfide from the water. Along with that, it also decreases the odor of the water.
Greensand filters
Using greensand filters can also help end the water odors. It uses manganese oxide, which eats away hydrogen sulfide and turns it into gas. The greensand filters then filter it out.
What is in hydrogen peroxide that can help it end water odor?
Hydrogen peroxide is a colorless liquid chemical. A wide range of cleaning and personal products uses this liquid chemical. It includes hair dyes, toothpaste, laundry stain removers, and many more. Aside from that, over-the-counter first aid antiseptics also contain this chemical.
It has consumer uses as well as a bleaching agent in food products. Water treatment also uses hydrogen peroxide in the industrial aspect.
The use of hydrogen peroxide in water heaters helps prevent and end the occurrence of water odor. The hydrogen peroxide in your smelly drain eliminates odors. It also destroys microorganisms and oxidizes tannins. Adding hydrogen peroxide to the water softener is also possible to end water odor.
Why is hydrogen peroxide the best water heater odor killer?
A lot of people use hydrogen peroxide as an oxidizing and antimicrobial agent. Adding hydrogen peroxide to the water heater is the best solution for water odor. Take note that you can also use hydrogen peroxide in your smelly drain to end its odor. Aside from that, hydrogen peroxide in your water softener is also possible.
Read through the list below that consists of the best reasons to prove the above statement.
No contact tank is required.
It works quicker than chlorine.
It will not leave any chemical residues in your water.
It works over a wider pH range compared to chlorine.
How to clean a hot water heater with hydrogen peroxide?
You can either ask for professional help in cleaning your water heater or do it yourself. The process is very simple. You can ask for a plumber to help you clean your water heater. But if you are confident enough to do it, follow the steps below.
If your water heater is electric, you should turn it off first.
If it is a gas heater, then switch it to Pilot mode.
Close the valve of the water heater is where the cold water enters.
Next is to identify the T&P Valve (Temperature and Pressure Valve). Its location is usually on the top of the heater.
To release the tank pressure, open the valve and the boiling water faucet.
Make enough space for the hydrogen peroxide by draining enough water.
Always keep a hose bib while doing step number 6. You will need it when there is a leakage in the valve.
Disconnect the T&P valve from the heater.
Then remove the anode while also detaching the pipe for the hot water from the water heater.
Check for pipe corrosion in the anode rod. If it is rusty, replace it immediately.
Add 3% hydrogen peroxide for every 40 gallons of water.
Add the hydrogen peroxide to the water. Close the opening of the pipe or the T&P valve after adding the hydrogen peroxide.
Fill the tank with water through the inlet valve for cold water.
After noticing that it’s almost full, close the inlet valve.
Let the hydrogen peroxide stay for about three hours to end water odor.
You need to remove the peroxide residue by draining it using the drain valve of the water heater.
Allow the drainage valve and the water tank to breathe for twenty minutes.
Drain the water from the water tank to flush out sedimentary deposits.
The last step is to close the drain valve.
You can determine if you did the process by seeing to it that you did all the things listed below.
Get rid of all the air from the faucets.
Make sure that there is zero amount of air left in the water system.
Check that there is no water leakage.
What are the ways to prevent water odor in your water heater?
You should never leave water in a water heater for a long period of time. That is the main cause of why water heaters accumulate water odor. A maximum of two weeks should be the limit of the water in the water heater. Also, turn off the gas to your water heater if you are going to be away for a long period of time.
As for the cold water, it will have no problem as cold water can be in the tank without producing bacteria. But to be sure, drain the tank and turn off the gas when going away from home for quite some time.
Is it okay to use a water purification system as a water heater odor killer?
It is time to change your water purification system if it still has a high level of hydrogen sulfide. Smelling the rotten egg smell for some months becomes annoying once it lasts. You should contact a plumber with regards to choosing your water purification system.
What to do if the water odor comes back?
The occurrence of the rotten egg smell in your water heater again is very frustrating. If you followed the steps mentioned above, you should have no problems with your water heater. But if the odor comes back, you have to repeat the same steps again. Sanitizing your water heater is the only water heater, odor killer.
You can also follow these extra steps of sanitizing your water heater. This is to make sure that the rotten egg smell does not come back.
It is advisable to use zinc anode or aluminum anode as a replacement for your magnesium anode.
You can also opt for a water heater replacement.
It is good to choose those stainless steel water heaters.
It is better to use water heaters with no anode rod.
Conclusion
You should use a water heater odor killer once you detect odors in your water. Do not let yourself suffer from drinking and smelling foul odors in your water. The foul odors are so unpleasant that it can lead to a loss of appetite. With that, you should apply a water heater odor killer immediately.
Early detection of the water odor is good. By detecting the water odor, you are now aware that you have to do something to clean it. You can find various water odors in your water heater. As mentioned above, it can range from the bleach or chemical odor up to the fuel-like odor. These water odors are not that harmful, except the fuel-like odor. Yet, you still have to be careful and cautious.
It is advisable to use hydrogen peroxide as a chemical in cleaning your water heater. The results and effects it has are very good based on many reviews. One of the highlighted reasons is that it does not leave any chemical residue in your water.
Do not forget to follow the steps mentioned above if ever you experience water odors in your water. You have to be mindful to do each step. This is to ensure that you are cleaning your water heater the right way. As the process of cleaning the water heater is very simple, you can do it yourself.
