Top reasons Why there is a strange smell in the water heater and how to fix
Are you getting strange smells coming out of your water heater tank? Do you have any idea what is the cause of those strange smells? If you are not taking this matter seriously, you must know that drinking smelly water might cause health problems. Plus, you should know the cause of those smells so you can do water heater tank repairs before the situation gets too bad.
In further detail, we will discuss the reason for those strange smells in the water and how you can do water heater repairs.
Reasons why there is a strange smell in the water heater
Following are the top 3 reasons why there is a strange smell in your water heater tank:
1. Hydrogen sulfide gas in the water supply can be the issue
The sulfur smell in your water heater is due to the presence of hydrogen sulfide gas in your water supply. Sometimes the magnesium anode rod in your water heater reacts with the hot water and causes a chemical reaction. Due to the chemical reaction, sulfate-reducing bacteria start to develop.
If the sulfur smell is present in the hot and cold water supply, there is nothing with your water heater. The root of this problem is the main water supply. Yes, the main water supply has got hydrogen sulfide gas in it. Fixing this problem might cost a fortune because you will have to take water tests to find the cause of the problem.
Once you find the problem, then you will have to do the water treatment because using water that has sulfur in it is not safe for you and anyone else at your home.
2. Bacteria settled in your drain can cause the smell
You are getting a musty and earthy smell from your water heater tank or whenever you turn on the faucet, which points to bacteria in your water heater. Well, this is iron bacteria, so you don’t have to be worried about using that water, but still, you wouldn’t want to drink water that has an earthy smell.
Warm water is the perfect temperature for breeding iron bacteria, so you start getting that musty smell from your water heater. If you don’t fix the problem as soon as possible, the musty smell won’t disappear easily whenever you get time to clean your water heater.
After some time, the iron bacteria smell gets settled in your water heater tank, drains, and water pipes; removing that smell won’t be easy for you.
3. Rotten eggs smell due to corroded Anodes rods.
The worse kind of smell that you can get out of your water heater would be the smell of rotten eggs. You can imagine how dirty this sounds. So, if you are getting rotten eggs smell from your water heater, or whenever you turn on the hot water supply, the magnesium anodes rods have gone bad.
If you don’t clean the anode rods that heat the water every few months, they will start getting green. The dirtier the magnesium anode rod, the bad smell would get. Using water that has rotten eggs smells sounds horrible. Therefore, you need to fix the anode rods of your water heater to eliminate that filthy smell from your hot water supply.
How to fix the strange water smell in the water heater?
If you know the reason for strange smells in your water heater, it is time to fix them. Here are a few tips that will help you to do water heater repairs and fix the strange water smell in your water heater:
· Clean your water heater tank
One of the causes of strange smells coming out of your water heater is the poor hygiene of the water tank. Yes, it would help if you cleaned your water tank every few months. Cleanliness of the water heater tank is necessary because the bacteria or sedimentation won’t be able to settle inside the tank.
There are different ways to clean your water tank. In addition, take out water from the water heater. Next, pour a few drops of soap or use water heater tank cleaners. Then scrub a little. Take out all the dirt and turn on the water heater and notice if the smell is still there or not. Most of the time dirty water heater tank is the cause of a strange smell inside the water heater.
· Temporary chlorination treatment
We have mentioned about the sulfur smell in your water heater tank is due to the presence of hydrogen sulfide gas in your water supply. If you are looking for a temporary treatment that won’t cost you a fortune, perform chlorination treatment. A subtle amount of chlorine would kill the bacteria or take care of the sulfur smell in your water heater.
After chlorination treatment, you need to turn on all the faucets in your place so the chlorine will clean all the drains and water pipes. Chlorination treatment might take care of your problem permanently.
· Replace your magnesium anode rods with powered anode rods
If you notice that the magnesium anode rods that heat the water have gone bad and might cause water discoloration, then you need to replace them. Yes, no other water heater repairs hacks will help you repair those corroded magnesium anode rods.
It would be best to replace those corroded magnesium anode rods with power anode rods. You need to power anode rods because they don’t require maintenance and will work for several years.
Once you get the powered anodes, there is no way you will get water discoloration due to corroded anode rods. Powered anodes don’t corrode easily. So, replacing your magnesium water heater anode rods with powered anode rods would be wise.
Final Remarks:
You know the reasons for the strange smell in your water heater and how to do water heater repairs. Fixing smelly water problems is not tough, and you can do that yourself. Still, if you find it hard to fix your water heater’s problem, you can call us for professional help. We will fix it and make your life easier.
Learn More About Us:
When it comes to finding a great company that can fix problems, visit Acts Plumbers Tulsa of Service Plumbing page: About Us | Plumbing Tulsa | Acts of Service Plumbing and then give us a call!
Who are the companies we have had the pleasure of serving? Visit Paul Davis’ website to learn more at Paul Davis Corporate – Restoration and Emergency Service Provider.