If you’ve ever turned on your hot water and been hit with a strong rotten egg smell, you are certainly not alone. Below, this water heater repair company in Evanston, Illinois is going to explain why your hot water might smell this way.
When a professional water heater repair company in Evanston, Illinois hears a rotten egg smell, the first thing they suspect is hydrogen sulfide gas. Hydrogen sulfide has a distinct sulfur odor that smells exactly like rotten eggs, and it can show up in household water systems under the right conditions.
A major sign is whether the smell is only coming from your hot water. If your cold water smells fine but hot water stinks, your water heater is usually the source.
That is because the inside of the tank creates a warm environment where certain chemical reactions can happen more easily. Heat speeds things up and water sitting in a tank for long periods can develop odor issues even if the incoming water supply is clean.
The most common explanation is a reaction involving the anode rod inside the water heater. The anode rod is a metal rod (usually magnesium) that exists to protect your tank from rusting. It sacrifices itself by corroding first, which extends the life of the water heater.
In some water conditions, naturally occurring bacteria in the tank can react with the anode rod. When that happens, hydrogen sulfide gas can be produced and that odor gets released when you run hot water. This does not necessarily mean your water is unsafe. But it does mean your water heater needs service.
This problem can be more common in homes with well water, but it can also happen with municipal water supplies. It is also more likely to occur when hot water sits in the tank for long periods. For example, if you leave town for a week or two and no one uses the hot water, the smell can be much stronger when you return because the conditions in the tank have had time to develop.
Sometimes the smell originates from the water supply itself. Hydrogen sulfide can occur naturally in groundwater, so homes with well water may experience odor in both hot and cold water. If the smell is present in cold water too, it may point to water supply conditions rather than the water heater alone.
It is also possible that what you are smelling is not your water at all. Sewer gas can create a similar unpleasant odor. In those cases, the smell may be strongest near certain sinks or drains and may not depend on whether the water is hot or cold.
When homeowners contact a water heater repair company in Evanston, Illinois about this issue, the solution depends on what is causing the odor. The good news is that most cases can be solved with targeted service rather than expensive replacement.
One of the most effective first steps is flushing the water heater. Over time, sediment and buildup settle at the bottom of the tank and that environment can contribute to odor problems. A proper flush removes sediment and refreshes the tank.
Another highly effective fix is replacing the anode rod. In many odor cases, swapping a magnesium anode rod for an aluminum or zinc anode rod reduces or eliminates the smell because it changes the chemical reaction happening inside the tank.
If the odor keeps returning, the tank may require deeper cleaning or disinfection to address bacterial growth. This is best done by trained professionals.
Does your hot water smell like rotten eggs? Want to have it addressed by the most trusted water heater repair company in Evanston, Illinois? If so, John J. Cahill Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning is just a call away. Our team can diagnose the source of the odor and repair your water heater correctly. Contact us today to get started.