Hidden Plumbing Problems: What to Look for

Water Has A Bad Smell? It May Be Due To Your Water Heater

9 March 2020

Herbert Chambers

If your water has a bad smell it likely also tastes bad. There are many things that can cause smelly water, one of which is your water heater. Below you will find information about this so that you can get the problem taken care of and your water will have no smell.

Flush Water Heater

Over time sulfate can build up inside the water heater. Sulfate has bacteria that can give off a bad smell. High levels of hydrogen may also be built up inside the water heater which can also give water a bad smell. 

One way to help with this problem is to have your water heater flushed. This is removing all the water and then refilling the water heater with clean water. This involves attaching a garden hose to the water heater and putting the other end of the garden hose outside. This is something you can do on your own, or you can hire a plumber or water heater service company to do this for you. Instructions on how to do this with your particular water heater can usually be found in the user's manual. 

After the water has been coming out of the hose for around 10 to 15 minutes, put some of the water into a white plastic cup. If the water has particles, they will sink to the bottom of the cup. If you see any particles let the water continue to run out of the hose. If you see no particles at all, then you need to stop the water from running from your water heater. 

Disinfect Water Heater

If no particles were found but your water still smells bad, then you should have the water heater disinfected. This can be done using hydrogen peroxide, which you can purchase at any grocery store. You can do this on your own or hire a professional to do it for you.

If you do decide to disinfect your water heater yourself, make sure you turn off the switch that is on the back of the water heater to turn it off. If you have a gas water heater, you need to turn the lever to the pilot position. You do need to make sure the pilot light stays lit, however, so the water heater will restart when you finish disinfecting it.  

Consult the user's manual that came with your water heater on how to do this disinfection. 

If your water continues to smell bad, it may be time to replace your water heater with a new one. 

To learn more about commercial water heater repairs, contact a plumber near you.

Share  

Search