Why Does My Water Smell Like Sulfur

A common complaint we hear from people is that they are experiencing a rancid smell coming from their water supply. It is often described as a raw sewage, rotten egg, or sulfur smell. Whenever your water takes on this strong smell of sulfur it is almost always due to a high concentration of “sulfur bacteria” or hydrogen sulfide, a colorless gas that announces its presence with an unmistakable and overwhelming stench. While the smell may be alarming and unpleasant, your water most likely only contains somewhere around 0.01-0.05 mg/l of hydrogen sulfide. At that low of a level hydrogen sulfide does not indicate danger, or pose any health risk. Though, it may signify high levels of pollutants and chemicals. Though it is not dangerous, it is an unpleasant and overwhelming smell that you will want to rid your home of.

If the smell is only present whenever you are using your hot water, this is an indication that the smell is coming from an issue with your hot water heater. Another, tell-tale signs that the issue is coming from the water heater is if the smell is strongest after long periods of not using your water, such as in the mornings or after you have been away all day at work.

This is probably due to an anode rod. Almost all water heaters have an anode rod that stops the water tank from corroding. This rod breaks down sulfates in the water into hydrogen sulfide gas, creating the pungent rotten egg smell.

If you haven’t used your water heater for a while, this allows the bacteria to accumulate. Then higher-than-normal levels of hydrogen sulfide get released when you turn on the hot water.

We recommend, getting your water heater flushed out. Whenever we flush out your water heater we will also examine the condition of your anode rod. We recommend replacing it with a zinc-coated aluminum rod, as it does not produce the same levels of hydrogen sulfide gas.

At Red Lion Plumbing we have integrity, if you call us with a simple issue we are confident you can fix we will point you in the right direction- for everything else we offer service you can trust. Red Lion Plumbing proudly serves