Eliminating Water Heater Odors in Your Home

by | Jul 16, 2015 | Water Heater Repair, Water Heater Use and Care

Boca Raton Water Heater Odor Repair

Are you having problems with stinky odors originating from the water coming from your water heater? It could happen in certain cases for a few different reasons. Here is what we recommend to do to make sure your Boca Raton water smells better and to get rid of any undesirable taste soon.

Causes for Boca Raton Water Heater Smells?

Bacteria entering into the water system is the most frequent explanation ones water in your own home may have smells. If you home utilizes well water or cities that use wells for the water supply, will increase the possibility of this happening.

With a water heater temperature level setting of 140 degrees or more will assist in lowering the growth of microorganisms inside the water storage tank.

Ways to Remove Foul Water Smells

The following directions demonstrate tips on how to use chlorine bleach to thoroughly clean a water heater.

The electric or gas leading to the water heater tank has to first be turned off.

Next, the cold water supply off that leads to the tank needs to be turned off.

Open the hot water faucet of the kitchen sink to enable air to get in the tank.

With a a yard hose attached to the storage tank drain valve, drain the water inside the water heater.

Then close the drain valve after it is drained.

The next step is putting in the bleach.
If the hose for the cold water going inside the storage tank is a flexible line, unscrew it from the tank. If not, one will probably need to remove the pressure relief valve, which is more involved. For electric water heaters, one of the elements can be taken out.

Use a funnel to put bleach within the tank.
Pour 5 ounces of bleach for each gallon of the tank capacity.
So if you have a 50 gallon water heater, you will need 250 ounces of bleach, or close to 2 gallons.

Hook the water line or pressure relief valve back up again

Fill the tank back up with water once more.

Close the hot water faucet of the kitchen faucet as soon as all the air runs out the line.

Run all the hot water appliances until the smell of bleach is apparent. We want to eliminate the bacteria that are in the water lines likewise, not only within the water heater.

Allow the water to stay in the tank and water lines without using and hot water for 2 to 3 hours.

Drain the storage tank again and refill it. This time allow it to stay for at least thirty minutes and once more drain it.

Fill the tank back up. Open all of the hot water fixtures and let them run till the scent of bleach is gone.

For gas water heaters, relight the water heater pilot light. For electric water heaters, turn the electricity on again.

Also, by changing the anode rods, or perhaps the type used can work as the next video illustrates:

Additionally, by replacing the anode rods, or perhaps the type employed can work as the next video shows:
Odors from Boca Raton Water Heater

What the Experts Say

According to Soquel Creek Water District, “The smell is the result of four factors that must all be present for the odor to develop. These factors include:

  • A high concentration of sulfate in the raw water
  • Sulfate reducing bacteria, non-toxic to humans (sulfate is reduced to a sulfide state by the bacteria)
  • Little or no dissolved oxygen in the water
  • Hydrogen (a component of water which may be present due to water conditions reacting with the anode)”  Read more here…

Soquel Creek Water District

How is hydrogen sulfide gas produced in a water heater?

A water heater can provide an ideal environment for the conversion of sulfate to hydrogen sulfide gas. The water heater can produce hydrogen sulfide gas in two ways – creating a warm environment where sulfur bacteria can live, and sustaining a reaction between sulfate in the water and the water heater anode.  Read more…

Minnesota Department of Health

Check out some of our other water heater tips in our blog