3 plumbers can’t figure out the sulfur smell

[Michaelmccall]

Hopefully someone can help. We bought an old house and lived there for 5 years and tore it down to re-build ( we had no problems with the water heater or water at that time). The new house is 5000 sq feet. We thought it was a good idea to have (2) water heaters installed. We’re a family of 5 (lots of laundry and showers). After 5 years both the water heaters started to smell like eggs/sulfur. We drained both water heaters and that fixed the problem. Now another 4-5 years have passed and the smell came back, but only on the master bathroom water heater. We drained the water heaters again , but this time it didn’t fix the problem.

Solutions we have tried to no avail:
- drained water heater multiple times
- replaced water heater on master side ( smell came back within 3 days)
- had plumber come out and he bleached all the lines to both water heaters
- smell came back within 2 days
- 1st plumber gave up and said call city
- city came and said everything was fine
- hired another plumber, he couldn’t figure it out and recommended changing the rod.
- we bleached the lines again and changed the water heater again in the master ( 2 new water heaters in 3 months)
- plumber still confused. He recommended installing a tankless heater, but he still can‘t figure it out.
- the other water heater is starting to smell . The smell comes and goes. Sometimes in the am sometimes at night, and even smells on cold water settings not just hot water.

Any help would be greatly appreciated . We’ve exhausted all ideas

 

[Twowaxhack]

Do you have any neighbors ? Do they have the same smell ? Have you asked any of them ?

Bleaching the water heaters wouldn’t help if it’s in the cold water……

 

[Twowaxhack]

Have your water tested by a real lab.


Depending on what the lab says,…….Bleach the entire system hot and cold and replace any magnesium anodes to aluminum.

If your water has very low chlorine levels, add a chlorine injector.


That’s the short answer.

 

[Michaelmccall]

Do you have any neighbors ? Do they have the same smell ? Have you asked any of them ?

Bleaching the water heaters wouldn’t help if it’s in the cold water……

I asked the neighbors and their water is normal. We do have city water for all the water in our home. We have a well that’s completely separate but it’s only for irrigation.

 

[Twowaxhack]

I asked the neighbors and their water is normal. We do have city water for all the water in our home. We have a well that’s completely separate but it’s only for irrigation.

For kicks…..turn your city water off at the water meter.

Now turn on a faucet and make sure the water stops……

This is to make sure the well isn’t crossing over into the city supply. Of course the well must be operable at the time you check.

To make sure the water isn’t mixing from both sources.

May as well check, it’s not hard to do.

 

[Michaelmccall]

For kicks…..turn your city water off at the water meter.

Now turn on a faucet and make sure the water stops……

This is to make sure the well isn’t crossing over into the city supply. Of course the well must be operable at the time you check.

To make sure the water isn’t mixing from both sources.

May as well check, it’s not hard to do.

Will definitely try. We’re desperate at this stage

 

[Twowaxhack]

Will definitely try. We’re desperate at this stage

Have your water tested by a lab. See what’s in it.

Take a sample of your water from the closest outside faucet to the water meter and smell it.

Have you painted or installed new carpet recently?

 

[PerplexedPlumber]

Also, you might learn something about whether the water in your area naturally has a level of sulfate. Sulfate is converted to hydrogen sulfide by some microorganisms. Municipal sources of water should submit a sample for annual testing to meet EPA requirements, and those reports are publicly accessible and should show the value for sulfate.