Bradford-White water heater installed, hot water smells like oil

[worriedme]

I paid for a brand new B-W on recommendation from the plumber. He sent two men to install it. It required conversion from propane to natural gas, as it's a heater especially for a mobile home and included the conversion kit. (It's not a "trailer"; it's a 1600 square foot permanent home.) After the installation, the hot water smelled like oil, which now is faint but still there. The plumber (who has not inspected the install) had various reasons for this: oil left over during the manufacture; the anode rod reacting to my hard water; the "glue" they used took one hour to dry, so it couldn't be that; of course he and the B-W company have never heard of this. I suspect that the two men he sent had never converted a water heater before, or were just inexperienced in water heater installations. No permit was pulled, which actually is required in my area and which the plumber should have done. This is a state-licensed plumber, so I assumed I'd get good results.
Since the heater was brought over in a van, it was not transported across town in an upright position, which from what I read could cause inner damage. Maybe the anode rod was broken. (I never even knew what an anode rod was until I began researching on plumbing sites!)
So what do I do now? I worry that whatever oil is in the water is getting into my body, from the kitchen and in every shower I take. I've considered going to the county office and asking for a permit now, which I know will cost me more than it would have originally, but I presume someone would inspect this and require repairs or re-installation. I've also thought of hiring a local plumber to make a house call and give me an opinion on the install. I have not yet paid for the installation for obvious reasons. The installation is guaranteed for one year, although I'm not quite sure what this means and what it entitles me to.
I would appreciate any advice. I'm a senior who has nowhere else to turn, so I am glad I found this forum and that I have been authorized to post.

 

[Twowaxhack]

Did the plumber buy the water heater or did you ?

How long has the water heater been installed ?

Has anyone other than you smelled the water and says it smells like oil ? If so, who ?

 

[worriedme]

He advised me which one to buy and where, so I went to the plumbing supply store and bought it. The men picked it up when they installed it. This was on December 6.

When the head man came in the house to have me put the furnace on again, as they'd shut off the gas, that came on fine. Then we went to the kitchen sink where he had me turn on the hot water, and it sputtered. He said that would go away quickly. I commented then that it smelled like oil. He said nothing, so (dumb me) assumed it would also go away quickly, but it didn't. (Of course I should have had him phone his boss that minute, but I didn't.)

When I phoned the boss later that day about the smell, he danced around with excuses that I wrote in my posting. So it appears obvious that his employee told him about the oil smell. The boss asked me to run the hot water full blast for 10 minutes in each of the four faucets in the house for three days, one at a time, which I did. The smell got fainter. I then told him he'd have to pay for that part of my gas bill for that procedure, and he agreed. (My bill just came the other day, so I haven't contacted him yet about the cost.)

One thing I thought of is to ask the boss plumber to come over and look at the installation and see what happened and why. I really doubt he'd tell me something was done incorrectly, however.

Of course I should have asked someone to come over to smell the hot water but I didn't. I have arrived at this point wondering what to do now.

 

[worriedme]

Reading this over, I wonder if I sound like a scammer who doesn't want to pay for the installation. That's not it. I'm happy to pay if I'm told by a non-involved party that it's just fine, and then I'll live with it.

 

[Twowaxhack]

If you bought the water heater and the smell is coming from the water heater then it’s not the plumbers problem.

Contact Bradford white, they made the heater, not the plumber.

Or contact the supply house you paid for the water heater

So you wanted the plumber to pay for the gas that you used to purge the smell......on a water heater you purchased from someone else.

Hahahahaha This is why I make some people pay in advance .

 

[worriedme]

If you bought the water heater and the smell is coming from the water heater then it’s not the plumbers problem.

Contact Bradford white, they made the heater, not the plumber.

Or contact the supply house you paid for the water heaters

So you wanted the plumber to pay for the gas that you used to purge the smell......on a water heater you purchased from someone else.

Hahahahaha This is why I make some people pay in advance .

It's too bad that you were unable or unwilling to comprehend everything I wrote, asking for advice from people who know what they are talking about. Of course you make people pay in advance, even before you do the work? That's hilarious. I see that the word "hack" is in your user name. Enough said.

 

[Twowaxhack]

It's too bad that you were unable or unwilling to comprehend everything I wrote, asking for advice from people who know what they are talking about. Of course you make people pay in advance, even before you do the work? That's hilarious. I see that the word "hack" is in your user name. Enough said.

I understood perfectly. I’d run from you.

 

[Twowaxhack]

Reading this over, I wonder if I sound like a scammer who doesn't want to pay for the installation. That's not it. I'm happy to pay if I'm told by a non-involved party that it's just fine, and then I'll live with it.

yes, you sound like a scammer or possibly having mental health issues.

You wanted the plumber to pay for the natural gas used to purge a water heater you bought from someone else.

That’s as crazy as it gets and I would have demanded payment at that point from you.

Goodbye forever

 

[breplum]

If the installation required much copper pipe and soldering, then the flux they used could be the source of your odor…that will dissipate over a period of time.

 

[worriedme]

If the installation required much copper pipe and soldering, then the flux they used could be the source of your odor…that will dissipate over a period of time.

Thank you so much for replying. This is what I suspected, as the odor has gotten much weaker. I will be patient. It is reassuring to receive a logical thoughtful response, and I appreciate it.

 

[Twowaxhack]

I’d bet dollars to doughnuts it’s not flux.

I’ve used every kind of flux made and never ever had any issues with the water smelling like oil or anything else for that matter.

Maybe they used old copper pipe they found in a scrap pile ? That makes about as much sense.

It’s just not a thing……

It’s not flux, but it fits nicely into what people want to hear.

Maganese has been reported to make water smell like oil.

Thanks for reading my opinion.

 

[MicEd69]

I’d bet dollars to doughnuts it’s not flux.

I’ve used every kind of flux made and never ever had any issues with the water smelling like oil or anything else for that matter.

Maybe they used old copper pipe they found in a scrap pile ? That makes about as much sense.

It’s just not a thing……

It’s not flux, but it fits nicely into what people want to hear.

Maganese has been reported to make water smell like oil.

Thanks for reading my opinion.

I always like to read your opinions Twowaxhack. They are always filled with understanding, compassion, and caring of others.