Perplexing odor

[Perplexedhomeowner1]

Hello, I have a perplexing question. When I turn the hot water on at my kitchen sink after about three to five minutes a high pitched whining sound starts in the faucet. At that same time a sewer odor can be smelled approximately five feet away from the sink in another area of the house. The odor only occurs when I turn on the hot water at the kitchen sink. If I turn the hot water on in any other part of the house the odor does not occur. Also, the odor does not occur when the cold water is turn on at any faucet (kitchen or elsewhere). The odor only occurs in the one area of the house. The odor does not emanate from the sink or any other area...just five feet away from the kitchen sink. I do not see any water leaking from this area or anywhere else. Once the hot water has run for a few minutes, the odor will start to dissipate. If I turn the hot water on and let it run for three to five minutes and the odor starts, I can turn the water off and the odor starts to dissipate. If I turn the hot water on a few minutes later, the odor will return but seems to not be as strong as the first time. If I keep repeating this process the odor will eventually not be smelled. This problem seems to have began about two months ago when the city had a water leak in the area and had to turn the water off to the neighborhood for a few hours. I have asked a few local plumbers and they have never experienced this issue. I have tried to pour bleach down the drain to kill any bacteria that may have been in there decomposing but it did not help. ANY HELP OR ADVICE YOU HAVE WOULD BE APPRECIATED. Thanks

 

[frodo]

anode rod in the water needs changing.

 

[spcwaters]

Smells like rotten eggs/sulfur doesn't it?

 

[Perplexedhomeowner1]

Yes the smell is like sulfur. If it was an issue with the water heater, such as the anode, wouldn't the smell be coming from every hot water faucet? Also, the water doesn't have an ordor and the smell isn't coming from the faucet. It appears about five feet away from the faucet.

 

[frodo]

smells like sulfer/rotten eggs,,

happens when the hot water is on.....yep. I still say its the anode

eithr that or you need to take the garbage out

 

[JH64]

Hydrogen Sulphide from the bacteria in the water eating at the magnesium rod will cause the "rotten egg sulphur " smells not uncommon with well water. Why its not at every faucet doesnt make sense for an anode issue, but the procedure for replacing an anode that has the sulphur odor is to. Empty about 10 gal. of water remove the magnesium anode rod, pour 1 to 11/2 gal of bleach into the heater install a new Aluminum rod and fill the heater, go around and run every faucet in the house till you smell the bleach then let it sit in the system for 6 to 8 hours killing the bacteria, then flush the system . That should prevent the smell from coming back. Aluminum rods usually dont generate the rotten egg smell.Make sure you use bleach and flush it out completely.