Do you ever notice nasty rotten eggs-like smell from your tap water? Unfortunately, this unpleasant odor is a common problem that many households face. Contrary to what you could be thinking, taking care of this problem will not cost your loads of cash. Read on to find out why you are experiencing a nasty smell in your water, the effects it could have, and how you can treat it.
Origin of the rotten egg smell
The main reason why your water smells like rotten eggs is because it contains hydrogen sulfide. Even small or negligible amounts of hydrogen sulfide can make your water to have this unique odorous smell. In many cases, this smell is usually caused by the accumulation of hydrogen sulfide in the hot water heater. Therefore, if you have not been using your hot water heater for a long time, then this can be the cause of the smell.
Effects
Regardless of the tingling effects that your nose might experience, hydrogen sulfide has no known health effects on human beings. However, it can sometimes result in changes in the taste of your water. In addition, metal items such as silverware can turn blackish or discolor when washed regularly with water containing hydrogen sulfide. Furthermore, you may have difficulty have truly clean clothes if your water contains this chemical. Hydrogen sulfide water will reduce the effects of detergents and it will corrode any exposed metal parts in your washer.
Determining the origin
Before solving anything, you need to first determine the exact cause of the rotten egg smell. To achieve this, you should try running both cold and hot water through all the faucets in your house.
- If the smell just comes from the hot water, then the problem exists from your hot water heater.
- If the smell originates from both hot and cold water, then it could be a problem with your well and groundwater or even your plumbing.
Solutions to consider
Install water filters
One technique of fixing the rotten-egg-smelling water is by installing the Aquaox RE water filtration system in your house. Nevertheless, this will be a temporary solution and you may have to replace your filters quite often. You should keep in mind that if you have already installed filters in your house, then they could also be a cause of the rotten egg smell. You must ensure that you replace any of the filters if you notice any sinks carrying the specific order.
Clear the pipes
You can clear your pipes by keeping all your faucets in the house open and allowing them to run continuously for approximately 10 minutes. After doing this, you should turn your taps off. This will help you to clear out the pipes and hopefully, this rotten egg smell will cease.
Disinfecting the water heater
To get rid of hydrogen sulfide, you can also disinfect the water heater. All you need to do is turn the temperatures of the water heater to 160 degrees and then leave it for several hours. This will help to kill all the bacteria that is in your water heater and clear the rotten egg smell from your water.
A good water filter company will help you test the concentration of hydrogen sulfide and propose the best solution. It is important that you find a company that is reputable and highly experienced. You will get the best services if you choose an established company in the water filtration and treatment industry.
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