If you live in places that have especially hard water—or if you get your water directly from a well—it’s nearly certain that you have trace amounts of sulfur-bacteria in your water. While you won’t smell it or taste it when the water is cold, you’ll often smell it when the hot water is turned on.
Common sense tells us that water rusts metal. The reason your water heater doesn’t corrode despite being full of hot water is because water heaters come with an anode rod. This rod takes on much of the corrosion that would otherwise deteriorate your tank. This helps your tank last longer.
While many people assume it's the sulfur-bacteria itself that creates the smell of rotten eggs, it’s the bacteria reacting to the aluminum and/or magnesium in the anode rod of your water heater. The smell is the chemical reaction taking place inside your water heater. Water heaters that are several years old, have never had regular maintenance or are not frequently used are at a disadvantage and more likely to have this condition.
How Not to Fix the Problem
Many people seem to think that because it’s the sulfur-bacteria in your water reacting to your anode rod, simply removing their anode rod will fix the problem. This will almost certainly void your water heater's warranty and decrease its life dramatically.
The Right Way to Fix the Problem
If your home has treated water from the city, you’ll need to drain your water heater. This will remove the bacteria that has built up in the tank. After draining your tank, replace your water heater’s anode rod with a zinc-aluminum rod. While the aluminum will fight against corrosion, the zinc will combat the reaction that creates the rotten egg smell. Zinc doesn’t have the same chemical reaction to sulfur-reducing bacteria, which should reduce your chances of having water odor issues in the future.
Contacting a qualified plumber to take care of this issue is strongly recommended!
