Unless you've familiarised yourself with the basics of plumbing so you can tackle a few basic jobs at home, you probably don't think all that much about your pipes. You open a tap, you turn on the shower, you flush the toilet—water is released before it drains away. You might begin to wonder about the state of your pipes when your hot water smells strange, even foul. What might be causing this smell?
Wastewater
Perhaps your first thought is that there's some form of cross-contamination going on. The smell of your hot water might lead you to believe that sewage and other forms of wastewater have somehow infiltrated another pipe before being fed back into your home. Don't worry — water with an unpleasant odour is generally just something that smells unclean, as opposed to being actual wastewater.
Rotten Eggs
Hydrogen sulfide is a chemical that can be produced when organic matter is broken down. Its smell is reminiscent of sulphur, meaning that water containing hydrogen sulfide can smell like rotten eggs, and it's easily confused with human waste. But why is this occurring when you use your hot water?
Bacterial Accumulation
An influx of bacteria in your hot water heater can be the culprit, with the breakdown of this bacteria within the confines of the tank creating the hydrogen sulfide and its corresponding scent. Although toxic in high quantities, the smell itself isn't always indicative of a major issue as such. It just means you need to rid your water tank of this buildup of bacteria.
Temperature Adjustment
Increase the temperature of your hot water heater. This allows the heat to kill bacteria, thus eliminating the smell and improving the quality of your hot water. Be cautious though. You will more or less automatically adjust your hot water to your liking, so it's smart to leave notes in your kitchen and bathroom reminding yourself (and everyone else in the house) that the water will come out hotter than anticipated. It might sound silly, but it's all too easy to scald yourself. This also reminds you to fill a mug with hot water in order to smell it to see if this increased temperature is having the desired effect.
Cleaning
If this adjustment to your water heater doesn't seem to eliminate the smell, then some basic hot water maintenance will be required. Have the tank professionally inspected. It might need to be cleaned in order to oxidise the tank, removing both the bacteria and any hydrogen sulfide, before resuming use at the temperature recommended by the repairperson. In some cases, tank replacement might be needed.
Unpleasant-smelling hot water is usually just that—an unpleasant smell. If increasing the water temperature at the source doesn't fix the issue, then be sure to have your tank inspected before the problem worsens. Call a hot water maintenance team today to learn more.
