Cold Water Smells Like Rotten Eggs

The presence of sulfur bacteria or hydrogen sulfide in your plumbing system.

Cold water smells like rotten eggs. In most cases this smell occurs due to a build up of hydrogen sulfide in your hot water heater. The bacteria thrive in poorly aerated plumbing and corrode metal parts. Testing your water should be the first thing done so you can see the levels of hydrogen sulfide sulfate sulfur and iron bacteria. If the smell.

There are a couple of explanations for the so called rotten egg odor and sulfur smelling water. First to make sure your hot water heater is the source and that this is the blog post you re looking for check your cold water. If your hot water smells like rotten eggs don t panic. And naturally occurring sulfates fuel the bacteria.

Softened water can sometimes accumulate hydrogen sulfide gas which gives off the offending rotten egg smell as it s released. This smell can occur in cold water for a variety of reasons but when it s specific to hot water your hot water heater is the most likely culprit. Like in the morning when you first get a glass of water. If it doesn t smell like sulphur that classic rotton egg smell then you re in luck it s almost certain that you can fix the problem at your water heater.

It s almost certainly something you can fix on your own and there are a few different ways you can try to fix it. Hydrogen sulfide gas causes the smell. The reason your water probably smells like rotten eggs is because it contains some traces of hydrogen sulfide. This is mostly found in well water or ground water.

All water when both your hot and cold treated and untreated water smell like rotten eggs the problem could lie within your well system or in the groundwater. Your water smells like sulfur because of the presence of sulfur bacteria or hydrogen sulfide. The first step to find out what to do when your water smells like rotten eggs is to see if the odor is from hot water only or if it is also coming from the cold well water. Sulfate reducing bacteria srb cause cold water to smell like rotten eggs.

Contact a trained boiler inspector. If the rotten egg smell diminishes after the water is left on for a few minutes the issue likely exists in your well or plumbing. Even extremely small amounts of hydrogen sulfide can cause your water to have quite the odorous smell. If your water smells like rotten eggs or sulfur not only will it be too pungent to enjoy but we strongly recommend you don t even think about drinking it.

If your cold water also smells like rotten eggs but only from the water treated by a water softener and not in the. Well and plumbing. You ll smell srb if your water hasn t run for a few hours. If your hot water smells like rotten eggs it is likely because of your water heater.

Sulfur bacteria thrives in oxygen deficient environments such as plumbing systems. What should you do if you smell rotten eggs.