In December we replaced a water heater that was 30+ years old. It hadn't broken, but being that old we felt we should with a houseful of company for the holidays. After a couple weeks, we began to smell the rotten eggs smell. At this point we were leaving the house for the winter so we decided to wait till we returned.
We have been back a few days and at first the smell was overwhelming. But it seems as though it might be going away. We have a plumber scheduled to replace the rod in a couple days, but are wondering if this smell will actually dissolve on its own given time or are we just imagining the smell is disappearing?
Thank you very much.
The smell is coming from the anode rod. Once it is replaced it should go away.
Replacing the rod is the solution for an old hot water heater but you have a new hot water heater so you should not have to replace this rod.
I would suggest you do a lot of reading on this subject before you pay a plumber big bucks for doing this work.
Please read some of the information on at least one of the following links:
These sites will have advertisements but the information provided is solutions without buying their products.
www.waterheaterrescue.com/
www.hot-water-heaters-reviews.com/
When we had a sulfer smell like you describe, it was from sewer gasses backing up from the drain in the floor (nothing to do with the water heater).
Are you smelling this in the space where the water heater is or in the water? If it is in the water, is it only the hot water or hot and cold?
If it is cold, then the water heater is not involved as it doesn't pass through the water heater.
Hopefully the plumber can look at the entire situation to figure this out.
Post back what you learn! Good luck!
