Ok, this one has been vexing me, the neighbors and the plumbers and I'm
hoping someone can help.

My house was built in 2000 and over the last 4 or 5 months I have
noticed an increasingly strong odor when filling the tub or the washing
machine or any area where a large amount of the water collects. Now
then I'm noticing it when flushing the toilets and even from some of
the faucets. The odor is not sulphur, not bleach, not sewer, not
earthy smell (I've smelled all of these things in water before). The
best I can explain it is that it is a semi-sharp, chemically smell,
very distinct, but nothing I've smelled before. I am on city water and
I've had three neighbors on either side over to smell it and no one can
place it. They haven't had the problem and I've gone to 2 different
houses to run water just to verify and there is absolutely no odor.

The smell is only there when running the water, both hot and cold. I
have run the water into a plastic basin only to eliminate the
possibility that it is coming out of the drain when the water runs in.
The strange thing is that the smell dissapates after 5 minutes or so;
it's as if it is a some type of gas venting out of the pipes. Taking a
cup of the water away immediately from the source and the water doesn't
smell or taste funny at all and the color is fine.

I tried turning off the main valve and opening several faucets, tub,
etc. and then turned it back on and let it all run for 15 minutes or
so. It then didn't smell (that I could notice) for almost 24 hours.
It does seem to be much less when a large amount of water has been run;
again, almost as if it's venting some smelly gas from the pipes.

Call to the city and they said no one has complained (confirmed by
neighbors). Brought out the plumber and he was stumped. He'd never
smelled the smell before. He checked the meter and it wasn't running
so he didn't think there were any leaks. He called the office and the
head guy swore it was the hot water heater. He said mine had an
aluminum anode and I should replace with magnesium (which now that I
read some posts seems backwards).

Anyway, now I have a new hot water heater and the smell was back in a
day. I'm waiting to hear back from them and see if he is going to give
me 95% of his paycheck he was willing to bet that day (I'm guessing
no).

I'm at a complete loss here and everyone I talked to, has no idea and
it is starting to worry me. Anyone have any idea on this one. Your
help is greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

wrote in message
oups.com...
Ok, this one has been vexing me, the neighbors and the plumbers and I'm
hoping someone can help..............


Hydrogen sulfide smells like "rotten eggs" so if that's not what you're
getting, I'm at a loss as well. Best bet is to get the water tested,
probably for both minerals and bacteria. From there, you'll know what is
wrong. Since you're on city water, I'd call to get them to test it and a
few of your neighbors (just so they won't tell you it's your house alone).
Cheers,
cc

1. what happens when you smell the city water at the neighbor's houses?
2. have the water tested by county health dept or a private water
testing laboratory. for which there may be a fee or not?
3. take a gallon of it over to the swimming pool store where they test
pool water for free and see if they come up with anything odd?
4. ask the local university to have their chem lab class come over for
a field trip?
5. see also:
http://www.waterheaterrescue.com/pag...r-heaters.html

wrote:
Ok, this one has been vexing me, the neighbors and the plumbers and I'm
hoping someone can help.

My house was built in 2000 and over the last 4 or 5 months I have
noticed an increasingly strong odor when filling the tub or the washing
machine or any area where a large amount of the water collects. Now
then I'm noticing it when flushing the toilets and even from some of
the faucets. The odor is not sulphur, not bleach, not sewer, not
earthy smell (I've smelled all of these things in water before). The
best I can explain it is that it is a semi-sharp, chemically smell,
very distinct, but nothing I've smelled before. I am on city water and
I've had three neighbors on either side over to smell it and no one can
place it. They haven't had the problem and I've gone to 2 different
houses to run water just to verify and there is absolutely no odor.

The smell is only there when running the water, both hot and cold. I
have run the water into a plastic basin only to eliminate the
possibility that it is coming out of the drain when the water runs in.
The strange thing is that the smell dissapates after 5 minutes or so;
it's as if it is a some type of gas venting out of the pipes. Taking a
cup of the water away immediately from the source and the water doesn't
smell or taste funny at all and the color is fine.

I tried turning off the main valve and opening several faucets, tub,
etc. and then turned it back on and let it all run for 15 minutes or
so. It then didn't smell (that I could notice) for almost 24 hours.
It does seem to be much less when a large amount of water has been run;
again, almost as if it's venting some smelly gas from the pipes.

Call to the city and they said no one has complained (confirmed by
neighbors). Brought out the plumber and he was stumped. He'd never
smelled the smell before. He checked the meter and it wasn't running
so he didn't think there were any leaks. He called the office and the
head guy swore it was the hot water heater. He said mine had an
aluminum anode and I should replace with magnesium (which now that I
read some posts seems backwards).

Anyway, now I have a new hot water heater and the smell was back in a
day. I'm waiting to hear back from them and see if he is going to give
me 95% of his paycheck he was willing to bet that day (I'm guessing
no).

I'm at a complete loss here and everyone I talked to, has no idea and
it is starting to worry me. Anyone have any idea on this one. Your
help is greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

wrote:
Ok, this one has been vexing me, the neighbors and the plumbers and
I'm hoping someone can help.

My house was built in 2000 and over the last 4 or 5 months I have
noticed an increasingly strong odor when filling the tub or the
washing machine or any area where a large amount of the water
collects. Now then I'm noticing it when flushing the toilets and
even from some of the faucets. The odor is not sulphur, not bleach,
not sewer, not earthy smell (I've smelled all of these things in
water before). The best I can explain it is that it is a semi-sharp,
chemically smell, very distinct, but nothing I've smelled before. I
am on city water and I've had three neighbors on either side over to
smell it and no one can place it. They haven't had the problem and
I've gone to 2 different houses to run water just to verify and there
is absolutely no odor.

The smell is only there when running the water, both hot and cold. I
have run the water into a plastic basin only to eliminate the
possibility that it is coming out of the drain when the water runs in.
The strange thing is that the smell dissapates after 5 minutes or so;
it's as if it is a some type of gas venting out of the pipes. Taking
a cup of the water away immediately from the source and the water
doesn't smell or taste funny at all and the color is fine.

I tried turning off the main valve and opening several faucets, tub,
etc. and then turned it back on and let it all run for 15 minutes or
so. It then didn't smell (that I could notice) for almost 24 hours.
It does seem to be much less when a large amount of water has been
run; again, almost as if it's venting some smelly gas from the pipes.

Call to the city and they said no one has complained (confirmed by
neighbors). Brought out the plumber and he was stumped. He'd never
smelled the smell before. He checked the meter and it wasn't running
so he didn't think there were any leaks. He called the office and the
head guy swore it was the hot water heater. He said mine had an
aluminum anode and I should replace with magnesium (which now that I
read some posts seems backwards).

Anyway, now I have a new hot water heater and the smell was back in a
day. I'm waiting to hear back from them and see if he is going to
give me 95% of his paycheck he was willing to bet that day (I'm
guessing no).

I'm at a complete loss here and everyone I talked to, has no idea and
it is starting to worry me. Anyone have any idea on this one. Your
help is greatly appreciated.

Thank you.


I assume city water, correct?

When did it start? Could it have started as the weather started warming
up? What part of the word - country are you living?

--
Joseph Meehan

Dia duit

On 29 Jun 2006 17:12:47 -0700, "
wrote:

Ok, this one has been vexing me, the neighbors and the plumbers and I'm
hoping someone can help.

Do you a have a Reverse Osmosis system and Water Softener? I once had
a "rotten-egg" smell, due to filters needing changing in my RO system.

Oren

"Oren" wrote in message
...
On 29 Jun 2006 17:12:47 -0700, "
wrote:

Ok, this one has been vexing me, the neighbors and the plumbers and I'm
hoping someone can help.

Do you a have a Reverse Osmosis system and Water Softener? I once had
a "rotten-egg" smell, due to filters needing changing in my RO system.

Oren


IF you get your water from the Lake Michigan, it is prone to strange smells
caused by Zebra mussels. IT seems that they have cleaned the water so much
that sunlight can now penetrate to the water intake pipes causing Plankton
blooms that get sucked in to the drinking water. Nothing toxic, jusyt
smelly. IT comes and goes depending on conditions.

At least thats the explanation they sent around....

thanks for your help on this here's a link to the water smell from
arizona:
http://www.cityofmesa.org/utilities/...eport/faqs.asp


wrote:
Ok, this one has been vexing me, the neighbors and the plumbers and I'm
hoping someone can help.

My house was built in 2000 and over the last 4 or 5 months I have
noticed an increasingly strong odor when filling the tub or the washing
machine or any area where a large amount of the water collects. Now
then I'm noticing it when flushing the toilets and even from some of
the faucets. The odor is not sulphur, not bleach, not sewer, not
earthy smell (I've smelled all of these things in water before). The
best I can explain it is that it is a semi-sharp, chemically smell,
very distinct, but nothing I've smelled before. I am on city water and
I've had three neighbors on either side over to smell it and no one can
place it. They haven't had the problem and I've gone to 2 different
houses to run water just to verify and there is absolutely no odor.

The smell is only there when running the water, both hot and cold. I
have run the water into a plastic basin only to eliminate the
possibility that it is coming out of the drain when the water runs in.
The strange thing is that the smell dissapates after 5 minutes or so;
it's as if it is a some type of gas venting out of the pipes. Taking a
cup of the water away immediately from the source and the water doesn't
smell or taste funny at all and the color is fine.

I tried turning off the main valve and opening several faucets, tub,
etc. and then turned it back on and let it all run for 15 minutes or
so. It then didn't smell (that I could notice) for almost 24 hours.
It does seem to be much less when a large amount of water has been run;
again, almost as if it's venting some smelly gas from the pipes.

Call to the city and they said no one has complained (confirmed by
neighbors). Brought out the plumber and he was stumped. He'd never
smelled the smell before. He checked the meter and it wasn't running
so he didn't think there were any leaks. He called the office and the
head guy swore it was the hot water heater. He said mine had an
aluminum anode and I should replace with magnesium (which now that I
read some posts seems backwards).

Anyway, now I have a new hot water heater and the smell was back in a
day. I'm waiting to hear back from them and see if he is going to give
me 95% of his paycheck he was willing to bet that day (I'm guessing
no).

I'm at a complete loss here and everyone I talked to, has no idea and
it is starting to worry me. Anyone have any idea on this one. Your
help is greatly appreciated.

Thank you.