Hot water stinks like sulfur
 

We had a new water heater installed and now the hot water stinks like
rotten eggs. The people who installed it have not been helpful.

I think the same thing happened when the house was built. Back then,
the anode was removed from the water heater and the stink went away.

Questions:
- Does the smell come from bacteria or some inorganic chemical reaction?
- Instead of removing the anode, can it be replaced with something
made from a different metal that still protects the heater from
corrosion but doesn't make the water stink?
- Typically, how long is the anode? (Can a new anode be installed
without disconnecting the pipes running to the water heater
so it can be tipped sideways?)
- Money is tight. Is removing or replacing the anode a DIY project?

The well was serviced a few months ago. The water was tested and found
to contain bacteria. I put chlorine in the well and tested it again:
no bacteria now. The water heater is fed from the water softener.

Hot water stinks like sulfur
 

On 12/30/2010 09:58 PM, natp wrote:
We had a new water heater installed and now the hot water stinks like
rotten eggs. The people who installed it have not been helpful.

I think the same thing happened when the house was built. Back then,
the anode was removed from the water heater and the stink went away.

Questions:
- Does the smell come from bacteria or some inorganic chemical reaction?
- Instead of removing the anode, can it be replaced with something
made from a different metal that still protects the heater from
corrosion but doesn't make the water stink?
- Typically, how long is the anode? (Can a new anode be installed
without disconnecting the pipes running to the water heater
so it can be tipped sideways?)
- Money is tight. Is removing or replacing the anode a DIY project?

The well was serviced a few months ago. The water was tested and found
to contain bacteria. I put chlorine in the well and tested it again:
no bacteria now. The water heater is fed from the water softener.


here's one link

http://waterheaterrescue.com/pages/W...r-heaters.html

nate

--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.
http://members.cox.net/njnagel

Hot water stinks like sulfur
 

Do yourself a favor, go to the hardware store, buy a 3/4 galvanized plug,
and eflon tape. If you don't have a GOOD socket set, borrow one from a
friend, make sure you have a loooong breaker bar for the socket set. You
need a 1/2 drive socket set. Turn off the water, open a faucet to drain
pressure, take out anode, throw it away, install plug, turn on water. Soft
water and anodes do not get along. And for you pussies out there, don't
even go there with the whole "IT WILL VOID YOUR WARRANTY" shut it, how many
people ever got a warranty issued for a water heater.....get over it. I do
have a little experience here....been selling and installing water softeners
for 37 years.....your welcome



"natp" wrote in message
...
We had a new water heater installed and now the hot water stinks like
rotten eggs. The people who installed it have not been helpful.

I think the same thing happened when the house was built. Back then,
the anode was removed from the water heater and the stink went away.

Questions:
- Does the smell come from bacteria or some inorganic chemical reaction?
- Instead of removing the anode, can it be replaced with something
made from a different metal that still protects the heater from
corrosion but doesn't make the water stink?
- Typically, how long is the anode? (Can a new anode be installed
without disconnecting the pipes running to the water heater
so it can be tipped sideways?)
- Money is tight. Is removing or replacing the anode a DIY project?

The well was serviced a few months ago. The water was tested and found
to contain bacteria. I put chlorine in the well and tested it again:
no bacteria now. The water heater is fed from the water softener.

Hot water stinks like sulfur
 

On Dec 31, 2:58*am, (natp) wrote:
We had a new water heater installed and now the hot water stinks like
rotten eggs. The people who installed it have not been helpful.

I think the same thing happened when the house was built. Back then,
the anode was removed from the water heater and the stink went away.

Questions:
- Does the smell come from bacteria or some inorganic chemical reaction?
- Instead of removing the anode, can it be replaced with something
* made from a different metal that still protects the heater from
* corrosion but doesn't make the water stink?
- Typically, how long is the anode? (Can a new anode be installed
* without disconnecting the pipes running to the water heater
* so it can be tipped sideways?)
- Money is tight. Is removing or replacing the anode a DIY project?

The well was serviced a few months ago. The water was tested and found
to contain bacteria. I put chlorine in the well and tested it again:
no bacteria now. The water heater is fed from the water softener.

There are several possible causes.
Check this site out here for info about your problem.
http://www.water-research.net/sulfate.htm

Hot water stinks like sulfur
 

On Dec 30, 9:58*pm, (natp) wrote:
We had a new water heater installed and now the hot water stinks like
rotten eggs. The people who installed it have not been helpful.

I think the same thing happened when the house was built. Back then,
the anode was removed from the water heater and the stink went away.

Questions:
- Does the smell come from bacteria or some inorganic chemical reaction?
- Instead of removing the anode, can it be replaced with something
* made from a different metal that still protects the heater from
* corrosion but doesn't make the water stink?
- Typically, how long is the anode? (Can a new anode be installed
* without disconnecting the pipes running to the water heater
* so it can be tipped sideways?)
- Money is tight. Is removing or replacing the anode a DIY project?

The well was serviced a few months ago. The water was tested and found
to contain bacteria. I put chlorine in the well and tested it again:
no bacteria now. The water heater is fed from the water softener.

I had the same problem. It started about a year after the tanks was
installed. I called the 800 number on the tank. They sold me a new
anode rod that was made out of a material. Depending on the kinds of
minerals in the water, or different parts of the country your in, they
recommend different kinds of anode rods. I replaced it. it was tough
getting the old one out. You definitely need the right tools, large
socket with plenty of leverage. I used a 4' pipe on the end of my
socket wrench. The rod was about 3' long. And the pipes didn't need
to be disconnected. On he top of the tank there was a plastic pug I
took off and then had to clear out the foam insulation (about 3") to
find the anode rod. Its been about 2 years now and I haven't had a
problem.

Hot water stinks like sulfur
 

On Dec 31, 4:01*pm, Jdog wrote:


I had the same problem. It started about a year after the tanks was
installed. I called the 800 number on the tank. They sold me a new
anode rod that was made out of a material.

Before you blame the anode rod, check for an easier to solve problem.

I've run into the sulfur problem several times at work, and they've
always blamed the hot water.

But it's never actually been the hot water, in the cases I've seen.

There is a kind of iron fixing bacteria that can grow, usually in a
drain, that produces the smell.

When you run the hot water into the sink, and then into the drain, the
smell comes up. You think it's the hot water, but it might not be.
(Run some hot water into a glass, take it outside, smell it later.)

At any rate, in the cases I personally investigated, pouring a cup of
bleach down the drain slowly took care of the problem. Every time so
far.

I don't know how an anode rod could cause the problem. That doesn't
make sense to me.

Hot water stinks like sulfur
 

?
"TimR" wrote in message
...
On Dec 31, 4:01 pm, Jdog wrote:


I had the same problem. It started about a year after the tanks was
installed. I called the 800 number on the tank. They sold me a new
anode rod that was made out of a material.

Before you blame the anode rod, check for an easier to solve problem.

I've run into the sulfur problem several times at work, and they've
always blamed the hot water.

But it's never actually been the hot water, in the cases I've seen.

There is a kind of iron fixing bacteria that can grow, usually in a
drain, that produces the smell.

When you run the hot water into the sink, and then into the drain, the
smell comes up. You think it's the hot water, but it might not be.
(Run some hot water into a glass, take it outside, smell it later.)

At any rate, in the cases I personally investigated, pouring a cup of
bleach down the drain slowly took care of the problem. Every time so
far.

I don't know how an anode rod could cause the problem. That doesn't
make sense to me.


Chemical reaction to the chemicals in the water. Read the article at the
link that was posted and you'll understand. The bleach down the drain gets
rid of the residue odor that started in the water heater and now resides in
the trap.

Hot water stinks like sulfur
 

On Jan 1, 12:27*am, "Ed Pawlowski" wrote:
?"TimR" wrote in message

...



On Dec 31, 4:01 pm, Jdog wrote:

I had the same problem. It started about a year after the tanks was
installed. I called the 800 number on the tank. They sold me a new
anode rod that was made out of a material.

Before you blame the anode rod, check for an easier to solve problem.

I've run into the sulfur problem several times at work, and they've
always blamed the hot water.

But it's never actually been the hot water, in the cases I've seen.

There is a kind of iron fixing bacteria that can grow, usually in a
drain, that produces the smell.

When you run the hot water into the sink, and then into the drain, the
smell comes up. *You think it's the hot water, but it might not be.
(Run some hot water into a glass, take it outside, smell it later.)

At any rate, in the cases I personally investigated, pouring a cup of
bleach down the drain slowly took care of the problem. *Every time so
far.

I don't know how an anode rod could cause the problem. *That doesn't
make sense to me.

Chemical reaction to the chemicals in the water. *Read the article at the
link that was posted and you'll understand. *The bleach down the drain gets
rid of the residue odor that started in the water heater and now resides in
the trap.

Well, that's crap.

The problem is the anerobic (iron fixing) bacteria.

They don't care about the anode.

And they CAN live in the hot water heater, if the temperature is low
enough, but in my experience (1500 apartments) they are quite a bit
more common in the drain.

It has NOTHING to do with chemical reactions.

Hot water stinks like sulfur
 

?
"TimR" wrote in message
...
On Jan 1, 12:27 am, "Ed Pawlowski" wrote:
?"TimR" wrote in message

...



On Dec 31, 4:01 pm, Jdog wrote:

I had the same problem. It started about a year after the tanks was
installed. I called the 800 number on the tank. They sold me a new
anode rod that was made out of a material.

Before you blame the anode rod, check for an easier to solve problem.

I've run into the sulfur problem several times at work, and they've
always blamed the hot water.

But it's never actually been the hot water, in the cases I've seen.

There is a kind of iron fixing bacteria that can grow, usually in a
drain, that produces the smell.

When you run the hot water into the sink, and then into the drain, the
smell comes up. You think it's the hot water, but it might not be.
(Run some hot water into a glass, take it outside, smell it later.)

At any rate, in the cases I personally investigated, pouring a cup of
bleach down the drain slowly took care of the problem. Every time so
far.

I don't know how an anode rod could cause the problem. That doesn't
make sense to me.

Chemical reaction to the chemicals in the water. Read the article at the
link that was posted and you'll understand. The bleach down the drain
gets
rid of the residue odor that started in the water heater and now resides
in
the trap.

Well, that's crap.

The problem is the anerobic (iron fixing) bacteria.

They don't care about the anode.

And they CAN live in the hot water heater, if the temperature is low
enough, but in my experience (1500 apartments) they are quite a bit
more common in the drain.

It has NOTHING to do with chemical reactions.

Sorry, I did not know you knew more about this than the engineers at the
water heater companies.

This is better than my explanation.
http://waterheaterrescue.com/pages/W...r-heaters.html
The Cause of Rotten Egg Odor
The most common cause of smelly water is anaerobic bacteria that exist in
some water and react with the magnesium and aluminum sacrificial anodes that
come with most water heaters to produce hydrogen sulfide gas, making the
classic rotten egg odor. The problem is most common in well systems, either
private or municipal.

Hot water stinks like sulfur
 

On Jan 1, 1:11*am, "Ed Pawlowski" wrote:
?"TimR" wrote in message
Sorry, I did not know you knew more about this than the engineers at the
water heater companies.

I probably don't. But I know more about this than the salesperson who
wrote the advertisement you posted. Then again, this is more a
question for a biologist than an engineer.


This is better than my explanation.http://waterheaterrescue.com/pages/W...ubleshooting/s..

No, it isn't better. Your explanation is fine. I just think it's
wrong.
..
The Cause of Rotten Egg Odor
The most common cause of smelly water is anaerobic bacteria that exist in
some water

Agree.


and react with the magnesium and aluminum sacrificial anodes that
come with most water heaters

No. That's a speculation without evidence or basis in theory.
Bacteria produce the odor with or without anodes. The odor is more
prevalent in hot water because - doh - hot water releases more of the
smell. The anode connection is urban legend.


to produce hydrogen sulfide gas, making the
classic rotten egg odor.

Gas in tiny amounts, dissolved in water. You won't see any bubbles.

The problem is most common in well systems, either
private or municipal.

Yes, including my inlaws's cottage. And in every well system where
I've seen this, it has been present in the cold water too. I haven't
seen the drain problem in the well systems. But in municipal systems,
the bacteria in the drain has been by far the most common cause, and
by far the easiest and cheapest to treat.

Hot water stinks like sulfur
 

On Jan 1, 9:17*am, TimR wrote:
On Jan 1, 1:11*am, "Ed Pawlowski" wrote:

?"TimR" wrote in message
Sorry, I did not know you knew more about this than the engineers at the
water heater companies.

I probably don't. *But I know more about this than the salesperson who
wrote the advertisement you posted. *Then again, this is more a
question for a biologist than an engineer.


I did a bit of googling, thinking maybe I could find the species names
of the bacteria.

There is surprisingly little on the net, this may require a library.

But I noticed that a large number of promotional web sites, usually
selling some kind of treatment for sulfur smelling water, seemed to
contain the same words, as if they all quote the same article without
citing it. (or quoting each other!)

I could be wrong, but I think they all are using the same 1989
article. Here are the authors: Linda Wagenet is an extension
associate and Ann Lemley is an
associate professor in the Department of Textiles
and
Apparel,
New York State College of Human Ecology, Cornell
University,
Ithaca, NY
This article talks mostly about bacteria, but it does mention the
anode rod possibility. No references for this are given. They may
have just passed on somebody's speculation and it has been repeated
all these years.

Hot water stinks like sulfur
 

On Fri, 31 Dec 2010 21:46:11 -0800 (PST), TimR
wrote:

On Jan 1, 12:27Â*am, "Ed Pawlowski" wrote:
?"TimR" wrote in message

...



On Dec 31, 4:01 pm, Jdog wrote:

I had the same problem. It started about a year after the tanks was
installed. I called the 800 number on the tank. They sold me a new
anode rod that was made out of a material.

Before you blame the anode rod, check for an easier to solve problem.

I've run into the sulfur problem several times at work, and they've
always blamed the hot water.

But it's never actually been the hot water, in the cases I've seen.

There is a kind of iron fixing bacteria that can grow, usually in a
drain, that produces the smell.

When you run the hot water into the sink, and then into the drain, the
smell comes up. Â*You think it's the hot water, but it might not be.
(Run some hot water into a glass, take it outside, smell it later.)

At any rate, in the cases I personally investigated, pouring a cup of
bleach down the drain slowly took care of the problem. Â*Every time so
far.

I don't know how an anode rod could cause the problem. Â*That doesn't
make sense to me.

Chemical reaction to the chemicals in the water. Â*Read the article at the
link that was posted and you'll understand. Â*The bleach down the drain gets
rid of the residue odor that started in the water heater and now resides in
the trap.

Well, that's crap.

The problem is the anerobic (iron fixing) bacteria.

They don't care about the anode.

And they CAN live in the hot water heater, if the temperature is low
enough, but in my experience (1500 apartments) they are quite a bit
more common in the drain.

It has NOTHING to do with chemical reactions.


The iron fixing bacteria are involved in a chemical reaction, and in
many cases it is OBVIOUSLY in the water, because filling a sink with
the drain plug in stinks to high heaven.Changing from Magnesium to
zinc alloy often solves the problem.

Hot water stinks like sulfur
 

On Jan 1, 11:31*am, wrote:
On Fri, 31 Dec 2010 21:46:11 -0800 (PST), TimR
wrote:



On Jan 1, 12:27*am, "Ed Pawlowski" wrote:
?"TimR" wrote in message

....

On Dec 31, 4:01 pm, Jdog wrote:

I had the same problem. It started about a year after the tanks was
installed. I called the 800 number on the tank. They sold me a new
anode rod that was made out of a material.

Before you blame the anode rod, check for an easier to solve problem..

I've run into the sulfur problem several times at work, and they've
always blamed the hot water.

But it's never actually been the hot water, in the cases I've seen.

There is a kind of iron fixing bacteria that can grow, usually in a
drain, that produces the smell.

When you run the hot water into the sink, and then into the drain, the
smell comes up. *You think it's the hot water, but it might not be..
(Run some hot water into a glass, take it outside, smell it later.)

At any rate, in the cases I personally investigated, pouring a cup of
bleach down the drain slowly took care of the problem. *Every time so
far.

I don't know how an anode rod could cause the problem. *That doesn't
make sense to me.

Chemical reaction to the chemicals in the water. *Read the article at the
link that was posted and you'll understand. *The bleach down the drain gets
rid of the residue odor that started in the water heater and now resides in
the trap.

Well, that's crap.

The problem is the anerobic (iron fixing) bacteria.

They don't care about the anode.

And they CAN live in the hot water heater, if the temperature is low
enough, but in my experience (1500 apartments) they are quite a bit
more common in the drain.

It has NOTHING to do with chemical reactions.

The iron fixing bacteria are involved in a chemical reaction,

Write the equation then. I don't believe it.

and in
many cases it is OBVIOUSLY in the water,4.

Oh, certainly. The bacteria can live in the well, in the pipe system
anywhere, in water softeners, and very commonly in the hot water
heater. They're a little hard to kill, because they can be coated
with a slime. But chlorine bleach usually does the trick.

But I have seen a number of cases where they lived ONLY in the drain,
and pouring bleach down the drain cured the problem.

because filling a sink with
the drain plug in stinks to high heaven

..Changing from Magnesium to
zinc alloy often solves the problem

All the web sites say that. At least, all the web sites trying to
sell you new anode rods do. Since they also recommend you drain the
tank and chlorinate it when you change the anode, I'd guess it
probably works, at least temporarily. Funny how "often" isn't always,
if the anode is really involved.

I personally have never seen a single case where just changing the
anode made any difference and suspect you haven't either.

Hot water stinks like sulfur
 

On Sun, 2 Jan 2011 11:52:44 -0800 (PST), TimR
wrote:

On Jan 1, 11:31Â*am, wrote:
On Fri, 31 Dec 2010 21:46:11 -0800 (PST), TimR
wrote:



On Jan 1, 12:27Â*am, "Ed Pawlowski" wrote:
?"TimR" wrote in message

...

On Dec 31, 4:01 pm, Jdog wrote:

I had the same problem. It started about a year after the tanks was
installed. I called the 800 number on the tank. They sold me a new
anode rod that was made out of a material.

Before you blame the anode rod, check for an easier to solve problem.

I've run into the sulfur problem several times at work, and they've
always blamed the hot water.

But it's never actually been the hot water, in the cases I've seen.

There is a kind of iron fixing bacteria that can grow, usually in a
drain, that produces the smell.

When you run the hot water into the sink, and then into the drain, the
smell comes up. Â*You think it's the hot water, but it might not be.
(Run some hot water into a glass, take it outside, smell it later.)

At any rate, in the cases I personally investigated, pouring a cup of
bleach down the drain slowly took care of the problem. Â*Every time so
far.

I don't know how an anode rod could cause the problem. Â*That doesn't
make sense to me.

Chemical reaction to the chemicals in the water. Â*Read the article at the
link that was posted and you'll understand. Â*The bleach down the drain gets
rid of the residue odor that started in the water heater and now resides in
the trap.

Well, that's crap.

The problem is the anerobic (iron fixing) bacteria.

They don't care about the anode.

And they CAN live in the hot water heater, if the temperature is low
enough, but in my experience (1500 apartments) they are quite a bit
more common in the drain.

It has NOTHING to do with chemical reactions.

The iron fixing bacteria are involved in a chemical reaction,

Write the equation then. I don't believe it.

and in
many cases it is OBVIOUSLY in the water,4.

Oh, certainly. The bacteria can live in the well, in the pipe system
anywhere, in water softeners, and very commonly in the hot water
heater. They're a little hard to kill, because they can be coated
with a slime. But chlorine bleach usually does the trick.

But I have seen a number of cases where they lived ONLY in the drain,
and pouring bleach down the drain cured the problem.

because filling a sink with
the drain plug in stinks to high heaven

.Changing from Magnesium to
zinc alloy often solves the problem

All the web sites say that. At least, all the web sites trying to
sell you new anode rods do. Since they also recommend you drain the
tank and chlorinate it when you change the anode, I'd guess it
probably works, at least temporarily. Funny how "often" isn't always,
if the anode is really involved.

I personally have never seen a single case where just changing the
anode made any difference and suspect you haven't either.




Actually, I have. More than one. And as I've said to several others on
the group, just because you have not seen or experienced it does not
make it any less true or valid.
I've also run across quite a few situations where ONLY the hot water
smelled, where chlorine was tried (and was reasonable effective on the
short term), and where simply turning up the temperature of the heater
to above the now-mandated maximum also solved ( or very substantually
reduced) the problem.

Hot water stinks like sulfur
 

On Jan 1, 7:03*am, TimR wrote:
On Jan 1, 9:17*am, TimR wrote:

On Jan 1, 1:11*am, "Ed Pawlowski" wrote:

?"TimR" wrote in message
Sorry, I did not know you knew more about this than the engineers at the
water heater companies.

I probably don't. *But I know more about this than the salesperson who
wrote the advertisement you posted. *Then again, this is more a
question for a biologist than an engineer.

I did a bit of googling, thinking maybe I could find the species names
of the bacteria.

There is surprisingly little on the net, this may require a library.

But I noticed that a large number of promotional web sites, usually
selling some kind of treatment for sulfur smelling water, seemed to
contain the same words, as if they all quote the same article without
citing it. *(or quoting each other!)

I could be wrong, but I think they all are using the same 1989
article. *Here are the authors: * Linda Wagenet is an extension
associate and Ann Lemley is *an
* * * * * associate * professor *in *the *Department *of *Textiles
and
* * * * * Apparel,
* * * * * New York State College of Human Ecology, Cornell
University,
* * * * * Ithaca, NY
This article talks mostly about bacteria, but it does mention the
anode rod possibility. *No references for this are given. *They may
have just passed on somebody's speculation and it has been repeated
all these years.


Seems like you're expecting research paper(s) on the causes & remedies
for sulfur smell in water systems.

IME

Research is typically only funded where there are health & safety or
economic issues involved.
From my experience and also from my reading on the web, it seems that
there are sufficient solutions in existence to the "smelly water
problem".
Whether the various causes are completely understood does not seem
like a high priority for the water treatment community.

Try this, this or this..... must work

btw in the engineering school where I worked for nearly 20 years,
water quality issues were studied by civil engineering profs
(including those caused by bacteria).
Engineers are involved in all manner of research & problem solving.

so your comment.......
Then again, this is more a question for a biologist than an engineer.
is "off the mark". :(

Here are some additional refs but they probably fall within your
category of "urban legend"

http://www.ct.gov/dph/lib/dph/enviro...te_in_PDWW.pdf
http://www.village.sussex.wi.us/docu...mellyWater.pdf
http://resources.cas.psu.edu/WaterRe...genSulfide.pdf
http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/e...rosulfide.html

Hot water stinks like sulfur
 

On Jan 3, 10:53*am, "Ed Pawlowski" wrote:
I just had the maintenance guy pull the anode on the water heater in the
ladies room. *First, he drained the tank and the water stunk.


Yup, bacteria living in the water. No surprise.

Next, he pulled the rod and it is coated with white stuff that stinks too..

Yup, these bacteria like the sludge, it protects them somewhat from
the disinfectant in the water supply, if any. (Assuming a municipal
system using either chlorine or the more common chloramine; a well
might not have any.)

It is a combination of a sludge and sandy feeling minerals. The rod is
aluminum, but it will be replaced by zinc or magnesium.


The four sources you cited above all repeat (without any background)
the claim that magnesium anodes cause the problem, and aluminum is the
answer. You've just proven them wrong. They also show an ignorance
of basic corrosion chemistry.

From the McMaster catalog:
Also known as sacrificial anodes, these rods and pads are attacked and
consumed by any corrosive action that would otherwise attack and consume
your valuable equipment.


Did your anode look consumed, or just coated and scaled up?

One of the most obvious ways to shock chlorinate a water heater is to
pull the anode rod and pour in bleach. There are other places to get
it in, three that I can think of offhand, but all take a little more
thought and/or disassembly. I suspect that the way the anode myth got
started is from DIYers pulling the anode rod to add chlorine, and the
story got confused over the years.

Hot water stinks like sulfur
 

?
"TimR" wrote

From the McMaster catalog:
Also known as sacrificial anodes, these rods and pads are attacked and
consumed by any corrosive action that would otherwise attack and consume
your valuable equipment.


Did your anode look consumed, or just coated and scaled up?

Scaled up and black. It is about 3 years old. Temperature is about 120. It
gets little use most of the week, but one day a week it gets water running
through it for about an hour.

Hot water stinks like sulfur
 

?

"Jdog" wrote in message
...
On Dec 30, 9:58 pm, (natp) wrote:
We had a new water heater installed and now the hot water stinks like
rotten eggs. The people who installed it have not been helpful.

I think the same thing happened when the house was built. Back then,
the anode was removed from the water heater and the stink went away.

Questions:
- Does the smell come from bacteria or some inorganic chemical reaction?
- Instead of removing the anode, can it be replaced with something
made from a different metal that still protects the heater from
corrosion but doesn't make the water stink?
- Typically, how long is the anode? (Can a new anode be installed
without disconnecting the pipes running to the water heater
so it can be tipped sideways?)
- Money is tight. Is removing or replacing the anode a DIY project?

The well was serviced a few months ago. The water was tested and found
to contain bacteria. I put chlorine in the well and tested it again:
no bacteria now. The water heater is fed from the water softener.

I had the same problem. It started about a year after the tanks was
installed. I called the 800 number on the tank. They sold me a new
anode rod that was made out of a material. Depending on the kinds of
minerals in the water, or different parts of the country your in, they
recommend different kinds of anode rods. I replaced it. it was tough
getting the old one out. You definitely need the right tools, large
socket with plenty of leverage. I used a 4' pipe on the end of my
socket wrench. The rod was about 3' long. And the pipes didn't need
to be disconnected. On he top of the tank there was a plastic pug I
took off and then had to clear out the foam insulation (about 3") to
find the anode rod. Its been about 2 years now and I haven't had a
problem.

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Are there tiny bubbles in a glass of water? If so, do a Google search on
sulpher bacteria. I had that problem with the bacteria (well water)
in the cold water tank (Adirondack mountains in NY). Chlorine injection
would
temporarily solve the problem, but eventually I replaced the tank, which
solved
the problem permanently.

JAS


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