The anode rod is integrated with the hot side on a Bradford white. I am a plumber and I think your video is very informative. I learned something today from you. Thanks
As a single mom who's also a homeowner responsible for her own repairs, but is by no one's definition a plumber, this is very helpful. I just replaced my hot water tank and the rotten egg smell every time I use the hot water has been awful. Your video was simple enough I'm definitely going to be doing this myself. Thank you!
Wonderful video! My wife and I just moved to the mountains from the city and this whole well/septic tank thing is new to us. When we turned the hot water on for the first time the smell scared the heck out of us. Thanks so much for making this look actually doable. I will try it. Cheers from Quebec Canada.
Thank you! Wow… so easy! My wife now thinks I’m a licensed plumber!! Like another commenting, I used the cold water line as my hot water side had no shut off. When I turned the hot water back on it was almost black, then cleared and smells like the perfect cold well water! Thanks again
Great! Yes, lots of black water will come out after you treat it. Glad it worked out for you and should last for a few months before you need to do it again.
Great video. I will do this tomorrow. ****One important note... you technically should not have a valve on your hot water side. Plumbers don't do that so you don't close both valves and create a pressure vessel. Pressure Relief Valves fail frequently. If PRV fails and both valves are close then the HW heater turns on, you could have the tank blow up.
Hey Chris, You are technically correct on this being a possibility. However, if the PRV fails and all faucets are closed in the home the same situation can occur. Also, I think you would have to have a thermostat faliure and a PVR valve failure for this situation to occur or the thermostat would shut the heat off well before that amount of pressure builds up. It's best to check the PRV by lifting the lever monthly if this is a concern and replacing if any issues. Always check your local code though. The reason I have that valve there is if I didn't then it takes forever to drain water down out of the tank as all the upstairs plumbing drains down into the tank. There is a valve in there to supposedly prevent this in the top of the inlet tube but it still allows water down in. Also, I can shut this valve and open the cold water side while the peroxide is sitting in the tank for the 4 hours doing its job and household members don't accidenlty run the hot water. Thanks for the tip!
You can fix this permanently in 15 minutes. Get rid of the anode rod and replace it with a CorroProtec powered anode rod. It lasts for 20 years, eliminates the sulfur stink immediately and permanently. No need to keep treating the tank with peroxide or chlorine over and over. It's a once and done fix! It's the magnesium anode rod that promotes the stink. The Corro-Protec powered anode rod is titanium with a mixed metal oxide coating. It will last a minimum of 20 years, it is not sacrificial and does not degrade. And it's quite short in case of limited overhead clearance. I have them in my water heaters, which I expect to last over 20 years, without ever changing an anode rod.
Yes! The powered andoe rods are a permanent soultion. I may do this but I am waiting until I am able to replace the heater when I do it in case something goes wrong! My water heater has the anode rod integrated in the hot water feed so if it breaks when removing I am out of hot water until I can replace the heater.
@@BriansSpace I surmise that is a Bradford White. Do be aware that Corro-Protec have a kit to fit their powered rod to a Bradford White water heater that has the anode integrated in to the hot water outlet. So if you get a new water heater you can get a Bradford White if you like and still have the Corro-Protec installed.
Brian, I just used your recommendations and the smell is gone! I applied it to the cold water section as there is no shut off on our hot water valve. It still worked like a charm! Hope it lasts! Thanks!!
Same problem here,I took the boiler out clean with karcher,put tones of chlore in few months it was back, and it is same story every year. Your solution it is quite expensive for me. 60 euro each time?? the bills in Europe already doubled. Somebody told me if you put some charcoal and little ash it will work fine. Just tried today, will see the effect. I know my grandmother used charcoal for digestion problems, also the ash contain some chemicals which kills bacteria ,in big quantities can make you sick. After the second world war my grandparents were extremly poor, the washed their white clotes with ash, best ever soap. Even today the bio soap contain ash. I need to mantion we dont drink the tap water at all. Will see if the smell comes back. Thanks for your video
Here is a simple solution that worked for me. When I installed the new tank I set the water temperature at the lowest setting, 120F. The bacteria were able to grow in that temperature water and created the rotten egg smell. All I did was raise the water temperature to max, 180F, for a few months. In retrospect it could have been a much shorter time say a few days. The odor went away because the bacteria could not grow at the high temperature. It's been a few months now since I set it back at 120F and there is no odor. One explanation might be that the original bacterial contamination was in the manufacturing process. But once gone the new contamination would come from the drinking water. Possibly this species is not in the drinking water. That would explain my results and observation.
I will repost my warning on using this method: Thanks for sharing. I did hear of this method and opted not to do it due to the risk of burns. 140-150 degree water is very hot (180 degrees could be fatal!) and if you have children or elderly in the house I would not recommend this. The difference in risk is great as you can see by the info below. Some newer homes have shower and tub mixing valves that protect against this at the tub and shower but severe burns can still occur at unprotected faucets. If you want a permanent solution the best option is to replace the Anode rod in the tank with a power anode. They do not degrade and will last the life of the heater: www.corroprotec.com/product/water-heater-anode-rod/ For me it's no big deal to put the Peroxide in every few months so I haven't replaced the Anode rod. Most adults will suffer third-degree burns if exposed to 150 degree water for two seconds. Burns will also occur with a six-second exposure to 140 degree water or with a thirty second exposure to 130 degree water. Even if the temperature is 120 degrees, a five minute exposure could result in third-degree burns. ameriburn.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/scaldinjuryeducatorsguide.pdf
Excellent reminder on the safety considerations. In my case it is a second water heater that supplies only the kitchen sink and the laundry room. And only aware, able adults are using it. We are all satisfied with the safety aspects.
Great video Brian, do you know how you leave the perioxide in the heater before you start using the water again or do you start using hot water right away. Thanks so much.
It's a check valve to prevent you from heating the Coldwater in line.. The have a similar one on the hot side too to keep the heat from just escaping through the water when not flowing in use
I put a tee in the cold water supply with a valve and short length of pipe pointing down. I turn water off, relieve pressure, then submerge the end of that pipe in a container of peroxide. I then open the drain valve. The water running out draws the peroxide in. Much easier than taking the line off each time.
I learned the peroxide trick several years ago recently I found out that it is the aluminum zinc anode rod that is supposed to fix it, so I picked one of those up off Amazon for about 25 bucks that came with the socket and this time I'm going to do that when I do the peroxide treatment and hope that it is fixed for years instead of months.
I have had this problem on my boat where I have a 6 gallon tank. I was told to add Bleach (just a cap full) in my water system and this method has worked for me.
Hey Chris. Thanks for sharing! Yes, bleach will work! However, Hydrogen peroxide has a few advantages though. It is quicker. Chlorine bleach breaks down in hot water. Peroxide has no odor or risk of ruining clothes if too much is added to the tank. Here is a more detailed explanation from a water treatment company: If you haven’t already figured it out - hydrogen peroxide is not a good idea for disinfection; the same as chlorine is not a good idea for oxidation. If you have surface water and need to disinfect it, especially if there is algae, then chlorine is dramatically superior to hydrogen peroxide. However, if you have incredibly high iron or sulfur, chlorine is not a good choice, but hydrogen peroxide is. Removing iron and sulfur is best accomplished with oxidation, and H2O2 is an excellent oxidizer. Just do not confuse oxidation and disinfection. The definition of disinfection is “the process of cleaning something, especially with a chemical, to destroy bacteria.” Oxidation, on the other hand, is different. The terms oxidation and reduction can be defined by adding or removing oxygen to a compound. Both reduction and oxidation coincide, so we call that a “redox reaction.” As stated, hydrogen peroxide has the chemical formula H2O2 and is an oxidizing agent similar to oxygen in effect but is significantly more robust. The oxidizing activity of hydrogen peroxide results from the presence of the extra oxygen atom compared with the structure of water. I like to say that “Hydrogen peroxide is very forgiving.” What I mean by that is that (when applied correctly) extreme amounts of iron and hydrogen sulfide can be removed from the water supply effectively and consistently.
Gave it a try. Was smelling all summer but stopped since winter. Maybe too cold up here in Canada. Going to do it every 6 months like you said. Also changed out the anode rod. Couldn't find the right size so got a longer one and cut it off. Plumber told me that. Old rod hadn't gotten shorter but whole thing was full of that grit so I don't think it was working as water needs to touch the rod for it to work. Anyways excellent video. Jim CYWG
Interesting method. Hydrogen peroxide has the same components as water so given enough contact time it would break down on its own. 4 hours is doing it, and that is really very informative. Flushing the tank at the beginning might be better to reduce demand and get a more concentrated dose. Remember what you put in equals what is used up minus what is left over. Also opening the lines just long enough to fill up with treated water will shock the lines as well. Not sure if that is really necessary but it can't hurt to do a disinfection from time to time on the whole plumbing envelope. Final flushing to remove the residue ensures that you do get any in your spaghetti water..
Thanks for commenting. Some additional info I recently found that explains the difference between treating with Chlorine VS Peroxide. In a nutshell use Chlorine to disinfect and use peroxide to Oxidize and remove sulfur and iron: Below from this site: thietbinganhnuoc.com/en/blogs/chlorine-and-hydrogen-peroxide-which-is-better-for-water-treatment.html#:~:text=Chlorine%20requires%20contact%20time%2C%20typically,only%20dilutes%20its%20oxidizing%20capacity. Hydrogen Peroxide is not a good idea for disinfection just as Chlorine is not a good idea for Oxidation. If you need to disinfect surface water, especially if algae are present, then Chlorine is far superior to Hydrogen Peroxide. However, if you have very high levels of iron or sulfur then Chlorine is not a good choice, Hydrogen Peroxide is. Removal of iron and sulfur is best done by oxidation, and H2O2 is an excellent oxidizing agent. Disinfection is the process of cleaning something with chemicals, to kill bacteria. While Oxidation and Reduction can be defined by adding or subtracting Oxygen to a compound; both reduction and oxidation polymerize, so they are called redox reactions. As stated, Hydrogen Peroxide has the chemical formula H2O2 and is an oxidizing agent similar to Oxygen but significantly stronger. The oxidizing activity of Hydrogen Peroxide is the result of the presence of an extra Oxygen atom relative to the structure of water.
I install a old washer hose on the bottom valve, exit a gallon or so. Open a hot water faucet, leave it open. Then I lif the washer hose fill it with peroxide (10oz/10gallons) compress in (using a small air compressor) while opening bottom valve. Repeat until all fluid compressed into the bottom part (cold stage) of heather. Easy, no plumbing, but you do need a small compressor.
Unfortunately, I've changed the anode. Had new Rheem hot water heater (old one was Rheem - 20 years old). Sulphur smell started - after testing, I had the anode replaced and that didn't work. Had the tank shocked the tank, put in filtering and that took care of the problem. Then, after 3 years, the hot water heater element died. Rheem paid for a new one an installation (bought extra protection) had the new one put in with the alternative material anode. However, the problem came back even worse than before. So, I do not know what the hell is going on. Going back to shocking the new tank - grrr. I'm not sure that it was the anode in the first place as the new tank has the alternative one from the get-go.
That's odd. As long as the smell is only in the hot water the anode rod replacement should do the trick. I would question if the anode rod is actually the correct material.
Keep in mind if you open the safety valve it might not re-seal because of mineral build up. It can easily be replaced if it does not seal but the valve at the bottom of the tank is fool proof for letting water out.
@@carlgilpatrick8416 there is a very thin aluminum handle on the safety valve. Once you have everything off, just lift the handle. It will release the pressure as well as some of the water inside the tank. Just make sure that the overflow pipe has a way to get rid of the water without getting it all over the floor.
The plumber would’ve replaced your water heater, that would have solve the problem. Because a new water heater means all the internal parts would be no including the anode rod, dip tube, etc. It mean not be necessary to replace the water heater but it would’ve in fact solved your problem.
Replacing the hot water heater in most cases does not fix the issue as it is the Anode rod material that is causing the smell. An aluminum/zinc alloy anode rode or a powered anode rod will in most cases fix the issue.
We have a new hot water tank and we started having the smelly hot water and I knew what the problem was. I use the hydrogen peroxide every couple of months. I might get an aluminum anode rod one of these days and replace the one in the tank.
This requires doing a bit of plumbing to get the system opened up so you can add the Peroxide. If this isn't something you are comfortable with you would want to call a plumber. I cut the pipe and installed a flexible fitting with shutoff that I could disconnect when I needed to add the peroxide. If your setup does not have flexible connectors and is hard plumbed with copper then best to call a plumber and have them set this up for you.
Hi Brian, how are you? I have a question for you. I bought a house with well water system. In the inspection the hot water from one of the bathrooms comes out brown for 1-2 minutes and also smells bad. Do you know what I have to do? The previous owner tested the water and is good, the report says that the water sit in pipes and water heater until the following day. Please help me! Thank you so much
Tatiana, It sounds like perhaps this happened from not being used if the house was not in use while on the market. Maybe flush the hot water heater completely and then refill and see if this helps. If not you would need to call a pro to help out. Good luck!
Thanks, but it would have been nice to see what you were doing with the wrench on the top of the heater. Did you disconnect the TP valve to allow air in, and add the peroxide directly into the valve hole? Does that mean that it's not really necessary to disconnect the hot water out connection? Will leaving the peroxide in for longer than 4 hours damage the tank or system?
Yeah, not my best filming work, for sure :) I disconnect the hot water out side and pour it in there as there and left the cold water side connected. You need to leave the peroxide in at least 4 hours before running any hot water. It won't hurt anything leaving it in there longer.
Just raise the water heater temper to 360 for 6 hours. Than drain; go to all your faucets in your house and turn on the hot water. I think the hot water also cleans the inside of the water pipes. Repeat if it stills smells bad. I did it twice. In the morning and afternoon. When your done; lower the water heater temperature. So you don’t get burn.
does this ONLY happened with anodes of the BRADFORD WHITE water heaters? or does it apply to all water heaters including rheem etc...my water doesn't smell but the water heater itself when making hot water, stinks up the BASEMENT with used laundry smell.
The anode issue applies to any brand hot water heater. Not sure what your issue is with a used laundry smell. That's something I've never experienced. Sorry I couldn't be more help.
My water heater is connected to a well water system that has two filters before feeding water to the water heater. Can i remove both filter, fill both of them with hydrogen peroxide and put them back on? Would it work the same?
Hi, I'm not sure if this would work. The issue is the Peroxide needs to sit in the Hot water heater for 4 hours or so. Important to note this only works if the smell is from the hot water ONLY. If you have the smell from the cold water also you have a different issue. You could try this but you would need to pull the peroxide solution from the filters into the hot water heater. So you could put the peroxide in the filters then turn on the hot water and let it run for 60 seconds or so then turn it off. This should draw the peroxide into the hot water heater. Then let it sit for 4-6 hours. Can't guarantee it would work but won't hurt anything to give it a try. Let me know if it does work. Best of luck!
@@BriansSpace It did work!! But it may only work for a month or so since i could only put one full bottle of hydrogen peroxide in the filters. So two bottles for the hot and cold water.. But there no more smell! Thank you so much!!!!!!! I've spent thousands of dollars trying to get this issue fixed, buying new water softener equipment's, pressure tanks and all kinds of parts for the well water /softener system.. My tenants wouldn't want to shower or even wash the dishes with the hot water. I spent $12 at walgreens took me 15minutes and the smell is completely gone the next day! WOW absolutely AMAZING!
hi sir, my parents are gone and im trying to save our house - i have well water and it has been off for a couple months - the sulfur smell is so terrible i cannot even breathe - do you think just a zinc anode rod replacement will do the trick? or should i also get a whole new water heater? thanks for your time.
First off is the sulfur smell just the hot water or both hot and cold water? If it's in both the hot and cold water then the issue is not the heater. If the smell is hot water only then you can replace the anode rod or use the peroxide method I show here. A new hot water heater probably won't solve the issue as it will come with the same type of magnesium or aluminum anode rod and the issue will persist. I would just treat it with the peroxide first as per this video and see if that takes care of the smell. If so you can then safely assume it's the anode rod and replace it. When the heaters sit unused the smell comes on stronger and quicker. Let me know how you make out!
Brian thanks for your quick reply - yes the smell comes from the hot water only - the house was vacant - and as a child we always had a smell but nowhere near as bad as it is today - just so i am clear : i use the peroxide first, then if that doesn’t work try the zinc anode rod - yes? or should i just do both
@@fahriakalin5936 I would start with just the peroxide. The smell will be much worse if the heater sits unused. Just follow the video by putting it in the heater and letting it sit for about 4-5hours. That should eliminate the smell for a few months if the heater is in use. Maybe a few weeks if the heater will not be in use.
I had the same problem. I call it iron bacteria which causes the smell. I shocked the well with bleach then turn your water softener to bypass. Run your taps hot and cold both until you get a bleach smell coming from the water. Toilet everything that has water in it. I then let it sit for 24 hours at least. It will clear right up. If it comes back you didn't use enough bleach. Do it again with more bleach. I have a 160' well with water 30 foot from the top. So 130' of water in a 6 inch casing. I used 2 gallons. Recommend by my well driller.
I have heard that this sometimes works if you do not want to open up the system but have never tried or confirmed it. 1. Shut off the water to the house. 2. Open a hot water faucet upstairs closest to the hot water heater and relieve the pressue. It must be above the heater. 3. Secure a 12" tube of some sort to the faucet and make it a tight seal. 4. Put the other end of the tube into the container of peroxide. 5. Go to the hot water heater and open the drain on the bottom of the heater and drain water from the heater. 6. In theory this should create a siphoning action and pull the peroxide into the system and down into the hot water heater. 7. Close the heater drain, close the faucet, then turn the water back on to fill the tank. Let sit for the recommended 4 hours. Again, I have never tried this so if you attempt it let me know how you make out!
i live in an apartment there was a water leak from the water heater from the upstairs neighbor long story short the water came through my wall heater its been stinking ever since )the gas to the wall has been off for few months, how can i get rid of that musty water smell?
That's a tough one. It probably needs to be dried out completely. A dehumidifier might need to be run near where the leak was. Until all the moisture is removed the smell will probably persist and there is a danger of mold setting in. Good luck water damage can be a pain.
How long do you have to wait after adding the Hydrogen Peroxide before the water is safe to drink? Do you drain the tank and refill with fresh water before allowing the hot water back into the house
No need to drain and refill. It is diluted to levels where it causes no harm. Leave the peroxide sit in the tank for at least 4 hours before running the water is all you need to do. Then open each hot water faucet in the house until warm water flows and you are all set!
I never use those flexible water lines, they always leak . I hard copper my water heaters in. I get tons of calls because contractors and handyman use those flexible water lines, they leak at the nut where it screws onto the water heater nipple. I install Bradfordwhite all the time, you would think after 130 years of them being in business they would relocate the anode rod like all the other manufacturers. If you don't replace the anode rod every year your asking for trouble, I have replaced them only after 6 months and the rid was almost denigrated. It depends on how hard your water heater. The anode rod others are talking about that cost $100 + is nice but most homeowners will not spend the additional money on it. You can talk to them until your face turns blue, it don't matter, and now 2023 with water heater prices sky high they definitely don't want to spend the extra money. I always put on my invoice that I recommend flushing and replacing anode rod yearly, but people just don't care they completely ignore it and never do any preventative maintenance. I would say 10% of homeowners actually flush theslre water heaters yearly and even those 15% flush them incorrectly because they don't want to pay the plumber to do it right.
Great tips! I have since had those flexible lines replaced and hard plumbed in and finally hooked up to city water, so no longer have the issue with the Sulfur smell from the well water. Great advice on swapping out the anode rods and flushing them regularly. A plumber once told me regular maintenance on your water heater, and they can last 20 years no problem. Maybe that was back before they raised the prices on them and cheapened them up at the same time!
This did not work so I will try turning hot water temp to 150 (from 120) to see. Background: We had rotten egg (sulfur) from hot water. We built the house 20 years ago with pvc pipes not copper. Two months ago we replaced our 20 year old water heater w rheem. We still had the smell. We are on. City water. We installed water softener with filtration. The plumbers chlorinated the hot water tank and cold lines. Still stinks. They also replaced the anode even though the new one was just a month old. I need to confirm if they replaced it with a zinc, magnesium or aluminum. Either way, the hot water shouldn’t still stink. I’ll let you know. 1)
Just an FYI. If you have Sulfur smell from the cold water also it is a different issue and this will not solve it. This fix only works on if the smell is only from the hot water and your cold water does not smell.
Take the anode rod out chuck it in dumpster place a 3/4 inch plug in its place if its not on its fill side and in 10 years of no rotten egg smell or messing with peroxide every month you may have to replace your hot water heater again
I turn the hot water heater off while I am brekaing things open to add the peorxide. After it is added you can turn it back on and then just let it sit 3-4 hours before opening any hot water faucets.
Hey Carl, Yes, I put it in the hot water tank outlet pipe. The inlet pipe usually goes almost to the bottom of the tank and requires more water to be drained in most cases.
Does this method work if I have well water? We have been paying thousand of dollars on a water softner system. l also purchased a new hot water tank and the problem is still there
Hey Carla, It does work on well water as I am actually on a well also. Water softeners can actually make the rotten egg smell worse. I also run a water softener as our well water is hard and the softener solves issues like low suds on soap, hard water stains on faucets, toilets, and shower walls. The hot water heater is not the issue. What causes this is a reaction with the Anode in the hot water heater. Replace the standard magnesium or aluminum anode rod with an aluminum/zinc alloy anode will solve the problem in most cases. Sometimes with softened water though this will not resolve it and in those cases, they make powered anode rods. For me though just adding the peroxide 4 times a year is working out fine. Now if I ever replace the hot water heater I will swap out the Anode rod before I install it.
@@BriansSpace thank you! Just last week we spent another 200 dollars on zinc rod but the smell is still very strong. My husband did watch your video and after work he said he will try this process. I wish I had known that the hot water tank wasn't the issue because it would have saved us money. After we bought the hot water tank a month ago, the guy did take out the anode rod and when that didn't work, that's when we bought the zinc rod and had it installed last week but still the strong smell. But I am praying that this hydrogen peroxide works out. Thank you
@@carlabrown3513 did they flush the tank after removing the rod? You would need to flush the tank or treat it with peroxide after removing the rod or the smell would probably be there for a long time from the water already in the tank. Also, you need an Andod rod in the hot water heater or it will fail much quicker. Don't run it too long without that rod installed. The anode basically sacrifices itself and will dissolve away instead of the tank.
It all depends on your water. Usually it's good for about 3 months. If you say go away for a few weeks and don't use the water it will come back sooner. But 3 months is about average.
Cold side as the longer tube. If its crack or breaks off replace it gives u hot water longer for use. I0 mins to replace. It's called dip tube. Make sure u cut it so the is 6 to 8 inches from bottom of tank
great video, quick question, IF the plumbers replaced the entire water heater why didn't that take care of the smell? you still would have gotten a new anode rod.
Thanks for commenting. It is not the fact that the anode rod is new or old it is the material it is made from. Water heaters come with Magnesium or aluminum anode rods and those react with the sulfates in the water creating the smell. Replacing the Anode rod with a zinc one usually solves the issue as it does not react the same way. Removing the anode rod will also get rid of the smell but this will result in your water heater failing way earlier than it should due to the missing anode rod. In some cases, even the zinc anode rod will react and in those cases, they make an electrically charged anode rod that is supposed to solve the problem no matter what the water content is. Thanks again!
@@BriansSpace I just moved into a newly built apartment building in GA and the water smells like bad eggs, I never heard of this before. so it could be the anode rod that's causing it? other renters say they just let the water run till the smell goes away.
@@iwin4985 ok if you smell sulfur on both cold and hot water then this is not the issue and won't solve the problem. For sulfur smell on both I think you need a filtration system. This fix is only if the smell is from hot water only.
Thanks I treated it with vinegar, but gonna try hydrogen peroxide, I drained water heater .but it still smelled. Gonna change annoide to zink anoide ,and raise temperature to hi for a day
The dip tube on the cold water side goes almost to the bottom of the tank. On some, but not all, heaters this requires much more water to be drained before pouring the peroxide in. The hot water outlet generally only goes a little ways into the tank allowing the peroxide to more easily be poured in. You can do it on the cold water side just might require more water to be drained or take longer.
Why not just add a small water filter to the cold inlet side because the cold goes to the bottom of your tank so you only have to unscrew the cartridge add your cleaner of choice, screw it back on USE NO FILTER turn the water back on, DONE.
That would work. I actually modified the hot water side recently and will shoot a new video next time I do this. I added a tee and some valves and can now do this very quickly. Thanks!
You can. If you go to the trouble though of removing the anode rod though just replace it with a zinc anode rod and in most cases, it solves the problem for good. If you remove the anode rod just turn off the hot water heater, close the valves to it, drain some water out to relieve pressure and be careful not to burn yourself on the hot water.
If you have a water softener though, the trace amount of salt left in the water will quickly corrode the aluminum/zinc anode rod. Get a CorroProtec electric anode rod and it will be maintenance free for up to 20 years.
You need to remove the connection on the hot water out side and pour it in through there. You can also use the cold water side but the tube extends further down in the tank and you need to drain more water out if you use the cold water inlet side that's why I use the hot water side. If your heater is hard plumbed in with copper and not flex pipes it does require cutting the pipe and replumbing it with a flex pipe. If you are unfamiliar with this it is best to hire a plumber and if you did that I would have them replace the Anode rod and eliminate the problem completely so you do not need to add peroxide.
Odor from the drain could be a multitude of issues. If the shower hasn't been used in say over a month the trap could have evaporated and simply needs water poured into it. If it is in use and has the smell it could be partially full of hair, soap,and other things. You could treat it with Drano or other drain cleaing products and see if that helps. The vent stack could also be clogged. It is a pipe that ties into the plumbing and exits through the roof. This would be the least likely. I would start with the drano and a good flush and see what happens. You can pour peroxide in the drain and it won't hurt anything but in this case I don't think it will sove your problem.
Thank you for your response, I used draino, cleaned the ptrap, poured peroxide down the drain, vinegar and baking soda and the smell still comes back. There was no smell until just a couple months ago. When I moved in just 8 months ago in the fall, can the hot weather be making it worse ? How do I properly properly pour water down the drain? Do I just pour it strained down when the water is not running? I desperately want this smell gone I have tried everything except a filter of some sort
@@missy5175 then I am stuck. The only other thing to check is that the smell is actually from the drain and not the water. Pour a glass of cold water and also a glass of hot water from the faucet over the drain in question. Take them outside and smell them. If you smell sulfur then the drain is not the issue. If the hot water smells but not the cold then the issue is what I describe here. If the smell is both cold and hot water then that is a different issue that will require a water specialist to help you solve.
I put it in the hot water inlet tube as the cold water tube generally goes further down in the tank making it slower to pour the peroxide in. Either tube will work though.
@@snake0911 yes it will do that if you do not shut off the water and drain the pressure from the tank using the bottom drain.. Also, make sure the hot water heater is turned off. If you are nervous about doing it and not sure then it's best to call a plumber. You can get burned if the water is hot and splashes on you. If the smell is only from your hot water heater and a plumber you call says you need a hot water heater or a water treatment system then kick them out of the house as they either don't know what they are doing or are scamming you. The fix for rotten egg smell from hot water only is what I describe here or a different anode rod. If the smell is from cold water also it's a different issue. In your case, I would highly recommend calling a plumber to help you out with this given your nervousness. If you do try to proceed at least turn the heater off and let the water cool off for about 24 hours before attempting to open the system. Good luck!
Yes, replacing the Anode Rod. Water heaters come with Magnesium or aluminum anode rods and those react with the sulfates in the water creating the smell. Replacing the Anode Rod with a zinc one usually solves the issue as it does not react the same way. Sometimes though even this does not fix it and then a powered anode rod is recommended.
Today is Jan23 2022 My water tank inspection sticker is 1978. I have a well. It use to be 60 ft with lots of iron but @ 15yrs or so ago it was changed to 250 feet and sulfur water became a problem. My solution was a simple house hold carbon filter at my well and when I smell sulfur I put a gallon of bleach into the well. @ every 3 months or so and change the $30 filter @ twice a year. Water is clear and clean taste like store bought drinking water. Old water heater still works but received a newer free one I’m thinking of putting in so looking at different systems. This hydrogen peroxide option is interesting. They’ve had aeration systems etc for years that are just too expensive but now there are cheaper options. Hydrogen peroxide basically does the same thing on a chemical level.
That's pretty amazing the tank lasted that long! This fix is for a Sulfur smell from hot water only. If the sulfur smell is in cold water also it is a different issue. Hydrogen Peroxide and bleach behave differently though. Bleach is a great disinfectant and peroxide is a great oxidizer. So if you have water that has say algae and needs disinfected then bleach is what you want to use as peroxide is not a good disinfectant. For iron and sulfur peroxide is a better choice but a bit more expensive than chlorine.
Hope it helps. Let us all know. Just to mention this only is for the Sulphur smell in hot water only. If you smell it in the cold water also this won't solve that issue.
I will bet that helped but you still have the problem. Ask me and I will give you the answer to fix the odor. If I don't hear from you, you fixed the problem and not interested. I'm not being crappy with you, changing anode is good but doesn't complete the picture.
@@bullitanaconda Crank up the heat. The bacteria is not harmful but loves 120 degree water. Plumbers are not allowed to turn the heat past 120 but you as a home owner can. Be aware, you need to get the water temp. to 140-150 degrees to kill the bacteria. It most likely will take 3-4 weeks before you notice a real improvement. Again, be aware that is very, very hot water. It is easy to set the thermostat and you should use a meat thermometer at a close to the heater faucet. If you have electric heater be sure to set both upper and lower elements. I had two homes with wells and this fixed both. Good luck.
Thanks for sharing. I did hear of this method and opted not to do it due to the risk of burns. 140-150 degree water is very hot and if you have children or elderly in the house I would not recommend this. The difference in risk is great as you can see by the info below. Some newer homes have shower and tub mixing valves that protect against this at the tub and shower but severe burns can still occur at unprotected faucets. If you want a permanent solution the best option is to replace the Anode rod in the tank with a power anode. They do not degrade and will last the life of the heater: www.corroprotec.com/product/water-heater-anode-rod/ For me it's no big deal to put the Peroxide in every few months so I haven't replaced the Anode rod. Most adults will suffer third-degree burns if exposed to 150 degree water for two seconds. Burns will also occur with a six-second exposure to 140 degree water or with a thirty second exposure to 130 degree water. Even if the temperature is 120 degrees, a five minute exposure could result in third-degree burns. ameriburn.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/scaldinjuryeducatorsguide.pdf
Nope not for this issue. The rotten egg smell is only in the hot water and is caused by a chemical reaction between the anode and the water. Switching to an aluminum/zinc alloy anode will solve the issue in MOST cases but many have spent thousands on filtration systems only to have the smell still persist.
Mine its all .....from fresh water tap to every were do you have answer ???......you did not say anything, remember the main fresh water, filling the hot water tank right ???
If you have a sulfur smell from your cold water, this will not solve the issue, and you will need an advanced water treatment system. What you need will depend on the amount of sulfur in the water and other factors. Some solutions are a Chlorine injector followed by a filtration system, an aeration system, or sometimes an iron filter. Again, all this depends on the amount of sulfur in the water, and though I am big on figuring out and doing things yourself, this is a case where it is best to contact a specialist in this area. Just be careful as the water filtration companies arena is kind of sleazy. Overselling things you do not need is pretty standard, so ask for several opinions from different companies. Best of luck, and if you solve your problem, be sure to come back and share!
The infamous water heater VS Hot water heater debate! As I answered before: I would counter that a water heater is any device that can heat water with no specifics on what temperature it would heat the water too. Does it make lukewarm water or hot water? So a water heater can indeed heat water but does not need to make it hot. It could simply heat it from 34 degrees to 35 degrees and be a working water heater. We know it doesn't boil it as that would be a boiler then. A water heater can heat water a few degrees or to 200 degrees but does not need to maintain that temperature as it is just a water heater with no specifics on doing anything other than simply heating water. A hot water heater does indeed heat water that is already hot to maintain the temperature of the water at a set level so it is always hot and maintained for dispensing at the various faucets and other water dispensing hardware throughout a structure. So I am sticking with hot water heater as a device that maintains water at a set temperature level of hotness sufficient for comfortable bathing and general use in a residence vs a water heater which simply needs to heat water even one degree.
LOL. Love it! I would counter that a water heater is any device that can heat water with no specifics on what temperature it would heat the water too. Does it make lukewarm water or hot water? So a water heater can indeed heat water but does not need to make it hot. It could simply heat it from 34 degrees to 35 degrees and be a working water heater. We know it doesn't boil it as that would be a boiler then. A water heater can heat water a few degrees or to 200 degrees but does not need to maintain that temperature as it is just a water heater with no specifics on doing anything other than simply heating water. A hot water heater does indeed heat water that is already hot to maintain the temperature of the water at a set level so it is always hot and maintained for dispensing at the various faucets and other water dispensing hardware throughout a structure. So I am sticking with hot water heater as a device that maintains water at a set temperature level of hotness sufficient for comfortable bathing and general use in a residence vs a water heater which simply needs to heat water even one degree.
It would help if you verbalized everything you are tightening, unscrewing, lift this, lift that, etc. because all we see is your back. Camera is unhelpful.
Actually this was a well. Since I shot this video I have connected to city water and the issue went away. IN this case it was the water from the well. In another case though it very well could be city water but usually that is treated pretty good so this issue would be rarer in city water. Thanks for commenting!
The anode rod is integrated with the hot side on a Bradford white. I am a plumber and I think your video is very informative. I learned something today from you. Thanks
Thanks for the info on the anode rod! Glad you liked the video!
As a single mom who's also a homeowner responsible for her own repairs, but is by no one's definition a plumber, this is very helpful. I just replaced my hot water tank and the rotten egg smell every time I use the hot water has been awful. Your video was simple enough I'm definitely going to be doing this myself. Thank you!
So glad it helped! Thanks for commenting.
Wonderful video! My wife and I just moved to the mountains from the city and this whole well/septic tank thing is new to us. When we turned the hot water on for the first time the smell scared the heck out of us. Thanks so much for making this look actually doable. I will try it. Cheers from Quebec Canada.
your well may have sulfer smell check the well then get an R/O for drinking water
@@007bird Thanks Michael. Our tank was 9 years old and so we had it changed anyway and had an aluminum anode rod put it and everything is amazing now.
Thank you! Wow… so easy! My wife now thinks I’m a licensed plumber!! Like another commenting, I used the cold water line as my hot water side had no shut off. When I turned the hot water back on it was almost black, then cleared and smells like the perfect cold well water! Thanks again
Great! Yes, lots of black water will come out after you treat it. Glad it worked out for you and should last for a few months before you need to do it again.
Dude! Thank you so much! This along with a new anode rod totally did the trick. Life lessons, thx again
Great video. I will do this tomorrow. ****One important note... you technically should not have a valve on your hot water side. Plumbers don't do that so you don't close both valves and create a pressure vessel. Pressure Relief Valves fail frequently. If PRV fails and both valves are close then the HW heater turns on, you could have the tank blow up.
Hey Chris, You are technically correct on this being a possibility. However, if the PRV fails and all faucets are closed in the home the same situation can occur. Also, I think you would have to have a thermostat faliure and a PVR valve failure for this situation to occur or the thermostat would shut the heat off well before that amount of pressure builds up. It's best to check the PRV by lifting the lever monthly if this is a concern and replacing if any issues. Always check your local code though.
The reason I have that valve there is if I didn't then it takes forever to drain water down out of the tank as all the upstairs plumbing drains down into the tank. There is a valve in there to supposedly prevent this in the top of the inlet tube but it still allows water down in. Also, I can shut this valve and open the cold water side while the peroxide is sitting in the tank for the 4 hours doing its job and household members don't accidenlty run the hot water.
Thanks for the tip!
You can fix this permanently in 15 minutes. Get rid of the anode rod and replace it with a CorroProtec powered anode rod. It lasts for 20 years, eliminates the sulfur stink immediately and permanently. No need to keep treating the tank with peroxide or chlorine over and over. It's a once and done fix! It's the magnesium anode rod that promotes the stink. The Corro-Protec powered anode rod is titanium with a mixed metal oxide coating. It will last a minimum of 20 years, it is not sacrificial and does not degrade. And it's quite short in case of limited overhead clearance. I have them in my water heaters, which I expect to last over 20 years, without ever changing an anode rod.
Yes! The powered andoe rods are a permanent soultion. I may do this but I am waiting until I am able to replace the heater when I do it in case something goes wrong! My water heater has the anode rod integrated in the hot water feed so if it breaks when removing I am out of hot water until I can replace the heater.
@@BriansSpace I surmise that is a Bradford White. Do be aware that Corro-Protec have a kit to fit their powered rod to a Bradford White water heater that has the anode integrated in to the hot water outlet. So if you get a new water heater you can get a Bradford White if you like and still have the Corro-Protec installed.
Can you install the coral protect powered anode rod to replace the original anode rod in a Richmond hot water tank?
@@debbiemiller5715 I’m sure of it, but you can ask them on their website
Where can I get that cuz I'm having the same problem
Brian, I just used your recommendations and the smell is gone! I applied it to the cold water section as there is no shut off on our hot water valve. It still worked like a charm! Hope it lasts! Thanks!!
So glad it helped. It will last about 3 months or so in most cases. Once you smell it coming back just repeat!
Should not have to keep adding peroxide every 3-4 months. Change the anode rod to aluminum rod.
Same problem here,I took the boiler out clean with karcher,put tones of chlore in few months it was back, and it is same story every year. Your solution it is quite expensive for me. 60 euro each time?? the bills in Europe already doubled. Somebody told me if you put some charcoal and little ash it will work fine. Just tried today, will see the effect. I know my grandmother used charcoal for digestion problems, also the ash contain some chemicals which kills bacteria ,in big quantities can make you sick. After the second world war my grandparents were extremly poor, the washed their white clotes with ash, best ever soap. Even today the bio soap contain ash. I need to mantion we dont drink the tap water at all. Will see if the smell comes back. Thanks for your video
Here is a simple solution that worked for me.
When I installed the new tank I set the water temperature at the lowest setting, 120F. The bacteria were able to grow in that temperature water and created the rotten egg smell.
All I did was raise the water temperature to max, 180F, for a few months. In retrospect it could have been a much shorter time say a few days. The odor went away because the bacteria could not grow at the high temperature. It's been a few months now since I set it back at 120F and there is no odor.
One explanation might be that the original bacterial contamination was in the manufacturing process. But once gone the new contamination would come from the drinking water. Possibly this species is not in the drinking water. That would explain my results and observation.
I will repost my warning on using this method:
Thanks for sharing. I did hear of this method and opted not to do it due to the risk of burns. 140-150 degree water is very hot (180 degrees could be fatal!) and if you have children or elderly in the house I would not recommend this. The difference in risk is great as you can see by the info below. Some newer homes have shower and tub mixing valves that protect against this at the tub and shower but severe burns can still occur at unprotected faucets. If you want a permanent solution the best option is to replace the Anode rod in the tank with a power anode. They do not degrade and will last the life of the heater:
www.corroprotec.com/product/water-heater-anode-rod/
For me it's no big deal to put the Peroxide in every few months so I haven't replaced the Anode rod.
Most adults will suffer third-degree burns if
exposed to 150 degree water for two seconds.
Burns will also occur with a six-second
exposure to 140 degree water or with a thirty
second exposure to 130 degree water. Even if
the temperature is 120 degrees, a five minute
exposure could result in third-degree burns.
ameriburn.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/scaldinjuryeducatorsguide.pdf
Excellent reminder on the safety considerations. In my case it is a second water heater that supplies only the kitchen sink and the laundry room. And only aware, able adults are using it. We are all satisfied with the safety aspects.
My husband did this today ! Thank you it worked !
So glad it helped. You'll be good for about 2 -3 months then just repeat!
Great video Brian, do you know how you leave the perioxide in the heater before you start using the water again or do you start using hot water right away. Thanks so much.
Thanks for commenting. You want to leave it in there for a bout 4 hours. Longer won't hurt anything either.
It's a check valve to prevent you from heating the Coldwater in line..
The have a similar one on the hot side too to keep the heat from just escaping through the water when not flowing in use
Thanks!
I put a tee in the cold water supply with a valve and short length of pipe pointing down. I turn water off, relieve pressure, then submerge the end of that pipe in a container of peroxide. I then open the drain valve. The water running out draws the peroxide in. Much easier than taking the line off each time.
Good Morning Brian! I just want to thank you for sharing the information. It worked! A miracle!
That's great! You should be set for a few months now. When you notice the smell starting to return just do it again! Glad it helped.
I learned the peroxide trick several years ago recently I found out that it is the aluminum zinc anode rod that is supposed to fix it, so I picked one of those up off Amazon for about 25 bucks that came with the socket and this time I'm going to do that when I do the peroxide treatment and hope that it is fixed for years instead of months.
That should do the trick!
I have had this problem on my boat where I have a 6 gallon tank. I was told to add Bleach (just a cap full) in my water system and this method has worked for me.
Hey Chris. Thanks for sharing! Yes, bleach will work! However, Hydrogen peroxide has a few advantages though. It is quicker. Chlorine bleach breaks down in hot water. Peroxide has no odor or risk of ruining clothes if too much is added to the tank. Here is a more detailed explanation from a water treatment company:
If you haven’t already figured it out - hydrogen peroxide is not a good idea for disinfection; the same as chlorine is not a good idea for oxidation. If you have surface water and need to disinfect it, especially if there is algae, then chlorine is dramatically superior to hydrogen peroxide. However, if you have incredibly high iron or sulfur, chlorine is not a good choice, but hydrogen peroxide is. Removing iron and sulfur is best accomplished with oxidation, and H2O2 is an excellent oxidizer.
Just do not confuse oxidation and disinfection. The definition of disinfection is “the process of cleaning something, especially with a chemical, to destroy bacteria.” Oxidation, on the other hand, is different. The terms oxidation and reduction can be defined by adding or removing oxygen to a compound. Both reduction and oxidation coincide, so we call that a “redox reaction.”
As stated, hydrogen peroxide has the chemical formula H2O2 and is an oxidizing agent similar to oxygen in effect but is significantly more robust. The oxidizing activity of hydrogen peroxide results from the presence of the extra oxygen atom compared with the structure of water. I like to say that “Hydrogen peroxide is very forgiving.” What I mean by that is that (when applied correctly) extreme amounts of iron and hydrogen sulfide can be removed from the water supply effectively and consistently.
Gave it a try. Was smelling all summer but stopped since winter. Maybe too cold up here in Canada. Going to do it every 6 months like you said. Also changed out the anode rod. Couldn't
find the right size so got a longer one and cut it off. Plumber told me that. Old rod hadn't gotten shorter but whole thing was full of that grit so I don't think it was working as water
needs to touch the rod for it to work. Anyways excellent video.
Jim CYWG
Interesting method. Hydrogen peroxide has the same components as water so given enough contact time it would break down on its own. 4 hours is doing it, and that is really very informative. Flushing the tank at the beginning might be better to reduce demand and get a more concentrated dose. Remember what you put in equals what is used up minus what is left over. Also opening the lines just long enough to fill up with treated water will shock the lines as well. Not sure if that is really necessary but it can't hurt to do a disinfection from time to time on the whole plumbing envelope. Final flushing to remove the residue ensures that you do get any in your spaghetti water..
Thanks for commenting. Some additional info I recently found that explains the difference between treating with Chlorine VS Peroxide. In a nutshell use Chlorine to disinfect and use peroxide to Oxidize and remove sulfur and iron:
Below from this site:
thietbinganhnuoc.com/en/blogs/chlorine-and-hydrogen-peroxide-which-is-better-for-water-treatment.html#:~:text=Chlorine%20requires%20contact%20time%2C%20typically,only%20dilutes%20its%20oxidizing%20capacity.
Hydrogen Peroxide is not a good idea for disinfection just as Chlorine is not a good idea for Oxidation. If you need to disinfect surface water, especially if algae are present, then Chlorine is far superior to Hydrogen Peroxide. However, if you have very high levels of iron or sulfur then Chlorine is not a good choice, Hydrogen Peroxide is. Removal of iron and sulfur is best done by oxidation, and H2O2 is an excellent oxidizing agent.
Disinfection is the process of cleaning something with chemicals, to kill bacteria. While Oxidation and Reduction can be defined by adding or subtracting Oxygen to a compound; both reduction and oxidation polymerize, so they are called redox reactions.
As stated, Hydrogen Peroxide has the chemical formula H2O2 and is an oxidizing agent similar to Oxygen but significantly stronger. The oxidizing activity of Hydrogen Peroxide is the result of the presence of an extra Oxygen atom relative to the structure of water.
That flap helps to keep the heat from escaping through the pipes.
Thanks! Makes sense
They are called heat traps
I install a old washer hose on the bottom valve, exit a gallon or so. Open a hot water faucet, leave it open. Then I lif the washer hose fill it with peroxide (10oz/10gallons) compress in (using a small air compressor) while opening bottom valve. Repeat until all fluid compressed into the bottom part (cold stage) of heather. Easy, no plumbing, but you do need a small compressor.
Thanks for the info!
Unfortunately, I've changed the anode. Had new Rheem hot water heater (old one was Rheem - 20 years old). Sulphur smell started - after testing, I had the anode replaced and that didn't work. Had the tank shocked the tank, put in filtering and that took care of the problem. Then, after 3 years, the hot water heater element died. Rheem paid for a new one an installation (bought extra protection) had the new one put in with the alternative material anode. However, the problem came back even worse than before. So, I do not know what the hell is going on. Going back to shocking the new tank - grrr. I'm not sure that it was the anode in the first place as the new tank has the alternative one from the get-go.
That's odd. As long as the smell is only in the hot water the anode rod replacement should do the trick. I would question if the anode rod is actually the correct material.
You can release the pressure from the safety valve also.
Sure can! Since you need to drain some water out to make room for the peroxide just using the drain valve works fine.
Keep in mind if you open the safety valve it might not re-seal because of mineral build up. It can easily be replaced if it does not seal but the valve at the bottom of the tank is fool proof for letting water out.
@@KRay-fb2vf That is true. Had to replace a leaking one in my furnace last year.
How do you use the safety valve to do it
@@carlgilpatrick8416 there is a very thin aluminum handle on the safety valve. Once you have everything off, just lift the handle. It will release the pressure as well as some of the water inside the tank. Just make sure that the overflow pipe has a way to get rid of the water without getting it all over the floor.
This smell is a common problem with the anode rods and if your plumbers who replaced the tank ripped you off and I would not call on them agaim
The plumber would’ve replaced your water heater, that would have solve the problem. Because a new water heater means all the internal parts would be no including the anode rod, dip tube, etc. It mean not be necessary to replace the water heater but it would’ve in fact solved your problem.
Replacing the hot water heater in most cases does not fix the issue as it is the Anode rod material that is causing the smell. An aluminum/zinc alloy anode rode or a powered anode rod will in most cases fix the issue.
no
lol
We have a new hot water tank and we started having the smelly hot water and I knew what the problem was. I use the hydrogen peroxide every couple of months. I might get an aluminum anode rod one of these days and replace the one in the tank.
I bet you say it’s hot out while outside in 108 degree weather to people already sweating 🫵🏻🤡
Great video ill be buying peroxide first thing in the am to solve my problem with your fix thanks
Great! Come back and let us know if it worked for you.
@@BriansSpace my hot water heater don't have access holes on the top ! Just the drain at the bottom
This requires doing a bit of plumbing to get the system opened up so you can add the Peroxide. If this isn't something you are comfortable with you would want to call a plumber. I cut the pipe and installed a flexible fitting with shutoff that I could disconnect when I needed to add the peroxide. If your setup does not have flexible connectors and is hard plumbed with copper then best to call a plumber and have them set this up for you.
I have this same heater and the water doesn’t necessarily stink but the room where the heater is smells like rotten eggs often.
Nice editing job. I have a cistern, That's how my water is fed into the house. And yes I get the smell as well
Hi Brian, how are you? I have a question for you. I bought a house with well water system. In the inspection the hot water from one of the bathrooms comes out brown for 1-2 minutes and also smells bad. Do you know what I have to do? The previous owner tested the water and is good, the report says that the water sit in pipes and water heater until the following day. Please help me! Thank you so much
Tatiana, It sounds like perhaps this happened from not being used if the house was not in use while on the market. Maybe flush the hot water heater completely and then refill and see if this helps. If not you would need to call a pro to help out. Good luck!
Thanks, but it would have been nice to see what you were doing with the wrench on the top of the heater. Did you disconnect the TP valve to allow air in, and add the peroxide directly into the valve hole? Does that mean that it's not really necessary to disconnect the hot water out connection? Will leaving the peroxide in for longer than 4 hours damage the tank or system?
Yeah, not my best filming work, for sure :) I disconnect the hot water out side and pour it in there as there and left the cold water side connected. You need to leave the peroxide in at least 4 hours before running any hot water. It won't hurt anything leaving it in there longer.
@@BriansSpace Thanks for the reply!
Did you use the 3 percent hydrogen peroxide or a higher solution?
Great video! Thanks for posting. I'm going to try this.
Thanks! Let me know how you make it with it.
Just raise the water heater temper to 360 for 6 hours.
Than drain; go to all your faucets in your house and turn on the hot water.
I think the hot water also cleans the inside of the water pipes.
Repeat if it stills smells bad.
I did it twice. In the morning and afternoon.
When your done; lower the water heater temperature. So you don’t get burn.
Ill have to try you way because my water heater don't have the access hole on the top.
360ºF? Perhaps you mean 160ºF?
@@cslloyd1 300 degree im sure
@@26dredarkk 212°F is boiling. It explodes at that temp
@@cslloyd1 i may be saying it wrong i turn both my thermostats up to 150degress i stand corrected thanks
does this ONLY happened with anodes of the BRADFORD WHITE water heaters? or does it apply to all water heaters including rheem etc...my water doesn't smell but the water heater itself when making hot water, stinks up the BASEMENT with used laundry smell.
The anode issue applies to any brand hot water heater. Not sure what your issue is with a used laundry smell. That's something I've never experienced. Sorry I couldn't be more help.
Doesn’t hydrogen peroxide corrode metal??? I would assume to use vinegar for this
Thanks for the video, going to give this a try tomorrow on my tank
It should do the trick! Let me know.
@@BriansSpace Hey just an update this did work great, thanks Brian!
Great! Glad it helped. It should last 2-3 months before it needs done again.
My water heater is connected to a well water system that has two filters before feeding water to the water heater.
Can i remove both filter, fill both of them with hydrogen peroxide and put them back on? Would it work the same?
Hi,
I'm not sure if this would work. The issue is the Peroxide needs to sit in the Hot water heater for 4 hours or so. Important to note this only works if the smell is from the hot water ONLY. If you have the smell from the cold water also you have a different issue.
You could try this but you would need to pull the peroxide solution from the filters into the hot water heater. So you could put the peroxide in the filters then turn on the hot water and let it run for 60 seconds or so then turn it off. This should draw the peroxide into the hot water heater. Then let it sit for 4-6 hours. Can't guarantee it would work but won't hurt anything to give it a try. Let me know if it does work. Best of luck!
@@BriansSpace It did work!! But it may only work for a month or so since i could only put one full bottle of hydrogen peroxide in the filters. So two bottles for the hot and cold water.. But there no more smell!
Thank you so much!!!!!!! I've spent thousands of dollars trying to get this issue fixed, buying new water softener equipment's, pressure tanks and all kinds of parts for the well water /softener system.. My tenants wouldn't want to shower or even wash the dishes with the hot water.
I spent $12 at walgreens took me 15minutes and the smell is completely gone the next day! WOW absolutely AMAZING!
@@Diabolical05 you made my day! So glad it worked for you. Normally it last 2-3 months. Thanks for letting me know it worked out for you!
I went and bought some peroxide last night (two years into the pandemic) and now they sell it in gallon jugs. I guess I found one positive...
That's cool! For a while there they were constantly out of it!
hi sir, my parents are gone and im trying to save our house - i have well water and it has been off for a couple months - the sulfur smell is so terrible i cannot even breathe - do you think just a zinc anode rod replacement will do the trick? or should i also get a whole new water heater? thanks for your time.
First off is the sulfur smell just the hot water or both hot and cold water? If it's in both the hot and cold water then the issue is not the heater.
If the smell is hot water only then you can replace the anode rod or use the peroxide method I show here. A new hot water heater probably won't solve the issue as it will come with the same type of magnesium or aluminum anode rod and the issue will persist. I would just treat it with the peroxide first as per this video and see if that takes care of the smell. If so you can then safely assume it's the anode rod and replace it. When the heaters sit unused the smell comes on stronger and quicker. Let me know how you make out!
Brian thanks for your quick reply - yes the smell comes from the hot water only - the house was vacant - and as a child we always had a smell but nowhere near as bad as it is today - just so i am clear : i use the peroxide first, then if that doesn’t work try the zinc anode rod - yes? or should i just do both
@@fahriakalin5936 I would start with just the peroxide. The smell will be much worse if the heater sits unused. Just follow the video by putting it in the heater and letting it sit for about 4-5hours. That should eliminate the smell for a few months if the heater is in use. Maybe a few weeks if the heater will not be in use.
I had the same problem. I call it iron bacteria which causes the smell. I shocked the well with bleach then turn your water softener to bypass. Run your taps hot and cold both until you get a bleach smell coming from the water. Toilet everything that has water in it. I then let it sit for 24 hours at least. It will clear right up. If it comes back you didn't use enough bleach. Do it again with more bleach. I have a 160' well with water 30 foot from the top. So 130' of water in a 6 inch casing. I used 2 gallons. Recommend by my well driller.
I wish we can see what you were doing with closed up.
Any alternatives if you don’t have the sharkbite tubing or other access?
I have heard that this sometimes works if you do not want to open up the system but have never tried or confirmed it.
1. Shut off the water to the house.
2. Open a hot water faucet upstairs closest to the hot water heater and relieve the pressue. It must be above the heater.
3. Secure a 12" tube of some sort to the faucet and make it a tight seal.
4. Put the other end of the tube into the container of peroxide.
5. Go to the hot water heater and open the drain on the bottom of the heater and drain water from the heater.
6. In theory this should create a siphoning action and pull the peroxide into the system and down into the hot water heater.
7. Close the heater drain, close the faucet, then turn the water back on to fill the tank. Let sit for the recommended 4 hours.
Again, I have never tried this so if you attempt it let me know how you make out!
i live in an apartment there was a water leak from the water heater from the upstairs neighbor long story short the water came through my wall heater its been stinking ever since )the gas to the wall has been off for few months, how can i get rid of that musty water smell?
That's a tough one. It probably needs to be dried out completely. A dehumidifier might need to be run near where the leak was. Until all the moisture is removed the smell will probably persist and there is a danger of mold setting in. Good luck water damage can be a pain.
How long do you have to wait after adding the Hydrogen Peroxide before the water is safe to drink? Do you drain the tank and refill with fresh water before allowing the hot water back into the house
No need to drain and refill. It is diluted to levels where it causes no harm. Leave the peroxide sit in the tank for at least 4 hours before running the water is all you need to do. Then open each hot water faucet in the house until warm water flows and you are all set!
I never use those flexible water lines, they always leak . I hard copper my water heaters in. I get tons of calls because contractors and handyman use those flexible water lines, they leak at the nut where it screws onto the water heater nipple. I install Bradfordwhite all the time, you would think after 130 years of them being in business they would relocate the anode rod like all the other manufacturers. If you don't replace the anode rod every year your asking for trouble, I have replaced them only after 6 months and the rid was almost denigrated. It depends on how hard your water heater. The anode rod others are talking about that cost $100 + is nice but most homeowners will not spend the additional money on it. You can talk to them until your face turns blue, it don't matter, and now 2023 with water heater prices sky high they definitely don't want to spend the extra money. I always put on my invoice that I recommend flushing and replacing anode rod yearly, but people just don't care they completely ignore it and never do any preventative maintenance. I would say 10% of homeowners actually flush theslre water heaters yearly and even those 15% flush them incorrectly because they don't want to pay the plumber to do it right.
Great tips! I have since had those flexible lines replaced and hard plumbed in and finally hooked up to city water, so no longer have the issue with the Sulfur smell from the well water. Great advice on swapping out the anode rods and flushing them regularly. A plumber once told me regular maintenance on your water heater, and they can last 20 years no problem. Maybe that was back before they raised the prices on them and cheapened them up at the same time!
This did not work so I will try turning hot water temp to 150 (from 120) to see.
Background:
We had rotten egg (sulfur) from hot water. We built the house 20 years ago with pvc pipes not copper. Two months ago we replaced our 20 year old water heater w rheem. We still had the smell. We are on. City water. We installed water softener with filtration. The plumbers chlorinated the hot water tank and cold lines. Still stinks. They also replaced the anode even though the new one was just a month old. I need to confirm if they replaced it with a zinc, magnesium or aluminum. Either way, the hot water shouldn’t still stink. I’ll let you know.
1)
Just an FYI. If you have Sulfur smell from the cold water also it is a different issue and this will not solve it. This fix only works on if the smell is only from the hot water and your cold water does not smell.
Take the anode rod out chuck it in dumpster place a 3/4 inch plug in its place if its not on its fill side and in 10 years of no rotten egg smell or messing with peroxide every month you may have to replace your hot water heater again
@@BriansSpacecan you expand on this? our water heater is only 6mths old & we are still having the issue w/ cold & hot.
Do you turn on the heater after you pour the hydrogen in?
I turn the hot water heater off while I am brekaing things open to add the peorxide. After it is added you can turn it back on and then just let it sit 3-4 hours before opening any hot water faucets.
Hi Brian .im sorry if this sounds crazy but are you putting peroxide in hot water area .i can't tell from the video
Hey Carl, Yes, I put it in the hot water tank outlet pipe. The inlet pipe usually goes almost to the bottom of the tank and requires more water to be drained in most cases.
@@BriansSpace thank you .trying it now lol
@@carlgilpatrick8416 Great! Let me know how it works out for you.
Does this method work if I have well water? We have been paying thousand of dollars on a water softner system. l also purchased a new hot water tank and the problem is still there
Hey Carla, It does work on well water as I am actually on a well also. Water softeners can actually make the rotten egg smell worse. I also run a water softener as our well water is hard and the softener solves issues like low suds on soap, hard water stains on faucets, toilets, and shower walls. The hot water heater is not the issue. What causes this is a reaction with the Anode in the hot water heater. Replace the standard magnesium or aluminum anode rod with an aluminum/zinc alloy anode will solve the
problem in most cases. Sometimes with softened water though this will not resolve it and in those cases, they make powered anode rods. For me though just adding the peroxide 4 times a year is working out fine. Now if I ever replace the hot water heater I will swap out the Anode rod before I install it.
@@BriansSpace thank you! Just last week we spent another 200 dollars on zinc rod but the smell is still very strong. My husband did watch your video and after work he said he will try this process. I wish I had known that the hot water tank wasn't the issue because it would have saved us money. After we bought the hot water tank a month ago, the guy did take out the anode rod and when that didn't work, that's when we bought the zinc rod and had it installed last week but still the strong smell. But I am praying that this hydrogen peroxide works out. Thank you
@@carlabrown3513 did they flush the tank after removing the rod? You would need to flush the tank or treat it with peroxide after removing the rod or the smell would probably be there for a long time from the water already in the tank. Also, you need an Andod rod in the hot water heater or it will fail much quicker. Don't run it too long without that rod installed. The anode basically sacrifices itself and will dissolve away instead of the tank.
How long will take the smell come back. Thank u.
It all depends on your water. Usually it's good for about 3 months. If you say go away for a few weeks and don't use the water it will come back sooner. But 3 months is about average.
Cold side as the longer tube. If its crack or breaks off replace it gives u hot water longer for use. I0 mins to replace. It's called dip tube. Make sure u cut it so the is 6 to 8 inches from bottom of tank
great video, quick question, IF the plumbers replaced the entire water heater why didn't that take care of the smell? you still would have gotten a new anode rod.
Thanks for commenting. It is not the fact that the anode rod is new or old it is the material it is made from. Water heaters come with Magnesium or aluminum anode rods and those react with the sulfates in the water creating the smell. Replacing the Anode rod with a zinc one usually solves the issue as it does not react the same way. Removing the anode rod will also get rid of the smell but this will result in your water heater failing way earlier than it should due to the missing anode rod. In some cases, even the zinc anode rod will react and in those cases, they make an electrically charged anode rod that is supposed to solve the problem no matter what the water content is. Thanks again!
@@BriansSpace I just moved into a newly built apartment building in GA and the water smells like bad eggs, I never heard of this before. so it could be the anode rod that's causing it? other renters say they just let the water run till the smell goes away.
@@iwin4985 ok if you smell sulfur on both cold and hot water then this is not the issue and won't solve the problem. For sulfur smell on both I think you need a filtration system. This fix is only if the smell is from hot water only.
Thanks I treated it with vinegar, but gonna try hydrogen peroxide, I drained water heater .but it still smelled. Gonna change annoide to zink anoide ,and raise temperature to hi for a day
Why do you put it in the hot side? Shouldn’t it go in the cold side so it will circulate all the way through or doesn’t it matter?
The dip tube on the cold water side goes almost to the bottom of the tank. On some, but not all, heaters this requires much more water to be drained before pouring the peroxide in. The hot water outlet generally only goes a little ways into the tank allowing the peroxide to more easily be poured in. You can do it on the cold water side just might require more water to be drained or take longer.
Why not just add a small water filter to the cold inlet side because the cold goes to the bottom of your tank so you only have to unscrew the cartridge add your cleaner of choice, screw it back on USE NO FILTER turn the water back on, DONE.
That would work. I actually modified the hot water side recently and will shoot a new video next time I do this. I added a tee and some valves and can now do this very quickly. Thanks!
Only trouble with shark bite was with quest pipe
Now its needs all replaced
Thank you soo much it really works🎉🎉🎉🎉
So glad it helped!
Can you pour the peroxide in thru the anode port?
You can. If you go to the trouble though of removing the anode rod though just replace it with a zinc anode rod and in most cases, it solves the problem for good. If you remove the anode rod just turn off the hot water heater, close the valves to it, drain some water out to relieve pressure and be careful not to burn yourself on the hot water.
If you have a water softener though, the trace amount of salt left in the water will quickly corrode the aluminum/zinc anode rod. Get a CorroProtec electric anode rod and it will be maintenance free for up to 20 years.
So how much peroxide did you put in?
You can use 1-2 pints per 40 gallons. I do in between.
Where did you put the peroxide in at.?
You need to remove the connection on the hot water out side and pour it in through there. You can also use the cold water side but the tube extends further down in the tank and you need to drain more water out if you use the cold water inlet side that's why I use the hot water side. If your heater is hard plumbed in with copper and not flex pipes it does require cutting the pipe and replumbing it with a flex pipe. If you are unfamiliar with this it is best to hire a plumber and if you did that I would have them replace the Anode rod and eliminate the problem completely so you do not need to add peroxide.
I have an commercial ro plant
My ro water for smell.. I could not drinking our water pls help me
Ican remove my water smell
Isn't your tank capacity about 40 gallons?
If you put in 8oz per 10gal shouldn't you put just 32oz?
Hey Ryan, My tank is 50 gallons so it would be 40 oz. 3 bottles are 48 ozs but a little extra won't hurt! Thanks for commenting!
Wonderful. Thank you.
What if the rotten egg smell is coming from a standing shower drain? Can I pour peroxide down the drain ?
Odor from the drain could be a multitude of issues. If the shower hasn't been used in say over a month the trap could have evaporated and simply needs water poured into it.
If it is in use and has the smell it could be partially full of hair, soap,and other things. You could treat it with Drano or other drain cleaing products and see if that helps.
The vent stack could also be clogged. It is a pipe that ties into the plumbing and exits through the roof. This would be the least likely.
I would start with the drano and a good flush and see what happens. You can pour peroxide in the drain and it won't hurt anything but in this case I don't think it will sove your problem.
Thank you for your response, I used draino, cleaned the ptrap, poured peroxide down the drain, vinegar and baking soda and the smell still comes back. There was no smell until just a couple months ago. When I moved in just 8 months ago in the fall, can the hot weather be making it worse ?
How do I properly properly pour water down the drain? Do I just pour it strained down when the water is not running? I desperately want this smell gone I have tried everything except a filter of some sort
How to I pour water into the trap properly?
@@missy5175 if you have been running water in it then a dried-out trap is not the issue. It will have water in it and therefore is not the issue.
@@missy5175 then I am stuck. The only other thing to check is that the smell is actually from the drain and not the water. Pour a glass of cold water and also a glass of hot water from the faucet over the drain in question. Take them outside and smell them. If you smell sulfur then the drain is not the issue. If the hot water smells but not the cold then the issue is what I describe here. If the smell is both cold and hot water then that is a different issue that will require a water specialist to help you solve.
thank you. I thought I was losing my shit
so you put the peroxide in the cold inlet?
I put it in the hot water inlet tube as the cold water tube generally goes further down in the tank making it slower to pour the peroxide in. Either tube will work though.
@@BriansSpace Thanks Brian, I'm nervous unscrewing it because the last time I unscrewed a water heater, water gushed everywhere.
@@snake0911 yes it will do that if you do not shut off the water and drain the pressure from the tank using the bottom drain.. Also, make sure the hot water heater is turned off. If you are nervous about doing it and not sure then it's best to call a plumber. You can get burned if the water is hot and splashes on you. If the smell is only from your hot water heater and a plumber you call says you need a hot water heater or a water treatment system then kick them out of the house as they either don't know what they are doing or are scamming you. The fix for rotten egg smell from hot water only is what I describe here or a different anode rod. If the smell is from cold water also it's a different issue. In your case, I would highly recommend calling a plumber to help you out with this given your nervousness. If you do try to proceed at least turn the heater off and let the water cool off for about 24 hours before attempting to open the system. Good luck!
The white thing in the connection is supposed to be a heat trap
I have had my old hot water heater for 15 years never had rotten egg smell. Now with this new heater it stinks. Why??
It's probably the Anode rod in the new heater. If the peroxide treatment removes the smell then it's the Anode rod.
Thanks !!
You're welcome!
is there a long term solution where i wouldn't have to do this?
Yes, replacing the Anode Rod. Water heaters come with Magnesium or aluminum anode rods and those react with the sulfates in the water creating the smell. Replacing the Anode Rod with a zinc one usually solves the issue as it does not react the same way. Sometimes though even this does not fix it and then a powered anode rod is recommended.
Thanks for info
Any time!
It would’ve been nice to have the camera set at a vantage point so you could see what he was doing, rather than just his rear.
For sure. I need a director and a nicer looking a**! Not my best camera work!
Today is Jan23 2022
My water tank inspection sticker is 1978.
I have a well. It use to be 60 ft with lots of iron but @ 15yrs or so ago it was changed to 250 feet and sulfur water became a problem.
My solution was a simple house hold carbon filter at my well and when I smell sulfur I put a gallon of bleach into the well. @ every 3 months or so and change the $30 filter @ twice a year.
Water is clear and clean taste like store bought drinking water.
Old water heater still works but received a newer free one I’m thinking of putting in so looking at different systems.
This hydrogen peroxide option is interesting.
They’ve had aeration systems etc for years that are just too expensive but now there are cheaper options. Hydrogen peroxide basically does the same thing on a chemical level.
That's pretty amazing the tank lasted that long! This fix is for a Sulfur smell from hot water only. If the sulfur smell is in cold water also it is a different issue. Hydrogen Peroxide and bleach behave differently though. Bleach is a great disinfectant and peroxide is a great oxidizer. So if you have water that has say algae and needs disinfected then bleach is what you want to use as peroxide is not a good disinfectant. For iron and sulfur peroxide is a better choice but a bit more expensive than chlorine.
Just bought a new house with this exact problem.
This will be a life saver if it works.
Hope it helps. Let us all know. Just to mention this only is for the Sulphur smell in hot water only. If you smell it in the cold water also this won't solve that issue.
Same issue with a brand new property. First use I had no issue. Came back after 3 weeks and the hot water smelled terrible.
Thank you so much!!!
Did I see a cat in front of your light causing a shadow? 🐈
It's very possible! There are a couple of those wandering around :)
Would have been nice to see what you were doing on top of the water heater.. otherwise very helpful
Yeah this was done hastily. Steven Spielberg, I am not!
Thanks ....!
You are very welcome!
Thy flapper thing is a heat trap
Ratting eggz
Clockwise on the wrap
Thanks!
I will bet that helped but you still have the problem.
Ask me and I will give you the answer to fix the odor.
If I don't hear from you, you fixed the problem and not interested.
I'm not being crappy with you, changing anode is good but doesn't complete the picture.
u2mister1 hi i drain my tank and refill it, it lasts a couple months then its smells again, what is youre way to fix it
@@bullitanaconda Crank up the heat. The bacteria is not harmful but loves 120 degree water.
Plumbers are not allowed to turn the heat past 120 but you as a home owner can. Be aware, you need to get the water temp.
to 140-150 degrees to kill the bacteria. It most likely will take 3-4 weeks before you notice a real improvement.
Again, be aware that is very, very hot water.
It is easy to set the thermostat and you should use a meat thermometer at a close to the heater faucet.
If you have electric heater be sure to set both upper and lower elements.
I had two homes with wells and this fixed both. Good luck.
@@u2mister17 genius
Thanks for sharing. I did hear of this method and opted not to do it due to the risk of burns. 140-150 degree water is very hot and if you have children or elderly in the house I would not recommend this. The difference in risk is great as you can see by the info below. Some newer homes have shower and tub mixing valves that protect against this at the tub and shower but severe burns can still occur at unprotected faucets. If you want a permanent solution the best option is to replace the Anode rod in the tank with a power anode. They do not degrade and will last the life of the heater:
www.corroprotec.com/product/water-heater-anode-rod/
For me it's no big deal to put the Peroxide in every few months so I haven't replaced the Anode rod.
Most adults will suffer third-degree burns if
exposed to 150 degree water for two seconds.
Burns will also occur with a six-second
exposure to 140 degree water or with a thirty
second exposure to 130 degree water. Even if
the temperature is 120 degrees, a five minute
exposure could result in third-degree burns.
ameriburn.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/scaldinjuryeducatorsguide.pdf
@@u2mister17 how long do you leave the heat temp turned up?
I'm just going to be honest filtration system works the best
Nope not for this issue. The rotten egg smell is only in the hot water and is caused by a chemical reaction between the anode and the water. Switching to an aluminum/zinc alloy anode will solve the issue in MOST cases but many have spent thousands on filtration systems only to have the smell still persist.
It’s a heat trap
Mine its all .....from fresh water tap to every were do you have answer ???......you did not say anything, remember the main fresh water, filling the hot water tank right ???
If you have a sulfur smell from your cold water, this will not solve the issue, and you will need an advanced water treatment system. What you need will depend on the amount of sulfur in the water and other factors. Some solutions are a Chlorine injector followed by a filtration system, an aeration system, or sometimes an iron filter. Again, all this depends on the amount of sulfur in the water, and though I am big on figuring out and doing things yourself, this is a case where it is best to contact a specialist in this area. Just be careful as the water filtration companies arena is kind of sleazy. Overselling things you do not need is pretty standard, so ask for several opinions from different companies. Best of luck, and if you solve your problem, be sure to come back and share!
This would have been helpful if I could see what the hell you were doing.
For sure! Not my best work lol. I'll reshoot with better camera placement next time i have to do this.
WTF .. Is a hot water heater? I generally don’t heat hot water!
The infamous water heater VS Hot water heater debate! As I answered before:
I would counter that a water heater is any device that can heat water with no specifics on what temperature it would heat the water too. Does it make lukewarm water or hot water? So a water heater can indeed heat water but does not need to make it hot. It could simply heat it from 34 degrees to 35 degrees and be a working water heater. We know it doesn't boil it as that would be a boiler then. A water heater can heat water a few degrees or to 200 degrees but does not need to maintain that temperature as it is just a water heater with no specifics on doing anything other than simply heating water. A hot water heater does indeed heat water that is already hot to maintain the temperature of the water at a set level so it is always hot and maintained for dispensing at the various faucets and other water dispensing hardware throughout a structure. So I am sticking with hot water heater as a device that maintains water at a set temperature level of hotness sufficient for comfortable bathing and general use in a residence vs a water heater which simply needs to heat water even one degree.
0
There is NO such a thing as a Hot Water Heater. It is a water heater.
LOL. Love it! I would counter that a water heater is any device that can heat water with no specifics on what temperature it would heat the water too. Does it make lukewarm water or hot water? So a water heater can indeed heat water but does not need to make it hot. It could simply heat it from 34 degrees to 35 degrees and be a working water heater. We know it doesn't boil it as that would be a boiler then. A water heater can heat water a few degrees or to 200 degrees but does not need to maintain that temperature as it is just a water heater with no specifics on doing anything other than simply heating water. A hot water heater does indeed heat water that is already hot to maintain the temperature of the water at a set level so it is always hot and maintained for dispensing at the various faucets and other water dispensing hardware throughout a structure. So I am sticking with hot water heater as a device that maintains water at a set temperature level of hotness sufficient for comfortable bathing and general use in a residence vs a water heater which simply needs to heat water even one degree.
It would help if you verbalized everything you are tightening, unscrewing, lift this, lift that, etc. because all we see is your back. Camera is unhelpful.
Can’t see nothing, on top. Bad video.
For sure! Crappy camera work. I should have hired Steven Spielberg to direct for me :)
Umm...I couldn't see what you did.
if you're connected to the city, i bet the water in general is the problem.
Actually this was a well. Since I shot this video I have connected to city water and the issue went away. IN this case it was the water from the well. In another case though it very well could be city water but usually that is treated pretty good so this issue would be rarer in city water. Thanks for commenting!
good info terrible video cant see anything