Okay, so the other day I noticed this weird rotten egg smell whenever I turned on the hot water. It wasn’t super strong, but definitely there, and definitely gross. I’m no plumber, but I figured I’d try to figure it out myself before calling in the pros (and paying those prices!).
My DIY Investigation
First, I did what everyone does – I went online. I spent a good hour just reading through forums and articles. Turns out, that sulfur smell is a pretty common thing, and it usually points to something going on with the water heater.
The main culprit seemed to be something called “sulfate-reducing bacteria”. Apparently, these little guys love to hang out in water heaters, especially if the temperature isn’t high enough. They react with stuff in the water and create hydrogen sulfide gas – that’s the stinky smell.
Taking Action (and hoping I don’t mess it up!)
Armed with my newfound (and slightly scary) knowledge, I decided to take a shot at fixing it.
- Step 1: Turn off the power. First things first, I flipped the breaker for the water heater. Didn’t want any shocking surprises!
- Step 2: Drain some water. I connected a garden hose to the drain valve at the bottom of the tank and let some water run out. I figured this might flush out some of the gunk and maybe even some of those smelly bacteria.
- Step 3: Crank up the heat. I found the thermostat (it was behind a little panel) and turned it up. Most websites said to go for at least 140°F (60°C) to kill off the bacteria. I went a bit higher, just to be sure.
- Step 4:Wait a long time. I left the water heater at that high temperature for several hours, and tried the hot water and the smell seems to be disapeared.
I think I’m going to keep an eye (or rather, a nose) on it for the next few days. If the smell comes back, I’ll probably have to call a plumber. But for now, I’m feeling pretty good about my little DIY adventure. And my bathroom doesn’t smell like a science experiment gone wrong anymore!
