Do you detect a rotten egg odor when you turn on one of the faucets in your home? If so, you should consider contacting a reputable water company in Columbia, MO, to discuss installing one of the latest filtration and treatment systems.
But before doing so, make sure you know the answer to the question, “Why your water smells like sulfur or rotten eggs?” Several common factors can cause your home’s water to give off an awful rotten egg odor when you run the water in your kitchen sink or fill a tub in your bathroom.
Below, see what could be causing your home’s water to smell like sulfur and determine which steps to take to eliminate this problem.
What Can Cause Your Water To Smell Like Sulfur or Rotten Eggs?
There isn’t always an easy answer to the question, “Why does my water smell like sulfur or rotten eggs?” Let’s look at a few things that can cause this putrid odor from your home’s water.
Sulfur Bacteria
Hydrogen sulfide gas is the most common cause of a home’s water giving off a terrible rotten egg smell. It is the first culprit you should consider when you’re wondering where this smell comes from every time you run the water in your house.
This gas is created when bacteria encounter sulfates and convert them into hydrogen sulfide. These bacteria are known to flourish in low-oxygen environments, such as:
- Plumbing pipes
- Wells
- Water heaters
If you allow stagnant water to sit in your plumbing system for an extended period, you might have high sulfate-reducing bacteria levels. If mineral deposits exist in your plumbing pipes, you may also have higher-than-normal levels.
Whatever the case, hydrogen sulfide gas can sometimes produce a rotten egg smell when you turn on your home’s water. This makes using the water for drinking, cooking, cleaning, bathing, and other activities difficult.
Water Heater
Does your home have an electric water heater? This is another common cause of water that smells like sulfur or rotten eggs.
Electric water heaters contain magnesium anode rods to minimize corrosion. These rods are made of magnesium sulfate, and if one corrodes, it can create free electrons within the water surrounding it, leading to the generation of hydrogen sulfide.
The good news is that water heater contamination like this doesn’t typically occur overnight. Instead, it usually takes place when water sits inside a water heater for a long time without being used. It might also happen if a water heater isn’t flushed for years.
Still, this situation can sometimes set in quickly, resulting in high hydrogen sulfide gas levels and an unmistakable rotten egg smell.
Well Water
According to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, hundreds of thousands of homeowners throughout the Show-Me State rely on private wells for water. Another 3,000 well water sources are drilled annually, highlighting the prevalence of private wells among Missouri’s more than 6 million residents.
Not every homeowner with a private well will wonder, “Why does my water smell like sulfur?” However, some will, since well water may naturally include sulfates that can convert into hydrogen sulfide after coming into contact with bacteria.
Bedrock
Hydrogen sulfite occurs naturally in more than just well water. It is also present in bedrock in certain areas, further complicating the process of determining why a home’s water smells like sulfur.
If hydrogen sulfide is present in the bedrock near your home, this is one more thing that might cause your water to smell.
What To Do If Your Water Smells Like Sulfur or Rotten Eggs
If your home’s water smells like sulfur or rotten eggs, getting rid of it should shoot to the top of your to-do list. Here are a handful of steps you can take to stop it from impacting you and your family:
- Attempt to pinpoint the cause of the problem
- Stop stagnant water from building up within your plumbing system
- Flush your plumbing system to remove bacteria
You can also have your home’s water tested and explore installing a state-of-the-art water treatment system to prevent this issue from affecting your house.
Stop Wondering, “Why Does My Water Smell Like Sulfur or Rotten Eggs?” and Contact Us
Being left to wonder, “Why does my water smell like sulfur?” can make you uneasy whenever you turn on a faucet in your home. It can also lead to concerns over tap water safety.
Let Mid-MO Water Solutions help alleviate your anxieties by setting you up with a top-notch water purification and filtration system. Contact us today.