Hi all.
This happened several months back as well in June. However, at the time, I had an incredibly old water heater that had not been serviced. I replaced it due to its incredibly advanced age (not due to the smell) and the smell eventually went away.
But this week I noticed my water has suddenly developed the same smell again. However, my new water heater is only a few months old. Surely it doesn’t need to be serviced already? It is still outputting very hot water. I have it set to 130F, which is above the temperature that it was set at by default. (I think when I got it, it was set to 120F at first, which I found too cold. So I upped it not long after).
ALL faucets and things with a water supply within the home (ex toilets) exhibit the smell when the water is running. It is not limited to one spigot, floor, or room. Hot water makes it worse (as in showering), but I still notice it with cold water (as in flushing the toilet or room temp water from the tap…I can’t get my water super cold where I live though).
The smell reminds me of when I used to swim in a lake or pond. It doesn’t smell like sewage and it doesn’t smell like fish, but it is not overly pleasant.
Is there a way I can investigate this easily enough without hiring a plumber? And how can I tell if it’s safe to drink.
I have city water, NOT well water.
Thanks all.
You might need to change out the anode in that hot water heater if it’s electric. They sell aluminum ones at home improvement stores. The ones that come with today’s water heaters are generally made of magnesium, and can react with your water chemistry. It won’t be free but you can do the replacement with a big socket and a breaker bar. Total should be less than $100.