smell from hot water

[Gray_Fox]

First day out in a while an the hot water has a sulfur smell, what is the cause how do you get rid of it.

[Gray_Fox]

Thanks for all your replies, were in WV now an this is were the

smell began. When we get home in NE I will drain an flush the tank several times.

[ppine]

There are some bacteria that like hot water. Some like cold water. It smells like Yellowstone due to sulphur. Drain and soak with a little household bleach. Drain your tanks after trips.

[memtb]

Though a bit of a PITA.....a quick bleach flush will “sweeten” the system. An occasional bleach flush through the entire fresh water system can “only” be a good thing! Here at the house, we are on our own well system, which if not treated occasionally will begin to get a little bit of sulfur smell. Hot Springs State Park is not very far from us, and we have lots of minerals in our water. I will give our home water heater a good flush ( water heaters seem to be a “catch all” for minerals and sediment) then fill our home filter housing with bleach...turn on the well and bring the bleach through the pressure tank, and into the rest of the house plumbing. After a day of normal use the bleach has worked it’s way through the system .....and, we’re great for another 6 months or so! It’s a lot quicker and easier with an RV! memtb

[schlep1967]

Drain and refill a few times. Really no need for bleach. Doesn't matter if you have an anode rod or not. It all depends on the source of water used to last fill the water heater.

I know my home well water does not cause the smell. Some campgrounds we visit and use there water supply it will smell if left in the water heater. Simple fix for me is drain the water heater when I get home. No anode for my water heater so I plumbed a valve in place of the plug. Makes draining easy. Just make sure you refill it before the wife turns on the water heater the next time you go out...

[Mike134]

pianotuna wrote:
If the water heater has an anode rod, it may contribute to the problem.

^^^ this and your water has hydrogen sulfide in it. Need to flush with some city water.

[pianotuna]

If the water heater has an anode rod, it may contribute to the problem.

[Edd505]

bacteria is attracted to the sodium in water tanks, as the bacteria grows hydrogen sulfide gas is released as a waste product. Chlorine bleach can remove hydrogen sulfide, drain and flush the tank and run the chlorine bleach. When you do turn of the heater, and open a faucet inside to release pressure.

Not sure why it's an issue with some, I have never run chlorine & do not drain my tank until winterizing, no smell.

[azdryheat]

Yep, drain the water heater and get a new anode. Worked for us.

[ford_truck_guy]

If I won't be in mine for 3 or more weeks, I drain the Water Heater...This prevents that from happening

[MitchF150]

You didn't drain it between trips and it went sour... If your trips are within a month or so, you can probably leave it.. But, if it's longer and you used the 'camp' water on your last trip, it's probably hard, well water and just cooked until it went bad.. yuk....

I think you can clear it with a lot of flushing with bleach... I have never had that issue myself, so good luck! Mitch

[Lwiddis]

Did you drain the hot water tank after your last trip? Did you throughly sanitize the entire fresh water system? Did you throughly rinse the entire fresh water system after sanitizing?