Sewage Smell from Hot Water Heater?

[Twowaxhack]

Add bleach to the tank, turn temp up to high setting...

Then after the heater cuts off with a full tank of really hot water run every hot water fixture until you smell bleach. Then turn them off and let the fixtures sit for 24 hrs.

You could also bleach the cold lines including the main coming in from the well or meter.


Consider installing a chlorine injection system.

 

[SHEPLMBR]

Have you tried a powered anode rod?
https://www.corroprotec.com/powered-anode-rod/

 

[RS]

When you want to remove an anode rod, relieve the pressure on the heater, but don't drain it. the weight of the water will keep the tank from moving. After the anode has become loose, then drain it.

 

[KSFARMER]

Add bleach to the tank, turn temp up to high setting...

Then after the heater cuts off with a full tank of really hot water run every hot water fixture until you smell bleach. Then turn them off and let the fixtures sit for 24 hrs.

You could also bleach the cold lines including the main coming in from the well or meter.


Consider installing a chlorine injection system.

Thank you. Is it normal to have to do this every winter (no smell in the summer). As soon as the temps started to fall it progressively got worse.

 

[KSFARMER]

Have you tried a powered anode rod?
https://www.corroprotec.com/powered-anode-rod/

We haven't. Do you have a brand/model you recommend?

 

[Twowaxhack]

We bought a farm with an 87 model home on it in 2019, gutted and remodeled the entire house to include new HVAC, hot water heater, and added a bathroom in the basement (sewage ejection pump installation and plumbing) and moved in November 1st. Any time we run hot water we get a terrible sewage smell in the house- laundry, dishwasher, hot shower-- any hot water. We have had the plumber who installed the ejection system back on two separate occasions. They used a smoke machine the last visit. It isn't a leak- which I feel like we already knew. They haven't investigated the water heater because they said it would be a smell coming from the water (which there isn't) and it would smell like rotten eggs, not sewage. We have a well option to water cattle, but the house is on rural water. The valve hasn't ever been changed and we aren't even using the well water for livestock right now-- all rural. My question is: Has anyone encountered anything like this? We would like to finish the basement this winter but not until we figure out this smell. Thanks-

You’re on Rural water. I’d invest in a chlorine injection system.

 

[SHEPLMBR]

We haven't. Do you have a brand/model you recommend?

I don't know much about them. They are very few and far between. I would recommend researching them.

 

[Twowaxhack]

The rural water supply may be breeding bacteria. Then feeding it into your system. You’d never get rid of it.....

That’s why I say get a chlorine injector.

 

[arctic bill]

I needed an impact wrench to change ours. Bought a large enough socket at a car parts store but it wouldn't move. Worked all the way up to a 2 ft breaker bar, which didn't unscrew the anode, but did start to rotate the entire water heater, which had been drained. The impact wrench broke it free and then it was possible to unscrew it. It must have been the original anode and it had been in there at least 15 years at the time.

2ft breaker bar is way to small try a cheater bar on that sucker 3 ft .