Have you ever gotten a whiff of rotten egg smell when pouring water into your cup? It’s a terrible experience. That rotten egg smell originates from Hydrogen Sulfide.
Origin of Hydrogen Sulfide
Hydrogen Sulfide is a gas that reeks like rotten eggs. Hydrogen Sulfide is produced naturally by bacteria and decomposing plants or animals. However, it can come from water systems such as elements in water heaters.
Health Dangers
Is Hydrogen Sulfide dangerous as well as smelly? If you consider discomfort dangerous, then yes. The smell of rotten eggs ruins most meals and drinking experiences. However, moderate levels of Hydrogen Sulfide won’t hurt you. If you have extreme levels of Hydrogen Sulfide, which is rare, then it can induce nausea along with other stomach pains.
Specific Cases
If your water smells like rotten eggs only in certain circumstances, then you may only have hydrogen sulfide build up in certain areas of your piping. For instance, if your water only smells rotten when the water is hot, the water may be reacting to the anode rod in your water heater. Perhaps you only have bad smelling water at your sink or one area of the house. If that is the case most likely your p-trap has junk or garbage caught in it.
Solutions
If you have some of the specific cases mentioned, the solutions are simple. If the smell is in your hot water, you can replace the anode rod with an aluminum rod, which is less likely to create that sulfur smell. In the scenario your p-trap has junk in it, you can simply clean out the p-trap and the problem will be quickly resolved. However, if your water is corrupted with Hydrogen Sulfide, then an in-line whole-home cartridge filter or a whole-home filtration system will deliver you fresh, clean water.
Martin Water Conditioning
Martin Water Conditioning offers a free water analysis to detect any problems with your water. We offer plenty of filtration systems at affordable prices able to fit within any budget. We would be happy to serve you in any way!