FHB Logo Facebook LinkedIn Email Pinterest Twitter Instagram Plus Icon Close Icon Navigation Search Icon Navigation Search Icon Arrow Down Icon Video Guide Icon Article Guide Icon Modal Close Icon Guide Search Icon Skip to content
Subscribe
Log In
  • How-To
  • Design
  • Tools & Materials
  • Videos
  • Blogs
  • Forum
  • Magazine
  • Members
  • FHB House
  • Podcast
Log In

Discussion Forum

Discussion Forum

foul odor in well water faucet

oakman15 | Posted in General Discussion on June 2, 2009 05:32am

I suddenly have a foul odor/taste in my kitchen water from the faucet. I had it tested by a chemist a six months ago and he said it was good enough to bottle and sell. Suddenly, I have this odor. There is salt in my water softener.

I did some detective work and I THINK it is only the kitchen, not the bathrooms. It has happened with the hot and cold water. It seems to dissapate if you run it for 20 seconds.

It is right above our old hot water heater. Maybe that has something to do with it. Our septic system is two years old.

Any ideas what can cause this?

Reply

Replies

  1. DanH | Jun 02, 2009 05:59am | #1

    Lots of things can cause it. "Iron bacteria" is often blamed, and supposedly the fix is to "shock" the well with chlorine.

    As I stood before the gates I realized that I never want to be as certain about anything as were the people who built this place. --Rabbi Sheila Peltz, on her visit to Auschwitz
  2. DanH | Jun 02, 2009 06:02am | #2

    You can also get the bacteria going in a water heater (it's reported), though I don't know how that could affect your cold water.

    As I stood before the gates I realized that I never want to be as certain about anything as were the people who built this place. --Rabbi Sheila Peltz, on her visit to Auschwitz
  3. Varoom | Jun 02, 2009 06:23pm | #3

    Get your water tested again by your water treatment company, especially for iron, as I presume your bad odour is sulpher (smell of rotten eggs).

    For us, the sulpher would bloom in the hot water tank but was not noticible with the cold water.

    The temporary solution was to add a cup of bleach into the sediment filter whenever the sulpher bloomed.  That would usually work for a month before it came back.

    Turns out our iron filter (potassium permanganate) was malfunctioning, so that got fixed.  The water treatment guys also intall an air admittance valve before the inlet of the iron filer, which assists the filter in removing the iron content.  Both of these fixes have solved the problem.

    The only hassle with the air admittance valve is the noise it makes when the water is running (it sounds like water spraying out of a pinhole leak, which took a few weeks to get used to) and it does add air to the pipes, so there is an occassional burp of air when you open a faucet.

  4. User avater
    popawheelie | Jun 02, 2009 08:02pm | #4

    One more thing. It is a common practice for the cold water on your kitchen faucet to bypass the softener. So you get water at the cold side of the kitchen faucet right from the well.

    You sacrificial anode in you water heater can be part of the problem. Take it out or change to Magnesium?

    The iron eating bacteria will bloom in warmer water and will bloom in pipes that aren't flushed as often.

    You tend to smell it more in certain areas. When warm water hits the kitchen sink or when warm water fills the laundry tub. Your nose is right above them.

    From what I've gathered, there is no way to kill all the bacteria. It lives in the soil surrounding the well. You can shock the whole system but it will return eventually.

    There is a well chlorinator that doses the well on a continuos basis.

    Our last house was on a well with this stuff. I got tired of dealing with it.

    "There are three kinds of men: The one that learns by reading, the few who learn by observation and the rest of them have to pee on the electric fence for themselves."
    Will Rogers

Log in or create an account to post a comment.

Sign up Log in

Become a member and get full access to FineHomebuilding.com

Video Shorts

Categories

  • Business
  • Code Questions
  • Construction Techniques
  • Energy, Heating & Insulation
  • General Discussion
  • Help/Work Wanted
  • Photo Gallery
  • Reader Classified
  • Tools for Home Building

Discussion Forum

Recent Posts and Replies

  • |
  • |
  • |
  • |
  • |
  • |
View More Create Post

Up Next

Video Shorts

Featured Story

Critical Details for Ductless Heat Pumps

Trouble-free performance begins with properly installed line sets that pass rigorous testing for leaks.

Featured Video

SawStop's Portable Tablesaw is Bigger and Better Than Before

The 10-in. Jobsite Saw PRO has a wider table, a new dust-control port, and a more versatile fence, along with the same reliable safety mechanism included in all SawStop tablesaws.

Related Stories

  • Podcast 551: Power Tool Batteries, Building as a Third Career, and High DIY
  • Podcast 551: Members-only Aftershow—Badly-Built Homes
  • Podcast 550: PRO TALK With Carpentry Program Instructor Sandy Thistle and Graduate David Abreu
  • Podcast 549: Energy Upgrades, Chimney Inspections, and Questions About a Home You Might Buy

Highlights

Fine Homebuilding All Access
Fine Homebuilding Podcast
Tool Tech
Plus, get an extra 20% off with code GIFT20

"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.

Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters
See all newsletters

BOOKS, DVDs, & MERCH

Shop the Store
  • 2022 Fine Homebuilding Archive
    Buy Now
  • 2023 Tool Guide
    Buy Now
  • Pretty Good House
    Buy Now
  • Code Check Building 4th Edition
    Buy Now
  • Shop the Store

Fine Homebuilding Magazine

  • Issue 314 - April/May 2023
    • 7 Options for Countertops
    • Tool Test: Wood-Boring Bits
    • Critical Details for Ductless Heat Pumps
  • Issue 313 - Feb/March 2023
    • Practical System for a Seismic Retrofit
    • Fine Homebuilding Issue #313 Online Highlights
    • Practical System for a Seismic Retrofit
  • Issue 312 - Dec 2022/Jan 2023
    • Tool Test: Cordless Tablesaws
    • Gray-Water System for a Sustainable Home
    • Insulate a Cape Roof to Avoid Ice Dams
  • Issue 311 - November 2022
    • 7 Steps to a Perfect Exterior Paint Job
    • Options for Smarter Home-Energy Tracking
    • The Fine Homebuilding Interview: James Metoyer
  • Issue 310 - October 2022
    • Choosing a Tile-Leveling System
    • Choosing Between HRVs and ERVs
    • Custom Built-in Cabinets Made Easy

Fine Homebuilding

Follow

  • twitter
  • facebook
  • instagram
  • pinterest

Newsletter

Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters
See all newsletters

Membership & Magazine

  • Online Archive
  • Start Free Trial
  • Magazine Subscription
  • Magazine Renewal
  • Gift a Subscription
  • Customer Support
  • Privacy Preferences

Taunton Network

  • Green Building Advisor
  • Fine Woodworking
  • Fine Gardening
  • Threads
  • About
  • Contact
  • Advertise
  • Careers
  • Copyright
  • Terms of Use
  • Site Map
  • Do not sell or share my information
  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility
  • California Privacy Rights

© 2023 The Taunton Press, Inc. All rights reserved.

X
X
This is a dialog window which overlays the main content of the page. The modal window is a 'site map' of the most critical areas of the site. Pressing the Escape (ESC) button will close the modal and bring you back to where you were on the page.

Main Menu

  • How-To
  • Design
  • Tools & Materials
  • Video
  • Blogs
  • Forum
  • Reader Projects
  • Magazine
  • Members
  • FHB House

Podcasts

  • FHB Podcast
  • ProTalk

Webinars

  • Upcoming and On-Demand

Podcasts

  • FHB Podcast
  • ProTalk

Webinars

  • Upcoming and On-Demand

Popular Topics

  • Kitchens
  • Business
  • Bedrooms
  • Roofs
  • Architecture and Design
  • Green Building
  • Decks
  • Framing
  • Safety
  • Remodeling
  • Bathrooms
  • Windows
  • Tilework
  • Ceilings
  • HVAC

Magazine

  • Current Issue
  • Past Issues
  • Magazine Index
  • Subscribe
  • Online Archive
  • Author Guidelines

All Access

  • Member Home
  • Start Free Trial
  • Gift Membership

Shop the Store

  • Books
  • DVDs
  • Taunton Workshops

More

  • FHB Ambassadors
  • Reader Projects
  • Podcast
  • FHB House
  • Customer Support

Account

  • Log In
  • Join

Newsletter

Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters
See all newsletters

Follow

  • twitter
  • facebook
  • instagram
  • pinterest

Join All Access

Become a member and get instant access to thousands of videos, how-tos, tool reviews, and design features.

Start Your Free Trial

Subscribe

FHB Magazine

Start your subscription today and save up to 70%

Subscribe

We hope you’ve enjoyed your free articles. To keep reading, become a member today.

Get complete site access to expert advice, how-to videos, Code Check, and more, plus the print magazine.

Start your FREE trial

Already a member? Log in