A water heater designed for an apartment or a private house is capable of operating without interruptions for a long time. If the inside of the appliance is not cleaned, after a while the water in it will acquire an unpleasant odor. In this case, you need to quickly eliminate the problem, otherwise it will be impossible to use the boiler fully.
- Types of devices and their device
- Cumulative
- Flowing
- Electric
- Gas
- Causes of a fetid odor
- Chemical processes
- The water heater rarely turns on
- Heating water to a low temperature
- The presence of a hydrogen sulfide component in water
- Limescale inside the appliance
- Elimination of external and internal causes
- Preventive work
Types of devices and their device
To find out why water goes out in a home water heater, you need to pay attention to its design and variety. The devices are divided into several categories. Taking into account the method of heating water, they are accumulative or flowing. Depending on the energy source, the water heater can be gas or electric.
Cumulative
The heaters are equipped with thermos tanks designed to accumulate hot water. They belong to the category of universal and are ideal for cottages and country houses. This is a good option for many connected devices and several users, when there is little pressure in the pipes, with low gas pressure and frequent problems with electricity.
If the water in the boiler is rotten, the reason lies in the tank. Such water heaters differ in the material from which the tank is made: plastic, glass ceramics, titanium or stainless steel. The most budgetary ones are plastic tanks, enamel-coated options are more durable and are produced by leading manufacturers.
Flowing
The columns heat the water at the moment the tap is opened. A heating element is located inside the flow unit, during connection with which the water temperature rises to the desired level. The smell of hydrogen sulphide from this type of boiler is the most difficult to eliminate. It is better to place flow-through heaters in small-sized apartments where volumetric tanks cannot be installed.
Instantaneous boilers are suitable for infrequent use, as well as for a small number of connection points. The source of heating in a flow-through boiler is a gas burner or electric heating element. The advantage of boilers of this type is that heated water can be supplied to them without preparation from the sewer and for a long time, but its consumption has limits.
Electric
Electric boilers work according to a simple principle: metal heating elements are installed in them, in which the water is heated to the required temperature. The main advantage of such a heater is an affordable energy carrier, since finding a source of electricity is easier than connecting the device to a gas pipe. To install it, you do not need the help of specialists and the installation of a chimney.
If the water from such a boiler smells like hydrogen sulfide, the reason must be looked for in the type of material from which it is made. The main disadvantage of the heater is the inflated cost compared to similar gas appliances due to high energy prices. Heating water takes twice as long. If the boiler is completely empty or the heating element is not hot enough, hot water will flow with a delay.
Gas
Gas boilers are equipped with a gas-type burner that heats a tank or a heat exchanger. Gas appliances are considered the most economical for all heating systems or hot water supply.
Gas water heaters are more expensive than electric ones, the cost of their installation is higher, and it is also necessary to include the installation and purchase of a chimney. Despite this, the owners of such devices note a quick return on costs due to low fuel prices.
Causes of a fetid odor
When water from a boiler stinks, the causes and remedies for the problem depend on the location of the microscopic organisms that produce hydrogen sulfide. This can be the water heater itself or the water supply system from where the water flows. At the same time, the liquid itself can also cause a stench.
Chemical processes
If odorless water comes out of your home boiler, the problem may be chemical reactions inside the appliance. Sulphides are present in the water from the mains, which react with the magnesium anode located inside the water heater. Due to them, water can begin to produce hydrogen sulfide and provoke a rotten smell.
If the problem lies in the material from which the boiler is made, the water will also have a smelly smell mixed with gouache, plastic or anise. It produces formaldehyde or phenol - substances hazardous to health that provoke headaches and insomnia. They are distinguished by low quality plastic, from which water pipes or the boiler itself are made. This problem must be solved by replacing pipes or a heating device.
The water heater rarely turns on
If the heater is rarely used, the water stays in it for a long time and turns into an ideal environment for the spread of bacteria. The stench is one of the manifestations of their vital activity. The unit must be rinsed and disinfected as soon as possible. The hose is disconnected from the water pipe and whiteness is poured into it along with ordinary water, then the tap is turned off, the hose is connected to the pipe and the valves are opened. Once the water has been drawn, the heater can be turned on.
It is recommended to flush the boiler at least every six months, regardless of whether it is being used or not. Even in a switched off device, bacterial microflora or scale can form, and from the inside it begins to acquire a fetid odor.
Heating water to a low temperature
If water stinks in your home boiler, the reason may be insufficient heating. Temperatures up to 40 degrees are a favorable environment for bacteria that cause the smell of a rotten egg or swamp inside the device. During the operation of the boiler, it is better to give it the opportunity to heat up to full power, otherwise very soon it may start to stink.
The presence of a hydrogen sulfide component in water
The presence of hydrogen sulfide gives off a special smell of rotten eggs, such a substance is more often formed in heaters that are not used constantly. Periodically, water must be consumed in it. Sometimes microbes can withstand temperatures above +60 degrees, but this does not apply to all bacteria. To eliminate the odor, the unit is completely warmed up to the maximum temperature and disinfected using special means.
Limescale inside the appliance
Limescale on the inner surfaces of the appliance, including rubber and iron, often provokes an unpleasant stench. You can remove it manually or by washing with the help of special or improvised means. To clean the body of the water heater and its parts, you need:
- Disconnect the heater from the mains.
- Empty the tank completely.
- Disconnect the elements securing the flanges to the heating element.
- Get the heating element and remove the plaque in it with a knife, lower the mechanism inside the solution prepared from citric acid until the scale disappears completely.
- To clean the body, the walls are washed with a soft sponge and the dirt is washed off under the tap. If the layer of plaque is too thick, it is better to use a descaler according to the instructions.
In order for the heater to work correctly, you need to change the magnesium anode in time and make a complete replacement of parts, if necessary. Many boiler models are equipped with indicator elements that light up when it comes time to change a part.
Elimination of external and internal causes
When the heater itself does not provoke a smell, it is worth taking measures to eliminate external causes. It is recommended to deepen a well or a well and collect water on another horizon, install special filters for the water supply system. You also need to contact the housing and communal services services or the water utility, which are responsible for the quality of the supplied liquid. If the problem with the purity of the water can be solved on its own, the owner of the boiler does not have to write a statement to the utilities.
From the stench and shade of scale, you can guess what exactly the problem is. When the heater has not yet begun to emit strong odors, it is necessary to drain the water from it completely, fill it with fresh water, turn on the unit at full power and leave it to work for several hours. After that, pour out and change the water again, then use the device in standard mode.
Boiling at temperatures over 40 degrees can also solve the problem. The boiler is cleaned in this mode if the bad smell has not disappeared. In this case, the water heater is cleaned of mucus, dirt particles, scale and other harmful substances that can provoke a breakdown. Such a unit is dismantled by first pouring out water and disconnecting parts, including hoses, wires, heating elements, as well as the lower flange. It must be treated with a citric acid solution, rinsed with a sponge and rinsed with warm water.
Preventive work
In order for the water heater to serve as long as possible, it is necessary to devote time to preventive cleaning and quick replacement of parts. The owner of the device needs to pour out the water, if the heater will not be used for a long time, periodically turn it on at maximum power and monitor the state of the magnesium anode and heating element.
Modern units are equipped with sensors that tell you what exactly needs to be changed in this or that case. Timely maintenance helps to prolong the life of the heater and prevent unpleasant odors.
