Well water question.

-
ProjectBazza

ProjectBazza

FABO Gold Member
FABO Gold Member
Joined
Jul 17, 2023
Messages
4,403
Reaction score
10,333
Location
Zimmerman, MN
I’m a commercial HVAC guy (a Service Fitter to be exact), and while I’m not a plumber, I’m not a greenhorn when it comes to plumbing…..

Anyway, our new place (we bought it 3 years ago) had a really old water heater, and I replaced it with a sealed combustion unit before we even moved in. Have a Kinetico filter and water softener ahead of it…..

Recently we’ve started noticing a rotten egg (hydrogen sulfide) smell to the water, cold as well as hot. I’ve never been on a private well before, and from what I’m reading on the interwebs it sounds like we need to hire someone to test our water (again) and install some sort of filtration.

To those who have gone before me, does this sound about right?
 
How deep is this well?

Your state environmental agency should have a testing program. Could be something as simple as needing to shock the well and re-seal it due to surface water contamination. Testing will tell you for sure.
 
I'm on a 235' well... I get seasonal sulfur smells off the hot water. It comes and goes.

Water test could help you understand the mineral content and consider a filtration system if you so choose
 
Sulphur.... we have a slight amount in ours. Only really smell it from the hangar hydrant when it hasn't been run in some time. Crank all the taps open for awhile and see if it mellows out...
 
66Signeto said:
How deep is this well?

Your state environmental agency should have a testing program. Could be something as simple as needing to shock the well and re-seal it due to surface water contamination. Testing will tell you for sure.
Click to expand...
I have no idea. We had a company come out and replace the top (“cap?”), as it was damaged and loose, but that’s all the service we’ve ever had done to it.

The County has a water testing kit we can buy, and I’m going to pick one up tomorrow.
 
rbkt65 said:
sulfur water. get it tested. we put up with it for years at a chevy dealership until they got city water.
Click to expand...
No way we’re ever getting city water where we are, but I agree about the testing, and I’m already on that!

Or, I will be tomorrow….
 
dadsbee said:
Sulphur.... we have a slight amount in ours. Only really smell it from the hangar hydrant when it hasn't been run in some time. Crank all the taps open for awhile and see if it mellows out...
Click to expand...
I was thinking of doing just that! In fact, when we had our water tested when we moved-in I think that was Step #1.
 
WV64Signet said:
I'm on a 235' well... I get seasonal sulfur smells off the hot water. It comes and goes.

Water test could help you understand the mineral content and consider a filtration system if you so choose
Click to expand...
We have a “whole house” filter upstream of the softener, but this smell is annoying, so we’ll DEFINITELY be installing a filtration system of some sort!

Only question is, what type/kind? Guess the water test will answer that.
 
ProjectBazza said:
We have a “whole house” filter upstream of the softener, but this smell is annoying, so we’ll DEFINITELY be installing a filtration system of some sort!

Only question is, what type/kind? Guess the water test will answer that.
Click to expand...
Around here, tendency are for the complex tank systems that manage the minerals... Nor sure what type you have
 
Not a fan of it but my dad had to put in a chlorinated drip system right in the well. It dropped pellets right down the well. They finaly eliminated that idea with some very elaberate soft water system.
 
Is the smell just in the hot water, and not the cold?
Water heaters have a sacrificial anode rod in the tank- look for a hex fitting on the tank top. If the rod is too corroded (or gone completely) you will start to get the smell you describe from the hot water tap.
There are two different types of rods- aluminum and magnesium. Depending on your water type, one will perform better than the other. I switched mine (I'd have to check my notes) to the other material and the smell went away. Took a bit of time, but it took care of it. both are available at plumbing shops and home centers.
Oh yeah- shut off the water to the tank and bleed off the pressure before you remove the rod! :lol:
 
As mentioned test your water, both before(raw) and at a tap. Remove aerator and clean tap with either CL2 or alcohol. Let run 5 minutes and take sample.
Surprised Health Unit doesn't supply test kit for free?
With test results you can decide which route to go for purification. Filtration may not be cheap. UV could be an option but wouldn't remove sulfur.
Good luck.
 
ProjectBazza said:
I’m a commercial HVAC guy (a Service Fitter to be exact), and while I’m not a plumber, I’m not a greenhorn when it comes to plumbing…..

Anyway, our new place (we bought it 3 years ago) had a really old water heater, and I replaced it with a sealed combustion unit before we even moved in. Have a Kinetico filter and water softener ahead of it…..

Recently we’ve started noticing a rotten egg (hydrogen sulfide) smell to the water, cold as well as hot. I’ve never been on a private well before, and from what I’m reading on the interwebs it sounds like we need to 9.5hire someone to test our water (again) and install some sort of filtration.

To those who have gone before me, does this sound about right?
Click to expand...
What pellets are you using in your water softener? We were using the cheapo pellets and the smell didn't leave. Then we went to potassium pellets and no more smell. Also, how often are you changing the water filter? If your well wasn't used for a while before you moved in then I would suggest changing the filter at least every 4-6 months for about a year and then once a year afterwards. But it still might be a good idea to get it tested, but I think that going to the potassium pellets and changing the filter regularly will make a difference. Remember regular salt pellets will kill your plants and is hard on your coffee maker. We've been on a well for 18 years and been trouble free. Our well is 704 feet deep.
 
ProjectBazza said:
We have a “whole house” filter upstream of the softener, but this smell is annoying, so we’ll DEFINITELY be installing a filtration system of some sort!

Only question is, what type/kind? Guess the water test will answer that.
Click to expand...
The filter needs to be as soon as the water line enters your home.
 
Yesterday was a Big Day, as I spoke with a myriad of people and learned a LOT. Long story short: I took (5) different water samples this morning, as the per the County, and they should have them in their hands soon after they open at 8:00 this morning. However, the "sulfate reduction bacteria" test can take up to 15 days, and we don't have that long (have family coming-in for a weekend visit soon), so we're hiring the local well company to sanitize the well, and the entire system, with chlorine. Not sure when this is going to happen yet, as the system has to "sit" for 24-30 hours, depending on the severity, so this morning both my wife and I are trying to find a place we can "hole up" for a night with the dogs.

Making progress......
 
Last edited:

That's how I tell when our filter needs changing. If we get a slight smell when the water is turned on really high, I know it's time. Other than that, we never smell anything.
 
RustyRatRod said:
That's how I tell when our filter needs changing. If we get a slight smell when the water is turned on really high, I know it's time. Other than that, we never smell anything.
Click to expand...
I wish ours was that simple! We have a "whole house" filter right after the tank, and ahead of the water softener, but unfortunately the smell is coming from someplace upstream of the filter. So either it's the well, or the pressure vessel/tank, or....
 
ProjectBazza said:
I wish ours was that simple! We have a "whole house" filter right after the tank, and ahead of the water softener, but unfortunately the smell is coming from someplace upstream of the filter. So either it's the well, or the pressure vessel/tank, or....
Click to expand...
IMG_5231.jpeg

Our well is 175 feet deep. It has the sulfur smell and high iron content. The smell used to come and go and we got used to it. But, the iron would come out of the solution and stick to my wife’s blond hair, turning it strawberry blond. She complained about this for years! I finally bit the bullet and bought this $3,200 hydrogen peroxide injection system (the parts circled in red are what I’m talking about). The hydrogen peroxide makes the iron come out of solution so it can be filtered out before the faucets. It also entirely neutralizes hydrogen sulfide, so there is no longer any smell to it. Also, we stopped using our salt recharge water softener because the hydrogen peroxide system does even better on its own. I no longer have to carry 40 pound bags of salt to the basement. Now it’s just carrying 2.5 gallon jugs of 7% hydrogen peroxide.

I recommend replacing the sacrificial anode in the hot water tank first and if that doesn’t solve your smell problem, you may be looking at a more expensive solution.
 
68gtxman said:
View attachment 1716459661
Our well is 175 feet deep. It has the sulfur smell and high iron content. The smell used to come and go and we got used to it. But, the iron would come out of the solution and stick to my wife’s blond hair, turning it strawberry blond. She complained about this for years! I finally bit the bullet and bought this $3,200 hydrogen peroxide injection system (the parts circled in red are what I’m talking about). The hydrogen peroxide makes the iron come out of solution so it can be filtered out before the faucets. It also entirely neutralizes hydrogen sulfide, so there is no longer any smell to it. Also, we stopped using our salt recharge water softener because the hydrogen peroxide system does even better on its own. I no longer have to carry 40 pound bags of salt to the basement. Now it’s just carrying 2.5 gallon jugs of 7% hydrogen peroxide.

I recommend replacing the sacrificial anode in the hot water tank first and if that doesn’t solve your smell problem, you may be looking at a more expensive solution.
Click to expand...
I'm going to replace the anode this weekend under "normal service", but the smell is coming from water upstream of that, so I doubt that's the source.

I've never heard of the hydrogen peroxide system (no reason I would have, actually), but I'm intrigued enough that I'm going to be looking into this ASAP, starting during my lunch time today!

And while it may cost a bundle, two things we (my wife and I) won't scrimp on: Air quality, and water quality.

Thank you!!!
 
ProjectBazza said:
I'm going to replace the anode this weekend under "normal service", but the smell is coming from water upstream of that, so I doubt that's the source.

I've never heard of the hydrogen peroxide system (no reason I would have, actually), but I'm intrigued enough that I'm going to be looking into this ASAP, starting during my lunch time today!

And while it may cost a bundle, two things we (my wife and I) won't scrimp on: Air quality, and water quality.

Thank you!!!
Click to expand...
On sale now! Eradicate Iron & Sulfur from Water with Matrixx inFusion System
IMG_5232.jpeg
IMG_5233.jpeg
IMG_5236.png
IMG_5234.jpeg
 
Our well water in AZ is terrible, city water has been tested almost as bad. I buy drinking water for the dogs and us, 45 gallons at a time, around once a week.
 
ProjectBazza said:
Yesterday was a Big Day, as I spoke with a myriad of people and learned a LOT. Long story short: I took (5) different water samples this morning, as the per the County, and they should have them in their hands soon after they open at 8:00 this morning. However, the "sulfate reduction bacteria" test can take up to 15 days, and we don't have that long (have family coming-in for a weekend visit soon), so we're hiring the local well company to sanitize the well, and the entire system, with chlorine. Not sure when this is going to happen yet, as the system has to "sit" for 24-30 hours, depending on the severity, so this morning both my wife and I are trying to find a place we can "hole up" for a night with the dogs.

Making progress......
Click to expand...
Did you investigate the potassium pellets? Remember, regular salt pellets kill plants and is hart on the coffee maker, I'm speaking from experience.
 
Lived on a well for 28 years. 195' deep well but water was within 10' of top of well.

Randomly would get the sulphur smell. 2 gallons of bleach dumped in the well. Outside hose bib turned on with hose recircing water right back down into the well pipe for about 2 hours. This essentially was treated water making a loop through the pipes/pressure tank/filters. Then hose pulled from well pipe and ran out into woods behind the house for 2-3 hours. Stinkies gone!
 
33IMP said:
Our well water in AZ is terrible, city water has been tested almost as bad. I buy drinking water for the dogs and us, 45 gallons at a time, around once a week.
Click to expand...
You need a reverse osmosis system installed under your kitchen sink. You’ll never again have to buy drinking water. Make sure to buy one that will give you the amount that you need. Mine makes around 2 gallons a day, which is more than enough for drinking water. The one below is not what I have (I have a GE model), but they are sold everywhere.
PureDrop 5 Stage Reverse Osmosis Water Filtration System with Extra Pre-Filters, Reduces PFAS, Fluoride, Chloramine, Lead RTW5 - The Home Depot
IMG_5237.png
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-
Back
Top Bottom