| the hot water @ our vacation home smells bad (like sewerage) for the first few days we use it. Can it be fixed

the hot water @ our vacation home smells bad (like sewerage) for the first few days we use it. Can it be fixed

jab446 asked:


the cold water is fine and after several loads of laundry the hot water starts to clear up. it’s an electric 40 gal heater that we leave shut off for months at a time. I think it is growing some kind of algae, but I am not sure how to flush the tank.

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Comments

5 Responses to “the hot water @ our vacation home smells bad (like sewerage) for the first few days we use it. Can it be fixed”

  1. z1fireman on May 31st, 2009 11:48 am

    A lot of times you can drain the mineral deposits out of the bottom of the water heater with the valve on the bottom that looks like a garden hose spicut! HOWEVER this can be dangerously hot steam if you are not comfortable with it I would contact a pro and have them do it.

  2. dbHARMesq. on June 3rd, 2009 9:23 am

    What is the source of the drinking water for your vacation home? — a well? — shallow or deep?. I’m with you in your suspicions about some kind of micro organisms building up in your hot water tank during the long times of non-usage, and no heating. Before you turn the electricity back on to heat up the water that has been standing while you were away, you can flush out all of the old, stagnent water, before putting the heater back in service with fresh water. There should be two valves provided for your being able to do this. Shut off the block valve in the outlet line (top of tank) to the house piping; hook up a garden hose to the faucet type block valve at the bottom of the water tank; and open that valve to flush out the old water to a ditch or handy drain to a sewer. Let the water flush for a sufficiently long time to be sure that the tank has been thoroughly emptied of the old water.

    Good Luck!

  3. camila potter on June 6th, 2009 3:48 pm

    call a professional

  4. harlysdream66 on June 8th, 2009 8:10 am

    its not your hot water… its your cold , it contamatied…
    as it sits i n the hot water tank for maybe mths on end
    i would suggest you install a sand filter in between your water supply to the inlet of your tank
    to clean out your tank , attach a garden hose to the tank
    and let out the water ……. its best to turn of the main before you start , and the elc power, when it stop pouring out ….. turn your water on , let it fill up. then turn on the elc again …… after an hour of so . let some water out , the valve is located on the right hand side, brass one , this will let any air out of the tank …. if you still get a problem
    install a tankless tank , it heat the water as it comes thru

  5. Mike on June 10th, 2009 11:59 pm

    Could be your water heater has a magnesium anode rod. You might want to try replacing it with an aluminum one and maybe disinfecting the tank with mild chlorine bleach solution.