Well, maybe not Denmark, but at least in my water tanks. I have two 125 gallon stainless tanks and for the first time am getting rotten egg smell - bad- from the water. Obviously something is growing and dying in the tanks/water system. I thought of shocking with chlorine, but remember something about stainless and chlorine.. Maybe not an issue. Anyone have any thoughts? Head Mistress? Gordon
If it's ONLY your hot water that stinks, the problem is most likely to be a failed anode--if your water heater has one, which would require it to have a glass lined tank--or failed anodizing on the walls of metal water heater tanks that don't have have replaceable anodes. Anodizing doesn't last forever in a water heater.
If both your cold and hot water stink, it sounds like your entire fresh water system is in need of recommissioning.
[FONT="]These directions for doing that conform to section 10.8 in the A-1 192 code covering electrical, plumbing, and heating of recreational vehicles (which includes boats). The solution is approved and recommended by competent health officials. It may be used in a new system a used one that has not been used for a period of time, or one that may have been contaminated (and yes, it's safe to follow them no matter what the tank material):
Before beginning, turn off hot water heater at the breaker; do not turn it on again until the entire recommissioning is complete.
Icemakers should be left running to allow cleaning out of the water feed line; however the first two buckets of ice—the bucket generated during recommissioning and the first bucketful afterward--should be discarded.
1. Put a few gallons of water into the tank then add 1 quart Clorox or Purex household bleach (5-7% sodium hypochlorite solution ) per 50 gal water tank capacity.
2. Complete filling of tank with fresh water. Open each faucet and drain cock until air has been released and the entire system is filled. Do not turn off the pump; it must remain on to keep the system pressurized and the solution in the lines.
3. Allow to stand for at least three hours,
but no longer than 24 hours.
4 Drain through every faucet on the boat (and if you haven't done this in a while, it's a good idea to remove any diffusion screens from the faucets, because what's likely to come out will clog them). Fill the tank again with fresh water only, drain again through every faucet on the boat.
5. To remove excess chlorine taste or odor which might remain, prepare a solution of one quart white vinegar to five gallons water and allow this solution to agitate in tank for several days by vehicle motion.
6. Drain tank again through every faucet, and flush the lines again by fill the tank 1/4-1/2 full and again flushing with potable water.
An annual or semi-annual recommissioning according to the above directions is all that should be necessary to keep your water tasting and smelling as good as anything that comes out of any faucet on land. If you need to improve on that, install a water filter. Just remember that a filter is not a substitute for periodic recommissioning the system, and that filters require regular inspection and cleaning or replacement.
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