Water heater replacement Q: I get bad taste unless sacrificial rod is removed. Unit life is short. Cure?

Question

I am on a well and septic system. Something about the water causes rapid degradation of the sacrificial rod. As it disintigrates, it creates a bad odor and taste. Removing the rod cures the taste but withiut the rod the life of the water heater can be substantially reduced. A stainless steel tank would possibly eliminate the problem. Glasslined steel always fails eventually. Sometimes in less than two years.
Is ther a cost effective cure for the problem? What causes it?
Water analisys shown no potential health problems from anything in my well water.

Answer 1

It’s actually a bacterium that exist in some water that reacts with the magnesium and aluminum sacrificial anodes that come with most water heaters to produce hydrogen sulfide gas, making the classic rotten egg odor. The problem is most common in well systems. The water can be perfectly safe for drinking yet smell terribly fowl.

There are some other sacrificial anode materials available. Very often, replacing the standard magnesium or aluminum anode rod with an aluminum/zinc alloy anode will solve the problem. The zinc is a key ingredient, since pure aluminum anodes will also stink pretty badly.

Answer 2

I have never heard of removing the rod. But I have heard of cutting it off, which helps with the smell and taste! Hope this helps!

Answer 3

not sure of a cure but why would you be drinking water from the water heater...the inside of those things is nasty...