Our new water heater has turned our water into black, greasy water that smells like poison fumes. I called the company and they said we needed to install a mixing valve and an anode rod. They said it needed to be drained and then refilled adding in 1.5 gallons of bleach to flush it through.
They said the reason this is happening is, our well water which is rusty is not mixing with the aluminum anode rod.
Does anyone have any ideas on this?
Thanks
2007-11-01 03:16:40 · 5 answers · asked by Char B 2 in Home & Garden ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
The cause is 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.
As for the mixing valve, I see no viable reason. They may have been referring to an isolation valve for the purpose of periodically flushing the tank with bleach.
2007-11-04 01:52:56 · answer #1 · answered by lpgnh3 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Strange explanation. Most anode rods are made of magnesium. The only purpose for them is to "catch" deposits that would attack the insides of the tank. I have never heard of a mixing valve for a water heater. What is it supposed to mix? Call a plumbing supply store and ask their opinion on this. I think you are being "put on". Water heaters have no moving parts. Cold water goes in, it gets heated, and then pushed out the hot water outlet side. It does nothing with rusty water though. Just flows out the same as clear water.
2007-11-01 03:37:04 · answer #2 · answered by sensible_man 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There is a pressure relief valve on a water heater, and they are usually installed separately, but I have never heard of a mixing valve on a water heater, except in industrial applications where there is a demand for tempered water.
It's possible that something in your water is reacting to the anode, but it's just as likely that some kind of crud inside the tank needs to be flushed out, which is what they're advising.
Another thing you might look at is your groundwater. If your water table is low it will show up in your well water with discoloration.
2007-11-01 03:53:58 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
If you are on a well, some of the black gunky water could be coming from the pressure tank which has a rubber bladder in it. This could be possibly going bad. If this is the case, a water well company should be able to answer your questions.
2007-11-01 04:00:29 · answer #4 · answered by trailng 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
mixing valve on a water heater is a scam or do you have a summer winter hook-up on a boiler?
2007-11-01 12:24:54 · answer #5 · answered by candyman 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋