When using water in your own home, the expectation is for fresh and clean water to flow out from your pipes. If you detect that your water smells off, that isn’t normal and indicates a problem which needs to be addressed.

There could be a range of sources that are causing the pungent odor. The smell might not be coming from the water itself – but, worse, from your pipes. Our team at Mr. Plumber would like to share some common smells homeowners notice from their water and what each one could mean.

Why Water Quality Is Important

First, it’s crucial to address water smells quickly to ensure the water quality in your San Antonio home is clean, drinkable and safe.

Tap water that doesn’t smell clean, likely isn’t. This can potentially hurt your personal hygiene habits, hydration and health. That’s why our team is here to share a few common water smells and what you can do to fix the problem.

Chemical Water Smell

If your water smells like bleach, chemicals or has a medicinal odor, you’re likely smelling chlorine. This is because small amounts of chlorine or chloramine are used by water suppliers to treat water and prevent bacterial growth.

The smell should go away after the water is exposed to air for a few minutes, so sometimes you don’t need to do anything. In some cases, chlorine can interact with built-up, organic materials in the plumbing system and cause an odor. If the smell doesn’t go away after running the tap for a few minutes, consider calling a plumber like one of our professionals at Mr. Plumber for assistance.

Water Has A Rotten Egg Or Sewer Smell

If you notice rotten eggs or a sewer smell while running your faucet, it could be one of a few causes, ranging from a dirty drain to bacteria in your water source. To find the source, you must test your water for odors in different places.

• Bacteria in your water heater: If your hot water smells but cold water doesn’t, it’s likely that bacteria is growing in your water heater. This can happen if the water isn’t being used, the heater has been turned off for a long time or the thermostat isn’t set high enough. The bacteria, while unpleasant to smell and taste, is generally not a health threat. Call a plumber to help you remove the bacteria.
• Bacteria in your well: If you have your own well and have ruled out the other sources, there may be bacteria in your well. You shouldn’t use the water until a professional plumber has tested it and shock chlorinated the system.

As you can see, you can test some of the water in these situations without calling on our team. If the foul smell doesn’t go away after trying, don’t drink the water. In those cases, it’s best to call for professional plumbing services.

Musty, Moldy Or Fishy Water Smell

Humans are incredibly sensitive to these tastes and smells, making them disruptive even at small levels. Often, musty odors come from organic matter such as decaying leaves and bacteria in the drain.

Test the source of the odor by filling a glass of water and carrying it to the other room. If it doesn’t have an odor, disinfect your drain to get rid of the smell.

If the water does smell, there could be bacteria present in your well or water heater tank. Contact a professional plumber on our team to help you remove the bacteria.

Gasoline Water Smell

It’s rare for water to smell like fuel or gasoline, and if it does, this indicates a very serious problem. This type of odor is caused by water supply contamination from:

• Leaking underground fuel tanks
• Discharge from factories and landfills
• Agricultural run-off

If your water smells like gasoline, stop using it immediately and call your county health department to report the problem.

Professional Plumbing Services

If you have smelly water and want a professional plumber to fix it, contact Mr. Plumber for all your plumbing needs! Our professionals in the San Antonio area can help you get the clean water your home needs. Good water quality is essential to maintaining your home and its everyday functions, so don’t wait! Contact us today!