Bad smell in water

[Jessi]

I have just moved into a condo in Korat.

 

When I turn the shower on I get the smell like rotten egg gas, it only last for a few seconds then seems to go away.

 

Has anyone else found this to be a problem, or does anyone know what causes it?

 

Thank you.

[meatboy]

more than likely its  the heat in the pipes so any stale soap or muck in them will give off the smell.i live on a moo-ban in korat and I get it,as you say it only lasts a couple of seconds.

I clean all the showers[3] and the sinks with costic soda flakes,available from home pro,and you want to get bio shit busters and empty a packet down each of the toilets,these again you can get at home pro or home fresh[mall].you might be getting some gas coming up from the septic tank.

[bkkjames]

not uncommon in condos...I get it in one of my bathrooms from time to time.

 

It appears to help if you run water down the drains (baht, shower, sink, floor) before you go to bed...less of smell in the morning.

[JesseFrank]

What I understand from the OP is that the smell comes out of the water pipes, not the drain.

 

This is caused by sulfur bacteria in the pipes, which can originate at the water source or in the water heater. If it's only when you use warm water, the bacteria is likely in the heater.

 

You can remove it by flushing the heater with bleach. Do a Google for rotten egg smell water pipe.

 

If the bacteria is in the pipes or in the well, it's kind of a bigger issue to get it removed in a condo, but since you say the smell disappears after a few seconds the bacteria is probably in the tab or heater. The bacteria isn't harmful in general.

 

If you have a water softener, that is also a location where the bacteria breeds. In that case you will have to regenerate, and probably replace, the resin in the filter.

Edited August 13, 2014 by JesseFrank

[bkkjames]

What I understand from the OP is that the smell comes out of the water pipes, not the drain.

 

This is caused by sulfur bacteria in the pipes, which can originate at the water source or in the waterheater. If it's only when you uses warm water, the bacteria is likely in the heater.

 

You can remove it by flushing the heater with bleach. Do a Google for rotten egg smell water pipe.

 

If the bacteria is in the pipes or in the well, it's kind of a bigger issue to get it removed in a condo. The bacteria isn't harmful in general.

 

If you have a water softener, that is also a location where the bacteria breeds. In that case you will have to regenerate, and probably replace, the resin in the filter.

 

and here silly me thought it was something to do with the u-traps lol cause the smell certainy comes from the drains lol

[JesseFrank]

 

What I understand from the OP is that the smell comes out of the water pipes, not the drain.

 

This is caused by sulfur bacteria in the pipes, which can originate at the water source or in the waterheater. If it's only when you uses warm water, the bacteria is likely in the heater.

 

You can remove it by flushing the heater with bleach. Do a Google for rotten egg smell water pipe.

 

If the bacteria is in the pipes or in the well, it's kind of a bigger issue to get it removed in a condo. The bacteria isn't harmful in general.

 

If you have a water softener, that is also a location where the bacteria breeds. In that case you will have to regenerate, and probably replace, the resin in the filter.

 

and here silly me thought it was something to do with the u-traps lol cause the smell certainy comes from the drains lol

 

 

 

From the OP :

 

When I turn the shower on I get the smell like rotten egg gas

 

If it came from the drain the smell would occur before turning on the shower. Indeed silly you
 

Edited August 13, 2014 by JesseFrank

[bkkjames]

 

 

What I understand from the OP is that the smell comes out of the water pipes, not the drain.

 

This is caused by sulfur bacteria in the pipes, which can originate at the water source or in the waterheater. If it's only when you uses warm water, the bacteria is likely in the heater.

 

You can remove it by flushing the heater with bleach. Do a Google for rotten egg smell water pipe.

 

If the bacteria is in the pipes or in the well, it's kind of a bigger issue to get it removed in a condo. The bacteria isn't harmful in general.

 

If you have a water softener, that is also a location where the bacteria breeds. In that case you will have to regenerate, and probably replace, the resin in the filter.

 

and here silly me thought it was something to do with the u-traps lol cause the smell certainy comes from the drains lol

 

 

If it came from the drain the smell would occur before turning on the shower. Indeed silly you
 

 

 

mine does . ;) 

[trogers]

Lack of a vent pipe in the drainage stack. Condo is probably low-rise and design excluded a vent.

[Jessi]

What I understand from the OP is that the smell comes out of the water pipes, not the drain.

 

This is caused by sulfur bacteria in the pipes, which can originate at the water source or in the water heater. If it's only when you use warm water, the bacteria is likely in the heater.

 

You can remove it by flushing the heater with bleach. Do a Google for rotten egg smell water pipe.

 

If the bacteria is in the pipes or in the well, it's kind of a bigger issue to get it removed in a condo, but since you say the smell disappears after a few seconds the bacteria is probably in the tab or heater. The bacteria isn't harmful in general.

 

If you have a water softener, that is also a location where the bacteria breeds. In that case you will have to regenerate, and probably replace, the resin in the filter.

 

JesseFrank, I think your spot on.

 

The only time I get it is when I turn the shower on, not from any of the other taps so the problem must be in the water heater.

 

Thank you members for your help.